Beneficence requires actions such as which of the following?

• A. Do no harm
• B. Acting in the patient's interest, preventing injury, and providing comfort
• C. Respect patient autonomy
• D. Maximize societal utility

Answer: (B)

Beneficence means actively promoting the patient’s well-being through good, helpful actions. It encompasses acting in the patient’s best interests, preventing harm, and providing comfort, which is exactly what option describing those positive, care-focused actions expresses. Respecting patient autonomy is about allowing patients to make their own choices, which is a separate ethical principle. Do no harm reflects nonmaleficence—the obligation to avoid causing harm, not necessarily to actively benefit. Maximizing societal utility is a utilitarian aim concerned with the greatest good for many, not specifically the individual patient. So the best fit for beneficence is actions aimed at enhancing the patient’s well-being, preventing injury, and providing comfort.