Short answerHealthcare ethics

Ethical but Illegal Behaviors Assignment

A two-by-two applied to four cases, three of which are genuinely arguable and one of which is not. The theory question then asks you to place principlism against deontology and utilitarianism, which is the distinction most answers blur.

Editorial process

Last reviewed · August 22, 2026

Written by

Maren Caldwell

MSN, RN, CNE

Medical-surgical nursing, pharmacology and NCLEX preparation

Reviewed by

Dr. Tessa Redmond

DNP, RN, CNE

Evidence-based practice and clinical education

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Interpret the task
Assignment instructions
Deliverables
Proposed outline
Research plan
Reference shortlist
Final review

Three cases are arguable and one is not

Say what each axis means before you classify anything, because legal and ethical are being used as independent dimensions. Then notice that the four cases are not equally hard. Diverting a patient's oxycodone is illegal and unethical with no serious argument on the other side, and it carries a reporting duty, so the interesting question is what you do rather than how you classify it. The other three are genuinely arguable and the argument is where the marks are. Working in a clinic that performs abortions is lawful and the ethical judgement depends on the framework a person holds, so the honest classification names the disagreement rather than resolving it by assertion. Honouring an ALS patient's refusal of ventilation is legal and ethical in most jurisdictions, since a competent adult may refuse treatment, and calling it illegal confuses refusal with assisted dying. The surrogate case turns on whether the friend has legal standing, which the vignette leaves open.

The theory question has a standard answer worth getting exactly right. Deontological theories judge acts by duties and rules regardless of consequences; utilitarianism judges them by their outcomes and aggregate welfare; principlism, which is the framework health care actually uses, applies four mid-level principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice without committing to a single foundational theory, which is its strength and also the objection to it, since it offers no rule for what to do when two principles conflict. On disclosure, the modern position is that a competent patient has a right to information about their own condition, so distress is a reason to disclose carefully rather than a reason to withhold, and family wishes cannot override a competent patient's right to their own diagnosis. Say what you would actually do when a family asks you not to tell, because that is the situation you will actually meet.

Likely learning objectives

Treat legality and ethics as independent dimensions.
Distinguish arguable cases from unambiguous ones.
Differentiate deontology, utilitarianism and principlism accurately.
State the modern position on truth-telling and family requests to withhold.

Assignment instructions

Read the full question

Review every instruction before using the planning guidance that follows.

1. Which of the following behaviors may be: (1) ethical but illegal, (2) legal but unethical, (3) illegal and unethical, and (4) legal and ethical. a) Working in a clinic that performs abortions. b) Respecting the wishes of a client suffering from ALS that he be permitted to die with dignity and not placed on “breathing machines” c) Respecting the health surrogate’s wishes regarding termination of life support of her friend. d) Observing a coworker take out two tablets of oxycodone as ordered for pain management for his patient but keeping one for himself, administering only one tablet to the patient. 2. Differentiate among the following: deontological theories, utilitarianism, and principlism. 3. What do you think about health-care professionals disclosing information to clients about a poor prognosis, even though the information may cause severe distress. 4. What do they think about health-care professionals disclosing information to clients against family wishes? 5. You see a colleague use another nurse’s password to access the medication administration system and take out a narcotic. What would you do? 6. Your colleague’s child fell and was brought to the emergency department. She comes back up to the unit and tells you that they cleaned and debrided the wound, and she needs to change the dressings twice a day using a wet to dry method. You see her go into the supply system and remove the dressings and saline using a patient’s identification number. What would you do? 7. You are caring for a patient who has a terminal disease. He asks you if he is dying. Would you tell him? If yes, how? If no, what might you say? . 8. You are administering hydromorphone to a patient. The patient asks you what you are administering. Would you tell the patient about the medication? Essentials of Nursing Leadership & Management 6th Edition Sally A. Weiss MSN, EdD, RN, CNE, ANEF Ruth M. Tappen EdD, RN, FAAN ISBN-13: 978-0-8036-3663-7

Turn the brief into deliverables

01A classification for each of the four behaviours with reasoning.
02An acknowledgement of where the classification is contested.
03The reporting duty in the diversion case.
04An accurate differentiation of the three ethical frameworks.
05A position on disclosing a poor prognosis that may cause distress.
06A position on disclosing against family wishes.