UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
COLLEGE OF NURSING
COURSE SYLLABUS
FALL2012
COURSE NUMBER
NGR 7882
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
Andrea Gregg, DSN, RN
greggac@ufl.edu Jacksonville
(904) 244-5172
Office hours: Tuesdays, 10am - 12noon
DEPARTMENT CHAIR
M. Josephine Snider, EdD, RN
snidemj@ufl.edu HPNP 4221 (352) 273-6359
Office hours: By appointment only
JACKSONVILLE
CAMPUS DIRECTOR
Andrea Gregg, DSN, RN
greggac@ufl.edu Jacksonville
(904) 244-5172
Office hours: By appointment only
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.
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COURSE OBJECTIVES (continued)
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
3468
8428
Day
Web-based
Web-based
Time
Room
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 http://lss.at.ufl.edu. 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.
ATTENDANCE
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. 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
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TOPICAL OUTLINE (continued):
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
Lecture, readings and interactive assignments
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Discussion forums, case presentations, written papers, interactive dialogue
EVALUATION METHODS/COURSE GRADE CALCULATION
Case presentations, written assignments, quizzes, and informed participation.
Small Group Discussions (5 @ 9 points each)
Theory Quiz
Principles Quiz
Immersion Paper Outline
Immersion Case Presentation
Immersion Paper
45%
10%
10%
05%
10%
20%
Feedback on all graded assignments routinely is given within five [5] working days of the due date.
GRADING SCALE/QUALITY POINTS
A
AB+
B
BC+
95-100 (4.0)
93-94 (3.67)
91- 92 (3.33)
84-90 (3.0)
82-83 (2.67)
80-81 (2.33)
C
CD+
D
DE
74-79* (2.0)
72-73 (1.67)
70-71 (1.33)
64-69 (1.0)
62-63 (0.67)
61 or below (0.0)
* 74 is the minimal passing grade
REQUIRED TEXT
Beauchamp, T.L. & Childress, J.F. (2009). Principles of biomedical ethics. (6th ed.). New York:
Oxford University Press.
Jonsen, A.R., Siegler, M. & Winslade, W.J. (2010). Clinical ethics. (7th ed.) New York: McGraw
Hill.
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WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE
NOTES:
Assignments are in weekly increments.
Assignments are due by midnight on the respective Sundays [Weeks 1- 11].
Beginning Week 12*, assignments are due at midnight on the respective Wednesdays [Weeks 12-15]
Week
DATE
TOPIC/EVALUATION
ASSIGNMENTS/
READINGS
Lectures, Readings, Small
Group Discussions
1
August 22 - 26
Course Overview
Introduction to Ethics
 Moral Norms
 Normative and non-normative
Methods of Moral Justification
Conditions of Theoretical Adequacy
2
August 27September 2
Moral Theories
 Right-based theories
 Communitarianism
 Contractarianism
Lectures, Readings, Small
Group Discussions
3
September 3 –
9
Labor Day
September 1016
Theory Understanding
Open Book Quiz
Moral Development
Moral Injunctions
Moral Principles in a Culturally
Pluralistic Society
Lectures, Readings, Small
Group Discussions
5
September 1723
Formal Axiology: Respect for
Autonomy and Justice
Lectures, Readings, Small
Group Discussion of Cases
6
September 2430
Formal Axiology: Nonmaleficence &
Beneficence
Lectures, Readings, Small
Group Discussion of Cases
7
October 1-7
Moral Principles Understanding
Open Book Quiz
8
October 8-14
Professional-Patient Relationships
Research Ethics
Lecture
Reading: The Immortal Life
of Henrietta Lacks
OR,
Film: Miss Evers’ Boys
4
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Week
DATE
TOPIC/EVALUATION
ASSIGNMENTS/
READINGS
Ethical Issue Paper Outline
DUE
9
October 15-21
Immersion Experience 1
10
October 22-28
Immersion Experience 2
Student-led Case Discussions
11
October 29 –
November 4
Immersion Experience 2
Student-led Case Discussions
12
November 514*
Homecoming
Immersion Experience 2
Student-led Case Discussions
13
November 1421*
Immersion Experience 2
Student-led Case Discussions
14
November 2228*
Thanksgiving
Immersion Experience 3
Ethic Issues Paper DUE
15
November 29Dec. 3*
Clinical Ethics in the News
Class discussion
* = Due date changes from Sunday to Wednesday
Approved: Academic Affairs Committee: 10/97, 03/07
Faculty:
12/97, 04/07
UF Curriculum:
06/98, 05/07
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