What is beneficence?

• A. To do good
• B. To avoid harm
• C. To respect autonomy
• D. To promote justice

Answer: (A)

Beneficence is the duty to promote the animal’s welfare by actively acting for its benefit. In veterinary nursing, this means taking steps that improve the patient’s health and comfort—providing the right diagnosis, appropriate treatment, effective pain relief, humane handling, and care that reduces suffering. It’s about doing good for the patient, not just avoiding harm. While other principles guide decisions (such as avoiding harm, respecting the owner’s choices, and ensuring fair treatment of resources), beneficence is specifically about actively promoting positive outcomes for the animal. That’s why “to do good” is the best description of beneficence.