Name one principle from the AANA Code of Ethics.

• A. Duty to the patient.
• B. Profit maximization.
• C. Public relations management.
• D. Segregation of duties.

Answer: (B)

The principle being tested is that patient welfare drives ethical practice; practitioners must place the patient at the center of every decision. The AANA Code of Ethics centers on duties to the patient—protecting safety, promoting autonomy, ensuring informed consent, and safeguarding privacy—so the obligation to the patient is the core ethical driver in everyday care.

Of the options, the one that best fits this duty is the imperative to prioritize the patient's needs and welfare in all actions. Profit considerations, while important in a business sense, are not the ethical principle governing professional conduct toward patients. Public relations management concerns how the profession presents itself, not the ethical obligation to patient care. Segregation of duties relates to internal controls and preventing misuse, not to the fundamental ethical duties toward patients.

So, the idea that best reflects the AANA Code of Ethics is the duty to the patient.