When a nurse assesses a patient for pain and offers a plan to manage the pain, which principle is used to encourage the nurse to monitor the patient's response to the pain?

• A. Fidelity
• B. Autonomy
• C. Veracity
• D. Beneficence

Answer: (A)

Fidelity—the nurse’s obligation to be loyal, trustworthy, and to honor commitments to patients. When pain is assessed and a plan to manage it is offered, monitoring the patient’s response is how the nurse stays true to that commitment: following through on the plan, checking effectiveness, and adjusting care as needed to relieve suffering. This ongoing evaluation reinforces trust and accountability in the nurse–patient relationship.

Autonomy focuses on respecting the patient’s right to make decisions about their own care, including consent to a plan. Veracity is about truth-telling. Beneficence is doing good in a broad sense. The act of monitoring the chosen pain-management plan to ensure it works and to continue or modify treatment as necessary best exemplifies fidelity.