You enter the room of Mrs. Brewster, an 87-year-old frail woman with congestive heart failure. As you enter, you say, "Good morning, dear. I'd like to bathe you now, honey
" Later, your supervisor reprimands you because your way of speaking to Mrs. Brewster was an example of
a. Beneficence
b. Paternalism
c. Caring
d. Malfeasance
B
You were speaking to Mrs. Brewster as if she were a child, a form of paternalism. Elderly people should be addressed with respect, usually by Mr. or Mrs., unless they specifically ask you to use their first name. Responses A and D are ethical principles in nursing—beneficence to be aimed for, malfeasance to be avoided. Response C is also incorrect: your supervisor would not reprimand you for that. More importantly, caring includes respect, and paternalism is not respectful to an older adult.
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