Beneficence in nursing is best described as?

• A. Action that promotes good for others without any self-interest.
• B. The obligation to tell the truth.
• C. The commitment to act in the patient's best interest.
• D. Fairness in resource distribution.

Answer: (A)

Beneficence means actively promoting the patient’s welfare and choosing actions that benefit them. In nursing, this is fulfilled by commitments to help the patient, relieve suffering, and support recovery, with decisions guided by what will best improve the patient’s health and well-being. The strongest description is the obligation to act in the patient’s best interest, because it captures the core purpose of beneficence: to pursue the positive outcomes and well-being of the patient through careful, beneficial actions. It’s not about having zero self-interest; professional care involves balancing benefits with risks, patient preferences, and practicality, but the focus remains on advancing the patient’s welfare. Related principles—telling the truth aligns with veracity, and fair distribution of resources aligns with justice—are important ethical concepts too, but they describe different duties rather than beneficence itself.