Law Vs Nonmaleficence

The concepts of ethics and laws are sometimes used inseparably, but there are instances where they are totally opposite and can lead to much debate. According to Buchbinder and Shanks (2017), “laws and ethics, overlap, with principles underlying the development of the laws, but they approach the world of health care from somewhat differing perspectives” (pg. 422). The ethical principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence are important in the healthcare organizations because it requires a positive duty of care. “In other words, it is a balancing of treatment versus the risks and cost involved” (Buchbinder & Shanks, 2017). Beneficence means providing the best service one possibly can for others, while nonmaleficence means to “do no harm” (Buchbinder
& Shanks, 2017).
The concepts of beneficence and nonmaleficence can be applied to both ethical and legal circumstances to provide protection to both the healthcare organization and the patient. One example of nonmaleficence is the healthcare professionals withholding treatment because they believe withdrawing treatment would be more harmful to the patient. An example of active beneficence would be a nurse offering the patient to hold their hand while he/she undergo a procedure. Another example of nonmaleficence is a healthcare professional who refuses to provide treatment to prolong a patient’s life knowing that it will cause the patient more suffering. These examples of beneficence and nonmaleficence demonstrate that the patient and the healthcare organization are protected because it ensures that healthcare professionals provide the best care for the patients and the organization’s reputation is kept intact.