A nurse admits a patient with end-stage cancer who is very obviously in pain yet refuses pain medication because of the desire to remain aware of family members who are present.The best example of the nurse acting under the ethical principle of beneficence is to:

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The heart of ethical nursing practice is a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship in which the nurse's actions are influenced by each patient's unique situation.To follow the principle of beneficence, the nurse needs to promote good understanding of the patient's wishes.After obtaining this information, the nurse can move on to a plan to manage the patient's pain that is acceptable to the patient (possibly nonpharmacological therapies).But without having this information first, the nurse cannot treat the patient's pain in a beneficent manner.One option might be to call the doctor and get pain medication ordered so it will be available should the patient change her mind.But first, the nurse needs to understand the patient's wishes and desires in order to assist the physician in ordering the most appropriate medication.It is not beneficent to merely get pain medication ordered anyway.The patient does have the right to refuse any treatment (if the patient is able to make reasoned judgments), but this corresponds to the principle of autonomy.Trying to convince the patient to act in accordance with the wishes of others is not promoting beneficence.

A Nurse Admits a Patient with End-Stage Cancer Who Is