Three patients arrive at a health care facility in a remote northern area of Canada. All have serious injuries, but there is only enough room on a small plane for one patient. The nurse in charge of the facility asks, "Who needs access to specialties the most?" What does this scenario suggest?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse's question suggests that she is using the principle of distributive justice, which considers the needs of each patient based on their medical condition and the availability of medical resources. This suggests that the nurse is applying a material rule (focusing on the patients' needs), rather than a formal rule (following a predetermined algorithm). It is also possible that the nurse could collaborate with the physician in making this decision, but this is not implied by the scenario.

Three Patients Arrive at a Health Care Facility in a Remote