n. what is owed to another person, creating an obligation or moral requirement to behave in one way rather than another. Duty may arise from rules or principles, such as the *four principles of medical ethics, or from particular relationships (e.g. doctor and patient or parent and child). Dilemmas may arise where these duties appear to conflict or are unclearly delineated. The idea of duty as an absolute *imperative that does not vary with circumstances is central to the tradition of *Kantian ethics (see deontology). Doctors also have legal duties towards their patients because of their *fiduciary relationship and assume a duty of care as soon as they start a consultation. If doctors, registered nurses, or other health professionals fall short of their legal duty of care, they may be subject to a claim of *negligence.
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