Ross-Kerr and Wood’s Canadian Nursing Issues & Perspectives: CDN NURSING ISSUES & PERSPECTIVES 6th Edition - Ethical Issues and Dilemmas in Nursing Practice Related

Review Ross-Kerr and Wood’s Canadian Nursing Issues & Perspectives: CDN NURSING ISSUES & PERSPECTIVES 6th Edition - Ethical Issues and Dilemmas in Nursing Practice related questions and content

Nurses often struggle with distinguishing between active euthanasia and palliative sedation. The assertion that some actions have both good and bad effects, the action itself ought to be good, good is intended, and there must be sufficient reasons to engage in the action is known as which of the following?

  • A. Moral biomedical ethics
  • B. The principle of nonmaleficence
  • C. The principle of both and white
  • D. The doctrine of double effect
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The doctrine of double effect is a moral principle that is sometimes evoked to further distinguish between active euthanasia and palliative sedation. This doctrine asserts that an action may have both good and bad effects, the action itself must be good or neutral, the good effect must be intended, and there must be sufficiently grave reasons to permit the bad effect.