UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA



UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF NURSING

COURSE SYLLABUS

Fall 2012

COURSE NUMBER NGR 7882, Section 3458

COURSE TITLE Ethical Theories and Rational Decision Making in Health Care

CREDITS 3

PLACEMENT Variable: Required Core Course

PREREQUISITES Admission to Doctoral Program or permission of instructor

FACULTY Carmen Rodriguez, PhD, ARNP-BC, AOCN

rodrics@ufl.edu (352) 273-6328 HPNP 3240

Beeper: 888-980-4157

Office hours: Wednesdays 1200-1400

DEPARTMENT CHAIR M. Josephine Snider, EdD, RN

snidemj@ufl.edu (352) 273-6359 HPNP 4221

Office hours: By appointment

JACKSONVILLE CAMPUS DIRECTOR Andrea Gregg, DSN, RN

greggac@ufl.edu (904) 244-5172 Jacksonville campus

Office hours: By appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION This course provides the student with the opportunity to analyze ethical theories, and evaluate the applicability of theories to nursing, health care systems, and health care policies. Emphasis is on reasoned considerations of contemporary theoretical perspectives in bioethics. The focus is on theories related to rational systems of bioethical problem solving in a culturally pluralistic society.

COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Evaluate the conditions of adequacy of ethical theories from which to assess the deficits and strengths of theories.

2. Critique selected contemporary and post-modern ethical theories using methods of moral justification and philosophical reasoning in a culturally pluralistic society.

3. Evaluate recurrent ethical issues having relevance for national and international health policy decisions.

4. Evaluate the effects of cultural pluralism on ethical decision making processes regarding wellness and illness.

5. Analyze nursing and health related literature for selected epistemic, metaphysical, and axiological themes related to health and illness.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Section Day Time Room

3458 Web-based

E-Learning in Sakai is the course management system that you will use for this course.

E-Learning in Sakai is accessed by using your Gatorlink account name and password at

. There are several tutorials and student help links on the E-Learning login site.

If you have technical questions call the UF Computer Help Desk at 352-392-HELP or send email

to helpdesk@ufl.edu.

It is important that you regularly check your Gatorlink account email for College and University

wide information and the course E-Learning site for announcements and notifications.

Course websites are generally made available on the Friday before the first day of classes.

The student is responsible for accessing the course web page several times per week. Important announcements and online materials related to the course activities and requirements will be continuously updated.

CLASS TIME AND PREPARATION

This is a 3 credit hour theory course. In order to be successful, it is expected that students will need to spend at least 3 hours weekly preparing for each hour of academic credit, which translates to weekly preparation time of 9 hours (including weeks with holidays).

ATTENDANCE

This is an online course. Students may be expected to attend on-campus or synchronous classes periodically. Students are expected to participate in the activities and discussions as listed in the course syllabus and on the course web-site. Timeframes for the posting and receiving of materials are listed in the course materials on the course web-site. Instructors will then make an effort to accommodate reasonable requests. A grade penalty may be assigned for late assignments, including tests. Students are responsible for responding to online assignments as part of their attendance. Make-up exams may not be available in all courses.

ACCOMMODATIONS DUE TO DISABILITY

Each semester, students are responsible for requesting a memorandum from the Disability Resource Center to notify faculty of their requested individual accommodations. This should be done at the start of the semester.

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are to refer to the College of Nursing Student Handbook for information about College of Nursing policies, honor code, and professional behavior.

TOPICAL OUTLINE

1. Conditions of theoretical adequacy

2. Respect for autonomy as related to theoretical value systems in health care

3. Justice and the platonic ideal in modern society

4. Responsive interaction and moral principles in a culturally pluralistic society

5. Rights-based theories; duty and obligation in health care

6. Communitarianism; the community and the individual as moral agents

7. Contractarianism; the absence of arbitrary inequalities

8. Moral injunctions and the health care professional; theory of virtue

9. Rational problem-solving and ethical issues

TEACHING METHODS

Online lecture, internet links, readings, and case presentations

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Scholarly discourse, case analysis, case presentation, self-evaluation and written papers

EVALUATION METHODS/COURSE GRADE CALCULATION

Presentations, written assignments, and informed participation.

Students may expect timely faculty feedback as follows:

•Assignments will be graded within ten (10) business days of receipt.

•Response to emails received by faculty via the course Sakai email system will be sent within three (3) business days of receipt.

|Assignment* |% of course grade |

|Activities |20% |

|Who’s who [1%] | |

|Ethics Self-Assessment Poll [4%] | |

|Research Activity [5%] | |

|Henrietta Lacks Case Activity [ 5% ] | |

|Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Care & Research Poll [5%] | |

|Quizzes [10%] |10% |

|Presentations |35% |

|Student-led presentation [25%] | |

|Participation in other students’-presentations [10%] | |

|Written assignments |35% |

|Issues Paper topic [1%] | |

|Issues Paper outline [4%] | |

|Issues Paper [30%] | |

|Total |100% |

*Guidelines and grading rubrics for all assignments posted on course website

GRADING SCALE/QUALITY POINTS

A 95-100 (4.0) C 74-79* (2.0)

A- 93-94 (3.67) C- 72-73 (1.67)

B+ 91- 92 (3.33) D+ 70-71 (1.33)

B 84-90 (3.0) D 64-69 (1.0)

B- 82-83 (2.67) D- 62-63 (0.67)

C+ 80-81 (2.33) E 61 or below (0.0)

* 74 is the minimal passing grade

For more information on grades and grading policies, please refer to University’s grading policies:



REQUIRED TEXTS

Beauchamp. T. & Childress, J. (2008). Principles of biomedical ethics (6th ed.). Cary, NC: Oxford

University Press, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-19-533570-5.

Jonsen, A., Siegler, M. & Winslade, W. (2010). Clinical ethics (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill

Medical. ISBN: 878-0-07-163414-4.

Skloot, R. (2011). The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks. New York, NY. Random House, Inc.

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-4000-5218-9.

SUGGESTED TEXT

Beauchamp, T., Walters, L., Kahn, J. & Mastroianni, A. (2008). Contemporary issues in bioethics

(7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thompson Wadsworth. ISBN: 978-0-495-00673-2.

WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE

|DATE |TOPIC/EVALUATION |ASSIGNMENTS/READINGS |

|WEEK 1: August |Course Overview |Beauchamp & Childress (B&C): Chapters 1 & 2 |

|22-25 |Introduction to Ethics |Jonsen, Siegler & Winslade (JS&W): pp.1-7 |

| |Moral norms |Skloot: pp. xii-xiv, pp. 1-7 |

| |Moral character: virtue |Additional Resources as posted |

| |Introduction to Clinical Ethics | |

| |Case analysis: 4 topic method | |

| |Introduction to Lacks case | |

|August 25 |Activity |Who’s who assignment due* |

|August 25 |Activity |Ethics Self-Assessment Poll due* |

|WEEK 2: August |Ethical Theories |B&C: Chapters 9 & 10 |

|26-September 1 |Right-based theories |JS&W: pp. 9-46 |

| |Communitarianism |Skloot: pp. 8-86 |

| |Contractarianism |Additional Resources as posted |

| |Justification | |

|WEEK 3: September | |

|2-8 |Labor Day Holiday |

|Sept. 8 |Quiz |Quiz #1 Due |

|Sept. 8 |Assignment |Issue Paper Topic due* |

|WEEK 4: September |Formal Axiology: Bioethical Principles |B&C: Chapters 4-7 |

|9-15 |Autonomy |JS&W: none |

| |Nonmaleficence |Skloot: pp. 89-178 |

| |Beneficence |Additional Resources as posted |

| |Justice | |

|WEEK 5: September |Moral Development |B&C: Chapter 3 |

|16-22 |Moral Injunctions |JS&W: pp.109-160 |

| |Moral Principles in a Culturally Pluralistic Society |Skloot: none |

| | |Additional Resources as posted |

|Sept. 22 |Quiz |Quiz #2 due |

|WEEK 6: September |Research Ethics |B&C: Chapter 8 |

|23-29 | |JS&W: pp. 161-224 |

| | |Skloot: pp. 179-310 |

| | |Additional Resources as posted |

|Sept. 29 |Assignment |Outline of Issues Paper due* |

|Sept. 29 |Activity |Research Activity due* |

*Guidelines and grading rubrics for all assignments posted on course website

|DATE |TOPIC/EVALUATION |ASSIGNMENTS/READINGS |

|WEEK 7: September |Professional-Patient Relationships |B&C: Chapter 8 |

|30-October 6 | |JS&W: pp. 47-108 |

| | |Skloot: review for upcoming activity |

| | |Additional Resources as posted |

|October 6 |Quiz |Quiz #3 due |

|WEEK 8: October |Health & Illness: Genetics, Biological Advancements|Student-led discussion of relevant cases** |

|7-13 | |Presenters Issue Paper due: 10/14 |

|WEEK 9: October |Health & Illness: Life & Death |Student-led discussion of relevant cases** |

|14-20 | |Presenters Issue Paper due: 10/21 |

|October 20 |Activity |Henrietta Lacks case activity due* |

|WEEK 10: October |Health & Illness: Healthcare Policy |Student-led discussion of relevant cases** |

|21-27 | |Presenters Issue Paper due: 10/28 |

|WEEK 11: October |Health & Illness: Collaborative Care |Student-led discussion of relevant cases** |

|28-November 3 | |Presenters Issue Paper due: 11/4 |

|WEEK 12: November | |

|4-10 |Veteran’s Day Holiday |

|WEEK 13: November |Health & Illness: Vulnerable Populations |Student-led discussion of relevant cases** |

|11-17 | |Presenters Issue Paper due: 11/18 |

|WEEK 14: November | |

|18-24 |Thanksgiving Holiday |

|WEEK 15: November |Health & Illness: Cultural Issues |Student-led discussion of relevant cases** |

|25-December 1 | |Presenters Issue Paper due: 12/2 |

|WEEK 16: December |Open Discussion Forum | |

|2-5 | | |

|December 5 |Assignment |Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Care/Research Poll due* |

*Guidelines and grading rubrics for all assignments posted on course website

**See guidelines and grading rubrics for student-led discussions on course website

Approved: Academic Affairs Committee: 10/97, 03/07

Faculty: 12/97, 04/07

UF Curriculum: 06/98, 05/07

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