Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

What ethical dilemma may arise when a case manager must discontinue home health services to reduce costs?

1. Beneficence

2. Justice

3. Autonomy

4. Confidentiality

The correct answer is: Beneficence

The ethical dilemma that arises when a case manager must discontinue home health services to reduce costs is primarily linked to beneficence. Beneficence refers to the principle of acting in the best interest of the patient, providing care that promotes their well-being and health. When home health services are cut for financial reasons, it may conflict with the case manager's obligation to ensure that the patient receives adequate care and support. Discontinuing services could lead to negative health outcomes for the patient, thereby failing to uphold the principle of beneficence. The ethical challenge here is balancing organizational or financial needs with the imperative to act in ways that benefit the patients. This highlights the tension between resource allocation and providing optimal patient care, which is a crucial conversation in public health and nursing ethics. Other ethical principles like justice, autonomy, and confidentiality are also important but are not as directly related to the scenario of discontinuing services for cost reduction as beneficence is. Justice focuses on fairness in distributing resources, autonomy emphasizes the patient's right to make informed decisions about their care, and confidentiality pertains to the patient's privacy in handling their health information. In this case, the core ethical dilemma centers on whether the action taken serves the best interests of the patient, exemplifying the