Ethically speaking, ‘what should be done’ in an individual, patient-care situation is at the heart of many practice dilemmas nurses face on a regular basis. Consider, for example, the nurse who has received a discharge order for a homeless patient hospitalized for pneumonia. The nurse knows the patient needs further care that will not likely be delivered ‘at home.’ The nurse also knows the bottom financial line is that the patient has ‘used up’ the days allotted for the medical condition and discharge is imminent. This example illustrates the dilemma related to the ethical issue of the distribution of scant resources that occurs frequently within health care arenas. The ethical principle of justice guides the fair and equal treatment of all people; yet, the nurse wrestles with the consequences of limited organizational and societal financial resources.