A nurse is working with a labor client who is in preterm labor and is designated as a high-risk client. The client is very apprehensive and asks the nurse, "Is everything going to be all right?" The nurse tells the client, "Everything will be okay." Following birth via an emergency cesarean section, the newborn undergoes resuscitation and does not survive. The client is distraught over the outcome and blames the nurse for telling her that everything would be okay. Which ethical principle did the nurse violate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In this type of situation, the nurse (and/or health care provider) cannot make statements (promises) that cannot be kept. Telling the client that everything will be okay is not based on the accuracy of medical diagnosis and should not be conveyed to the client. The other ethical principles of autonomy (self-determination), beneficence (greatest good), and accountability (accepting responsibility) do not apply.

A Nurse Is Working with a Labor Client Who Is