Which option best represents an approach to the two common ethical dilemmas in nursing management?

• A. Resource scarcity and staff scheduling conflicts; address by expanding budgets and forcing overtime.
• B. Futile care and patient privacy; address with informed consent.
• C. Resource scarcity and conflicting patient autonomy vs beneficence; approach with ethics committee involvement, transparent communication, and policy-based guidance.
• D. Miscommunication and workflow inefficiency; address with better lunch breaks.

Answer: (C)

Handling scarce resources and balancing patient autonomy with beneficence requires a structured ethical decision-making process. Involving an ethics committee brings multidisciplinary perspectives to ensure fair, principled decisions when resources are limited or when patient preferences challenge what is medically indicated. Transparent communication with patients, families, and staff explains the rationale, sets expectations, and supports trust. Policy-based guidance provides consistent standards that align choices with institutional values, legal requirements, and ethical principles, reducing personal bias. Together, these elements offer a robust approach to these dilemmas. The other options miss one or both of these components, focusing on finance or scheduling pressures, or addressing consent or operations in ways that don’t fully resolve the ethical balance between autonomy and beneficence or resource allocation.