HNN714 - Ethical Dimensions in Nursing

Unit details

Year:

2024 unit information

Enrolment modes:Trimester 1: Online
Credit point(s):1
EFTSL value:0.125
Unit Chair:Trimester 1: Susan Hunter
Cohort rule:This unit is only available to students enrolled in H568, H569, H575, H645, H665, H666, H667, H668, H669, H672, H675, H679, H771, H777, H779, M701, M703
Prerequisite:

Nil

Corequisite:Nil
Incompatible with: HME711
Typical study commitment:

Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit.

This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site.

Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment:

Online independent and collaborative learning activities including 3 x 1 hour online seminars (recordings provided)

Content

This unit has as its focus a critical examination of the ethical dimensions of nursing. Using ethical principlism, moral rights, virtue ethics, and cross-cultural ethics as decision-making frames, the unit aims to provide students with an opportunity to explore and reflect critically on a range of key ethical issues arising in contemporary nursing practice and related health care domains.

To this end, particular attention is given to the issues of: the nature of nursing ethics and the professional requirement to be ethical; the relationship between the legal, clinical and ethical dimensions of nursing; cross-cultural ethics; ethical decision making; vulnerability and dehumanisation; patients' rights to and in health care; mental health care ethics; matters of life and death; professional judgment; moral quandaries and the demand to ‘take appropriate action’ to prevent harm; professional obligations to report harmful behaviours; nursing ethics futures; and, the problem of inequities in health and health care.

ULO These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes

ULO1

Integrate knowledge and understanding of the theory and practice of nursing and midwifery ethics.

GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO2

Debate the notions of nurses’ and midwives moral responsibility and accountability for the delivery of ethical nursing, midwifery and health care.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO6: Self-management

ULO3

Improve their use of technologies to find, use and disseminate information on the ethical dimensions of nursing, midwifery and health care ethics.

GLO3: Digital literacy

ULO4

Critically discuss the theoretical underpinnings of nursing ethics and its implications for policy and practice in nursing, midwifery and health care domains.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO6: Self-management

ULO5

Propose solutions to ethical issues encountered in everyday nursing practice.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO5: Problem solving

ULO6

Justify the importance of working and learning independently, and taking personal responsibility for achieving the moral competencies necessary to assure the ethical practice of nursing and midwifery.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO5: Problem solving
GLO6: Self-management
GLO8: Global citizenship

Assessment

Trimester 1:
Assessment description Student output Grading and weighting
(% total mark for unit)
Indicative due week
Assessment 1: Assignment 2000 words 40%
  • Week 5
Assessment 2: Assignment 3000 words 60%
  • Week 10

The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.

Learning Resource

The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: HNN714 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.

Unit Fee Information

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