Which principle emphasizes avoiding actions that might harm a patient?

The principle that emphasizes avoiding actions that might harm a patient is non-maleficence. This ethical concept is foundational in medical and healthcare practices, including chiropractic care. Non-maleficence underscores the responsibility of healthcare providers to refrain from causing harm to patients, whether through direct actions or through negligence. Essentially, it is a guiding precept that demands practitioners to consider the potential risks and ensure that their interventions do not inadvertently harm the patient.

In contrast, beneficence relates to the obligation to act in the best interest of the patient and promote their well-being, which can sometimes conflict with the principle of non-maleficence if a proposed treatment carries risks. Justice pertains to fairness and equity in providing healthcare services, ensuring that patients receive what is due to them, while autonomy emphasizes respecting a patient's right to make their own informed decisions about their care. Each of these principles plays a crucial role in ethical healthcare practice, but it is non-maleficence specifically that focuses on the crucial objective of avoiding harm.