What does non-maleficence emphasize in professional practice?

Non-maleficence is a fundamental principle in healthcare that emphasizes the ethical obligation of healthcare professionals to avoid harm to patients. This principle is rooted in the Hippocratic Oath and forms an essential component of ethical practice in nursing and other healthcare fields.

The core idea behind non-maleficence is that practitioners must assess and minimize the potential risks of their interventions and ensure that their actions do not cause unnecessary injury or suffering to patients. This means actively considering the ramifications of treatments, medications, and procedures, and prioritizing patient safety in all aspects of care.

In contrast, the other options focus on different aspects of patient care. Meeting patients' needs involves fulfilling their requirements but may not adequately consider the potential harm associated with those needs. Encouraging patient autonomy emphasizes respecting patients' rights to make their own decisions, which is important but does not directly address the prevention of harm. Providing accurate information is essential for informed consent and ethical communication but again does not specifically relate to the avoidance of harm.