Which action aligns with nonmaleficence in medical practice?

Which action aligns with nonmaleficence in medical practice?

• A. Performing unnecessary tests
• B. Do no harm by avoiding unnecessary procedures
• C. Taking no action to protect patient safety
• D. Prioritizing institutional policy over patient welfare

Answer: (B)

Nonmaleficence means do no harm. In medical practice, this requires avoiding actions that could injure a patient or expose them to unnecessary risk, while still aiming to benefit them. The choice that best fits this principle is avoiding unnecessary procedures. Unnecessary tests and interventions can cause harm through risks of the procedures, radiation exposure, false positives, anxiety, and cascading follow-up tests, all without enough benefit to justify them. So, actively refraining from unnecessary procedures aligns with doing no harm. Performing unnecessary tests introduces avoidable risk, so it doesn’t fit nonmaleficence. Taking no action to protect patient safety isn’t consistent with do-no-harm, because patient safety requires taking steps to prevent harm when appropriate. Prioritizing institutional policy over patient welfare can also lead to harm if it delays or alters care that would protect the patient, which conflicts with the ethical duty to avoid harm.

Nonmaleficence means do no harm. In medical practice, this requires avoiding actions that could injure a patient or expose them to unnecessary risk, while still aiming to benefit them. The choice that best fits this principle is avoiding unnecessary procedures. Unnecessary tests and interventions can cause harm through risks of the procedures, radiation exposure, false positives, anxiety, and cascading follow-up tests, all without enough benefit to justify them. So, actively refraining from unnecessary procedures aligns with doing no harm.

Performing unnecessary tests introduces avoidable risk, so it doesn’t fit nonmaleficence. Taking no action to protect patient safety isn’t consistent with do-no-harm, because patient safety requires taking steps to prevent harm when appropriate. Prioritizing institutional policy over patient welfare can also lead to harm if it delays or alters care that would protect the patient, which conflicts with the ethical duty to avoid harm.