All terms
Non-maleficence
Also known as: First, do no harm
The duty to avoid causing harm, including weighing the risks and side effects of any treatment against its likely benefit.
Non-maleficence underpins safe prescribing and honest discussion of risk. Recognising when doing less is safer than doing more is a mark of good judgement.
More glossary terms
- ABCDE approachA systematic method for assessing and treating an acutely unwell patient — Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure — dealing with each before moving on.
- AMPLE historyA focused emergency history — Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last meal, Events — taken quickly in acute situations.
- ARCPThe annual assessment that decides whether a doctor in training has met the competencies to progress to the next stage.
- AVPU scaleA rapid way to grade consciousness — Alert, responds to Voice, responds to Pain, Unresponsive — used in initial assessment.
Put it into practice
Rehearse PLAB 2 stations with AI simulated patients and get structured feedback after every consultation.
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