Legal Responsibility and Accountability in Nursing

A newly graduated registered nurse is working in a busy hospital setting. During a shift, they receive a verbal order from a physician to administer a medication that the nurse has not previously administered. The physician is unable to be present in the hospital due to an emergency situation. The nurse is aware of the hospital's policy that states that verbal orders should only be taken in emergent situations and must be cosigned within 24 hours by the prescribing physician.

In the event that the nurse administers the medication and there is an adverse reaction in the patient, the nurse may be subject to scrutiny regarding the legality and ethicality of their actions. Fill in the blank regarding the nurse's responsibility in this scenario: 'The nurse is obligated to adhere to the principles of ____________, which require them to act competently and ethically in the care of their patients, thereby ensuring that the potential for harm to the patient is minimized.'