All clients waiting for a kidney transplant must meet the same qualifications. This is an example of which ethical principle?

All clients waiting for a kidney transplant must meet the same qualifications. This is an example of which ethical principle?

• A. Fidelity
• B. Autonomy
• C. Justice
• D. Nonmaleficence

Answer: (C)

Justice in nursing ethics means treating people fairly and distributing scarce resources equitably. Requiring all clients waiting for a kidney transplant to meet the same qualifications ensures access is based on standardized, non-discriminatory criteria rather than personal preference or bias. This fair process aims to allocate a limited resource—the transplant opportunity—in a way that is consistent for everyone. While autonomy, fidelity, and nonmaleficence are important principles in other contexts (respecting patient choices, keeping promises, and avoiding harm, respectively), they do not capture the idea of equal access to a scarce medical resource.

Justice in nursing ethics means treating people fairly and distributing scarce resources equitably. Requiring all clients waiting for a kidney transplant to meet the same qualifications ensures access is based on standardized, non-discriminatory criteria rather than personal preference or bias. This fair process aims to allocate a limited resource—the transplant opportunity—in a way that is consistent for everyone. While autonomy, fidelity, and nonmaleficence are important principles in other contexts (respecting patient choices, keeping promises, and avoiding harm, respectively), they do not capture the idea of equal access to a scarce medical resource.