A community health nurse found a very small number of families in the

A community health nurse found a very small number of families in the community who were desperately in need of basic preventive health services.

Which of the following ethical approaches supports expending agency resources on these few, but needy, families?
a.
Beneficence suggests focusing on the most needy, so resources should be expended on these families.
b.
Deontological ethics suggest that the nurse must give priority to the intervention that would have the broadest impact.
c.
Utilitarianism (the most good for the largest number) would suggest continuing to focus on broader community needs.
d.
Virtue ethics would suggest focusing on these families to support the nurse’s own character development.

ESSAYBID ANSWER

ANS: A
Each response is an accurate portrayal of a branch of ethics. Beneficence and social justice would give moral advantage to the most vulnerable. By caring for these families, the demands of utilitarianism (the most good for the largest number) would also be met as caring for the weakest supports the whole community.