Which ethical principle is most clearly evident when a nurse manager guides a nurse to contact the primary physician due to a patient's risk of dehydration?

The principle of beneficence is demonstrated in this scenario because it emphasizes the importance of acting in the best interest of the patient. When the nurse manager guides a nurse to contact the primary physician about the patient’s risk of dehydration, it reflects a commitment to promoting the patient's health and well-being. The action taken is intended to prevent harm—a key aspect of beneficence—by ensuring that the patient receives appropriate medical intervention.

In this context, the nurse manager recognizes the potential for harm associated with dehydration and takes proactive steps to address the issue, highlighting the ethical duty to provide care that benefits the patient. This aligns directly with the essence of beneficence, which requires healthcare professionals to not only avoid harm but also to take positive actions that enhance the patient’s health outcomes.

In contrast, other ethical principles, while important, do not directly relate to this specific situation. Autonomy emphasizes respecting the patient’s right to make their own choices, justice focuses on fairness and equality in healthcare distribution, and nonmaleficence is about avoiding harm but does not specifically pertain to the active steps taken to benefit the patient as seen in this instance.