What is veracity in professional ethics?

• A. The duty to tell the truth
• B. The obligation to maintain patient privacy
• C. The principle of autonomy
• D. The obligation to keep promises

Answer: (A)

Veracity means telling the truth and not deceiving patients. In professional ethics, being truthful is essential for informed consent and for building trust in the nurse-patient relationship. When you share information about a diagnosis, prognosis, risks, and treatment options, you give patients the data they need to participate in their care decisions. That supports autonomy because patients can make choices only if they have accurate information. Information should be delivered with sensitivity to avoid causing unnecessary harm, but honesty is the foundation. The other ideas differ: protecting privacy is about confidentiality, autonomy is the patient's right to decide after being informed, and keeping promises relates to fidelity. Veracity is the truth-telling component that underpins informed, voluntary decisions.