School of Nursing - UT Health Science Center San Antonio

Fall 2008

Nurs 6226-01: Ethics of Nursing Science

This course resides in the Department of Acute Nursing Care

FACULTY

Catherine Robichaux, PhD, RN, CCRN, CNS
E-mail: robichaux@uthscsa.edu
Phone: (210) 567-0186
Fax: (210) 567-1719
Office: 2.625
Office Hours: TBA
Acute Nursing Care Department

  

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The focus of this course is on the ethical imperative/implications in the role of the clinical nurse scientist. Current ethical theories are critiqued and the ethical implications of the major research paradigms are evaluated. Ethical issues arising from selected theoretical/research approaches are examined.

CREDIT AND TIME ALLOCATION
2 semester hours; 2 clock hours - seminar

PREREQUISITES
Graduate standing

COURSE OBJECTIVES
  1. Critique current ethical theories/principles for their applicability to clinical nursing research.
  2. Examine the ethical/moral imperatives for the clinical nurse scientist.
  3. Compare and contrast the ethical implications of the major theoretical/research paradigms.
  4. Evaluate the values and ethical issues of selected research areas/approaches.
  5. Demonstrate knowledge of issues related to protection of human subjects in research.
  6. Ensure protection of human subjects.

CLINICAL OBJECTIVES
N/A

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION / GRADES
20% - Class participation
40% - Paper Critical Analysis of Ethical Issues and Policy Implications of selected
           research area.
40% - Presentation - Analysis of Ethical Underpinnings of selected theoretical and
           methodological approach to research problem area.
100% - Total
 A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = Below 60%

SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY
Students are expected to be above reproach in all scholastic activities. Students who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and dismissal from the university. "Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, and submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts." Regents Rules and Regulations, Part One, Chapter VI, Section 3, Subsection 3.2, Subdivision 3.22.

American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodations
Any student seeking ADA Accommodations under the American with Disabilities Act should contact the Associate Dean for Students within the first week of the semester so that appropriate accommodations may be arranged. A Request for Accommodations (Form 100) must be completed. These forms are available in the Office for Students Room: 1.118-16

REQUIRED TEXT / REFERENCE

Bulger, R.E., Heitman, E., & Reiser, S.J. (2002). The Ethical Dimensions of the Biological and Health
            Sciences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Emanuel, E.J., Crouch, R.A., Arras, J.D., Morano, J.D., Grady, C. (2003). Ethical and Regulatory Aspects of Clinical                  Research: Readings and Commentary. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

King, N.M., Henderson, G.E., & Stein, J. (1999). Beyond regulations: Ethics in human subjects research.
            Chapel Hill: UNC Press.

Volbrecht, R.M. (2001). Nursing ethics: Communities in dialogue. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
            ISBN 0-13-030521-9.


RECOMMENDED (OPTIONAL) TEXT / REFERENCE

Beauchamp, T.L., & Childress, J.F. (2002). Principles of biomedical ethics. (5th ed.). NY: Oxford Press.

Dresser, R. (2001). When Science Offers Salvation: Patient Advocacy and Research Ethics. NY: Oxford University.

Goodman, K. W. (2003). Ethics and Evidence-Based Medicine: Fallibility and Responsibility in Clinical
       Science.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Mauthner, M., Birch, M., Jessop, J., Miller, T. (2002). Ethics in Qualitative Research. London: Sage Publications.


CONTENT OUTLINE

Current ethical theories/principles/assumptions
Values, Values Clarification
Human subjects protection: history, regulations, IRB

  • Autonomy
  • Beneficence/Non Maleficience
  • Justice
  • Privacy
  • Confidentiality
  • Ethical Issues in Research Process
    • Recruitment
    • Retention
    • Data collection
    • Data analysis
    • Reporting findings
    • Records
  • Special problems
    • Language
    • Culture
    • Vulnerable populations

Ethical implications of major research paradigms

  • Quantitative/contrast values, assumptions, ethical implications
    • Descriptive
    • Relational
    • Predictive
    • Prescriptive
  • Qualitative
    • Ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory
    • Feminist, participatory action research

Ethical issues and health policy implications of selected research areas: vulnerable populations, quality of life, community health, intervention studies, (CBPR) community-based participatory research, randomized clinical trial, evidence based practice and knowledge utilization, longitudinal studies

Competencies
Complete Human Subjects Educational Requirement
Critical analysis of ethnical underpinnings of various theoretical and methodological approaches to research problems areas; Identification of health policy implications.


CALENDAR - First Week Only
Please check the Fall 2008 Schedules for recent updates on Class Dates & Room.
Date Topic / Assignment Due

Wednesday August 27, 2008

Overview of course, requirements, Current Ethical Theories
Readings Due: Volbrecht