NUR602 Syllabus Principles of Ethical Theory in Nursing FA 2024

Quinnipiac University

School of Nursing

Course Syllabus

Fall 2024

COURSE: NUR 602DE Principles of Ethical Theory in Nursing (1 CR)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course facilitates the student's formulation of a theoretical basis for ethical judgment at an advanced level of practice. Students analyze ethical theory and debate responses to ethical problems in advanced nursing practice.

EXPECTED TIME: Expectation of 4 hours of dedicated time per week. 

CLASS SCHEDULE:

The course begins on Aug 26, 2024, and ends on Oct 11, 2024

Module	Dates
Module One	Aug 26, 2024, to Sep 8, 2024
Module Two	Sep 9, 2024, to Sep 15, 2024
Module Three	Sep 16, 2024, to Sep 29, 2024
Module Four	Sep 30, 2024, to Oct 11, 2024

                           

Aailability: 

Students may contact faculty via email utilizing their Quinnipiac email account. Please note that emails sent from other accounts may not reach faculty. Faculty will respond to emails within 48 hours, Monday through Friday. If this time frame has elapsed and you have not received a reply, please resend your email, as there may have been a problem with the initial message. Additionally, the faculty is available for phone meetings, video conferencing meetings (e.g., Zoom).  

Alternative Means of Access : This course provides alternatives to all non-test content so that all learners have access to equivalent information. Text transcripts and directions for closed captioning are provided for videos used in this course. If additional means of access are needed, they will be provided by the instructor. Please contact the instructor for more information. 

COURSE OUTCOMES:

The graduate nursing DNP curriculum is consistent with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Doctor of Nursing Practice Education. The Essentials consistent with this nursing course are identified with the appropriate course outcome.  The graduate nursing curriculum is also consistent with the graduate Program Outcomes (PO). The program outcomes consistent with this course are identified with the appropriate course outcome. Please see the end of the course syllabus for a description of the Essentials (AACN), the Program Outcomes (PO), and Holistic Core Values.

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Demonstrate ethical sensitivity to diverse organizational cultures and populations, including patients and providers (AACN VI, VII, VIII, PO 6-8, HCV 1, 4).
2. Define the essential nature of an ethical problem in advanced practice nursing and applicability of ethical theories and frameworks (AACN VI, PO 4, HCV 1, 4). 
3. Develop effective strategies for managing the ethical dilemmas inherent in inpatient care, the health care organization, and research (AACN II, III, IV, VI, PO 2-6, 6, HCV 1, 4, 5).
4. Discuss ethical and legal issues within healthcare systems relating to the use of information, information technology, communication networks, and patient care technology (AACN V, VI, PO 5-6, HCV 1, 4).
5. Advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies within the healthcare arenas (AACN VI, VII, VIII, PO 6-8, HCV 1, 4).

LEARNING STRATEGIES

Readings

Review of multimedia presentations  

Ethical Case analysis  

Discussion board postings

Reflective writing

METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

Introduction                                                                                           2%

Discussion Board participation 48%

Ethical Analysis of a Clinical Case Study 30%

Reflection Paper 20%

In order to successfully pass this course, students must earn a grade of B- or higher.

 Due dates for all assignments are listed in the Topical Outline (see below).

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK

There are no required textbooks for this course.

BB has many posted references.  Students are encouraged to seek out additional readings relevant to their population of interest. 

MODULES & DUE DATES:  Modules are one or two weeks in length. Please double check the due dates. Due dates for assignments are specified on the topical outline in this syllabus. Late Assignments: Timely submission is expected on all assignments. Late submissions (after 11:59pm on due date) receive a 10-point deduction (i.e.: if submitted at 08:30 am on 3/31/24 instead of 11:59 pm on 3/30/24, then 10 points are deducted). For each additional day late, an additional 10 points per day is deducted. After 5 days, the grade reverts to a “zero (0).” Students are responsible for notifying their assigned faculty in advance if an extenuating situation arises that affects their ability to submit an assignment on time. 

Syllabus Changes:  Faculty reserve the right to revise the syllabus and/or assignment guidelines at any point during the semester when deemed necessary. Students will be informed of any changes to syllabus via bb, email and during class. Revised syllabus will be posted on BlackBoard. It is the responsibility of the student to keep up with any such modifications and be aware of current policies, deadlines, etc. 

Participation Policy: Participation is essential to learning. The most significant component of participation for this course is through the Discussion Board assignments. We strongly encourage participation, and engagement with the learning process. 

TOPICAL OUTLINE:  NUR 602 DE, Fall 2024

Module/ Dates	Topics, Learning Activities	Required readings/Assignments
One 8/26/24 – 9/8/24	Introduction to ethical analysis: Introductions in Flipgrid Read/review course syllabus. Complete readings for Ethical Frameworks, Codes for Practice Complete readings, viewings for Module One  Ethical Focus Diversity, equity and inclusion Disparities in healthcare	Class Introductions due by 11:59 PM on Sun, Sep 8, 2024 All readings and/or viewings outlined in Blackboard under Ethical Frameworks, Codes for Practice and Module One Assignments: Response to Discussion Board Question – due Sunday, Sep 8, 2024, by 11:59PM. Comment on posting of at least one other student – due Sunday, Sep 8, 2024, by 11:59PM.
Two 9/9/24-9/15/24	Ethical issues related to: Complete readings viewings for Module Two Ethical Focus  Access to care Legal ramifications; ethical consequences National vs state responsibility	All readings and/or viewings outlined in Blackboard under Module Two Assignments: Response to Discussion Board Question – due Sunday, Sep 15, 2024, by 11:59PM. Comment on posting of at least one other student – due Sunday, Sep 15, 2024, by 11:59PM.
Three 9/16/24-9/29/24	Ethical issues related to: Complete readings viewings for Module Three Ethical Focus  Quality care at the end of life: Ethical dilemmas Ethical resources for clinical practice	All readings and/or viewings outlined in Blackboard under Module Three Assignments: Response to Discussion Board Question – due Sun, Sep 29, 2024, by 11:59PM Comment on posting of at least one other student – due Sun, Sep 29, 2024, by 11:59PM  Submit Ethical Analysis of Clinical Case Study – due Sun, Sep 21, 2024, by 11:59PM
Four 9/30/24-10/11/24	Ethical issues related to: Complete readings viewings for Module Four Ethical Focus –  Challenges in healthcare information Artificial Intelligence in clinical decision-making Health information available in the community, on the internet	All readings and/or viewings outlined in Blackboard under Module Four Assignments:  Response to Discussion Board Question – due Friday, Oct 11, 2024, by 11:59PM Comment on posting of at least one other student – due Friday, Oct 11, 2024, by 11:59PM.  Submit Reflection Paper – due Wednesday, Oct 9, 2024, by 11:59PM.

Students are responsible for attending to additional course materials posted on Blackboard.  These postings are considered part of the course syllabus.  Faculty will direct students to the BB menu and folder locations.   

CONTENT OUTLINE 

• Demonstrate ethical sensitivity to diverse organizational cultures and populations, including patients and providers.
  1. Medical conditions that provoke ethical considerations
  2. Provider and patient preference for treatment
  3. Role of diversity of religion, gender and ethnic background (patient, family, provider)

• Define the essential nature of an ethical problem in advanced practice nursing and applicability of ethical theories and frameworks. 
  1. Structure of ethical dilemma
  2. Bioethical principles
  3. Theoretical frameworks in ethics
  4. Patient preference within context of best health care practice

• Develop effective strategies for managing the ethical dilemmas inherent in in-patient care, the health care organization, and research.
  1. Ethical case analysis
  2. Ethical resources for clinical practice
  3. Standards for best practice

• Discuss ethical and legal issues within healthcare systems relating to the use of information, information technology, communication networks, and patient care technology.
  1. Disclosure of health information
  2. Quality of care at end of life
  3. Role of advanced directives
  4. Effect of internet on patient/provider communication about health/illness
  5. Appropriate use of medical technology in health care

• Advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies within the healthcare arena.
  • Provision of standards of care/practice
  • Quality of care at end of life
  • Role of advanced directives
  • Resources for best ethical practice

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA 

1. Discussion Board Participation: (48%)

Purpose: 

The purposes of this assignment are to:

1. Demonstrate mastery of course concepts by entering discussion board postings that reflect understanding of assigned readings and multimedia viewings.
2. Share interpretations of course concepts with classmates.
3. Demonstrate awareness of how course concepts can be applied in professional nursing practice.  

Expected Outcomes for Assignment:  

Students will demonstrate mastery of course content and achievement of course outcomes by making meaningful contributions to online discussions.

Relevant Course Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate ethical sensitivity to diverse organizational cultures and populations, including patients and providers. 
2. Discuss ethical and legal issues within healthcare systems relating to the use of information, information technology, communication networks, and patient care technology.
3. Advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies within the healthcare arena.

Assignment Guidelines:

•   Initial postings: One initial posting is required for each module. Please be concise. Your initial posting must answer the question(s) or respond to the prompt in 350 words or fewer. Please create a subject line for each initial posting. References/ citations are not part of the word count. 
•   Please enter your posting directly on the discussion board. Do not post discussion board entries as an attachment that readers must open.
• Responsive postings: Students are required to enter one responsive posting for each of the four modules. Responses to classmates’ postings require more than one sentence and must demonstrate reflective thought and substance with a goal of 200 words. For example, responsive postings that only compliment or express agreement with a classmate’s original 

posting would not be considered reflective or substantive. It is important to write a substantive, but concise response. 

•   When posting, feel free to illustrate points with examples, but avoid sharing information that is confidential or highly personal.
• If you utilize resources for ideas prior to initial and/or responsive postings, these sources must be appropriately cited using APA 7th edition format.  

• Due dates for postings are identified on the topical outline. 
• Late postings are not beneficial to the group. Per the scoring rubric, 10 points will be deducted for each day the initial posting is late, up to 5 days (unless approved by faculty in advance). After 5 days, the posting will be considered absent, i.e., will receive no credit. 
• Postings will be graded according to the scoring rubric included in this syllabus.
• Initial introduction to class will count on Flipgrid (no responsive post necessary)

Method of Assessment – Rubric (see below)

Discussion Board Participation Scoring Rubric

Criterion		Criterion met 20-19	Needs minor improvement 18-17	Needs major improvement 16-15	Marginal 14-13	Unacceptable > 13
Quality	Demonstrates strong reflective thought pertaining to course concepts and assigned materials.						Provides no evidence of reflective thought pertaining to course concepts and assigned materials.
Understanding	Reflects deep understanding of the weekly topic/assignments through posted response to the prompt or question.						Provides no evidence of understanding of the weekly topic through posted response.
Completeness	Fully responds to weekly prompt(s) or question(s) and enters initial and responsive posts.						Provides minimal response to weekly prompt(s) or question(s); and/or fails to adhere to the established word limit; and/or  enters initial and/or responsive posts.
Professionalism/Electronic Etiquette	Carefully constructs material about professional experiences to avoid the release of confidential information and demonstrates electronic etiquette.						Breaches confidentiality and/or does not demonstrate electronic etiquette.
Writing Mechanics	Demonstrates correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, word usage; avoids slang.   cites sources.						Demonstrates multiple spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors, and/or use of slang.  fails to cite sources.
Total							/100

2.  Ethical Analysis of Clinical Case Study (30%)

Purpose:  The purposes of this assignment are to (1) demonstrate achievement of course outcomes, and (2) share interpretations of course concepts, and (3) apply these concepts to one’s own professional experience.  

Relevant Course Outcomes:

• Define the essential nature of an ethical problem in nursing practice and applicability of ethical theories and frameworks. 
• Develop effective strategies for managing the ethical dilemmas inherent in in-patient care, the health care organization, and research.

Assignment Guidelines:  

For this assignment you will select one of the case studies posted on the course BlackBoard site. In this analysis/paper, you should address the following points:

• Identify the conflicting ethical principles in the case.
• Explain elements of the case that reflect these conflicting ethical principles.   
• Explain the ethical principle(s) that you believe are most important and persuasive in the case.
• Explain what you believe would be the most favorable ethical outcome in the case.
• Citations of references or viewings should follow APA 7th edition format.
• Submit the completed assignment on Blackboard by the due date.

• Faculty will evaluate the case analysis presentation based on the rubric included in this syllabus.

IMPORTANT: Ethical Analysis of a Clinical Case Study submitted after the due date will receive a point deduction of 5 points per day, unless faculty has approved an extension in advance.

Learning Outcomes:  Students will demonstrate mastery of course content and achievement of course outcomes by analyzing a case scenario from an ethical perspective.

Method of Assessment:  Rubric (See Below)

Rubric for Ethical Analysis of Clinical Case Study

Criterion	Criterion met 20 - 19	Needs Minor Improvement 18 - 17	Needs Major Improvement 16 - 15	Marginal 14 - 13	Unacceptable < 13
Quality Provides clear and focused responses.						Provides unclear or overly generalized responses.
Understanding Demonstrates deep understanding of principles/concepts pertaining to course content and assigned materials. Synthesizes the literature rather than directly quoting other authors.  Presents own conclusions, supported by the assigned literature.						Demonstrates poor understanding of principles/concepts pertaining to course content and assigned materials.    The presentation is largely direct quotes from other authors. Presents own conclusions without support from the assigned literature.
Organization Paper is organized, with logical flow.						Presentation is disorganized and/or lacks logical flow.
Completeness All areas of topic fully addressed.						Most topics not addressed.
Writing Mechanics Paper reflects correct spelling, grammar, punctuation; and presents references in correct APA (7th ed.) format.						Multiple errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and/or APA (7th ed.) format.
Total Score:						/100

3.  REFLECTION PAPER (20%)

Purpose:  The purposes of this assignment are to (1) demonstrate ethical reasoning with respect to information and technology and (2) demonstrate effective written communication.  

Relevant Course Outcomes:

• Discuss ethical and legal issues within healthcare systems relating to the use of information, information technology, communication networks, and patient care technology.

Assignment Guidelines:

This assignment is a 2-page first-person narrative that reflects your response to the readings/viewings assigned for this course:

• In your opinion, what are the major ethical challenges posed to nurses/nursing care?
• What have you learned from this course that can/will prepare you to address those ethical challenges?  

IMPORTANT: Reflection writing assignments submitted after the due date will receive a point deduction of 5 points per day, unless faculty has approved an extension in advance. 

Learning Outcomes:  Students will demonstrate integration of course content and achievement of course outcomes.

Method of Assessment:  Rubric (See Below).

Rubric for Reflection Paper

Criterion	Criterion met 20 - 19	Needs Minor Improvement 18 - 17	Needs Major Improvement 16 - 15	Marginal 14 - 13	Unacceptable < 13
Quality Provides clear and focused responses.						Provides unclear or overly generalized responses.
Understanding Demonstrates deep understanding of principles/concepts pertaining to course content and assigned materials. Synthesizes the literature rather than directly quoting other authors.  Clearly explains own conclusions, supported by the assigned materials.						Poor understanding of principles/concepts pertaining to course content and assigned materials.    Narrative is largely direct quotes extracted from the literature. Explains own conclusions without support from the assigned materials.
Organization Reflection is well organized, with logical flow.						Reflection is disorganized and/or lacks logical flow.
Completeness All topics fully addressed.						Most topics not addressed.
Writing Mechanics Uses correct spelling, grammar, punctuation; and presents references in correct APA (7th ed.) format.						Multiple errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and/or APA (7th ed.) format.
Total Score:						/100