Academic Year/course:
2022/23
25433 - Ethics and Health legislation
Syllabus Information
Academic Year:
2022/23
Subject:
25433 - Ethics and Health legislation
Faculty / School:
127 - Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud
275 - Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería de Huesca
375 - Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería de Teruel
Degree:
559 - Degree in Nursing
560 - Degree in Nursing
561 - Degree in Nursing
ECTS:
6.0
Year:
2
Semester:
Annual
Subject Type:
Basic Education
Module:
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1.1. Aims of the course
The subject and its expected outcomes respond to the following approaches and objectives:
- Understanding the problems of the sick person not only physically, but also ethically and legally.
- Knowing and ensuring full compliance with patients' rights
- To progress in the acquisition of knowledge and continuous information on ethical and legal matters.
- Acquiring ethical values
- Improve the relationship with patients and with the rest of the professionals involved in the act of care.
- To acquire the necessary knowledge for the care of particularly vulnerable patients such as the disabled, abused women, terminally ill patients, etc.
1.2. Context and importance of this course in the degree
This subject describes the social, ethical and legal dimensions intrinsic to professional healthcare practice, emphasising that the healthcare act has a double and indissoluble aspect: material (quality of care) and ethical-legal (humanistic and social aspects).
1.3. Recommendations to take this course
The main recommendation for taking this subject is the willingness of students to debate and active participation in both theory classes and seminars. This implies the need for openness of ideas, recognising areas parallel to the strictly clinical, including social, ethical and legal issues, considering the multidimensionality of the act of care.
As a general rule, the use of mobile phones is forbidden except for teaching purposes and always with the teacher's permission.
2.1. Competences
General competences:
Understand people without prejudice, considering their physical, psychological and social aspects, as autonomous and independent individuals, ensuring respect for their opinions, beliefs and values, guaranteeing the right to privacy, through confidentiality and professional secrecy (CG07).
Know the ethical and deontological code of Spanish nursing, understanding the ethical implications of health in a changing global context (GC12).
To know the strategies for adopting comfort and symptom care measures, aimed at the patient and family, in the application of palliative care that contribute to alleviating the situation of advanced and terminally ill patients (CG18).
Cross-cutting competences:
Ability to apply critical reasoning (CT01). Capacity for analysis and synthesis (CT02).
Ability to assume ethical commitment (CT03).
Ability to recognise diversity and multiculturalism (CT04) Capacity for criticism and self-criticism (CT13).
Specific competences:
Establish an empathetic and respectful relationship with the patient and family, in accordance with the person's situation, health problem and stage of development (CE12).
Use strategies and skills that enable effective communication with patients, families and social groups, as well as the expression of their concerns and interests (CE13).
Know and identify the psychological and physical problems derived from gender-based violence in order to train the student in the prevention, early detection, assistance and rehabilitation of the victims of this form of violence (CE15).
Educate, facilitate and support the health and well-being of community members whose lives are affected by health problems, risk, suffering, illness, disability or death (SG28).
Knowledge of the Spanish Health System (CE49).
To be familiar with the applicable legislation and the code of ethics and deontology of Spanish nursing, inspired by the European code of nursing ethics and deontology (CE52).
Providing care, guaranteeing the patient's and family's right to dignity, privacy, intimacy, confidentiality and decision-making capacity (EC53).
Individualise care considering age, gender, cultural differences, ethnicity, beliefs and values (CE54).
Ability to use precise terminology in each situation of their professional activity (CE58).
2.2. Learning goals
In order to pass this subject, the student must demonstrate the following learning goals:
- Theoretical and practical knowledge of the legal-social context and the ethical and legal bases on which their future professional practice must be based.
- Know how to adapt their actions to a changing legal framework and a rapidly evolving scientific scenario that creates new ethical challenges in the practice of the health professions.
- To complete their training in terms of the evolution of knowledge, procedures and techniques and to foster their capacity for analysis and criticism of medical-legal dilemmas and issues that may be of interest to their personal and professional development.
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2.3. Importance of learning goals
The normal practice of the nursing profession is governed by a legal and deontological framework that is essential to know. In addition to knowledge of these regulations, it is important to recognise and deal with the ethical dilemmas and legal conflicts that may arise during the practice of the profession.
3. Assessment (1st and 2nd call)
3.1. Assessment tasks (description of tasks, marking system and assessment criteria)
The student must demonstrate that he/she has achieved the intended learning outcomes through the following assessment activities:
- EVALUATION OF THE THEORETICAL CONTENT: this will be carried out through a single exam, in the official June exam session and, if necessary, in the July exam session. The exam will consist of two parts.
- The first part corresponds to a questionnaire of 50 multiple-choice questions, with four answer options, with only one correct and three false but plausible answers. To pass this part of the examination, 30 questions must be answered correctly.
- The second part corresponds to the resolution of a practical case by applying the methodology of ethical conflict resolution, through which the student must correctly describe the conflicting values and expose the different courses of action, and which will be assessed only if the first part is passed. The resolution of the case may maintain the grade of the test, lower it or raise it by 1 point. In order to pass the resolution of the case, adequate justification of each of the previous sections will be necessary; applying their knowledge of the subject (basing their arguments on references to the deontology (0.2) and legislation studied (0.2), the communicative skills of the profession applied in the resolution of the case (0.2) and the use of the terminology associated with the subject (0.2)) as well as their ethical criteria (0.2). Correct expression and writing will also be assessed.
- Both parts must be passed in order to pass the course.
- EVALUATION OF SEMINARS: different types of measuring instruments can be used in the evaluation of the practical work carried out:
- Continuous assessment through direct observation of participation in the resolution of the cases proposed in the seminars.
- Seminar attendance. Attendance at the seminars is COMPULSORY in order to pass the course.
- The teaching staff may provide make-up activities for those who, for justified reasons, do not attend the seminars. These activities will only be offered to those who have attended at least 80% of the seminars.
- If the minimum attendance required to pass the seminars is not met, an assessment of the practical content of the subject will be proposed by means of a test consisting of the resolution of 2 cases to be chosen from a maximum of 3 proposals. In order to pass this test, the detailed justification of conflicting values, extreme courses of action, intermediate courses, and proposing what, in their opinion, would be the optimal course of action, will be assessed.
WEIGHTING IN THE FINAL GRADE: the final evaluation of the course will be calculated by the sum of the following percentages.
- Exam grade: 80%
- Seminar grade: 20%
It is necessary to have passed both the theory exam and the practical seminars independently in order to pass the course.
In the event of the suspension of the classroom teaching activity, the changes will be introduced in the teaching guide by means of addenda.
In the evaluation and activities, the characteristics of the centre where the degree is taught will be taken into account for Huesca and Teruel, always ensuring the acquisition of competences.
4. Methodology, learning tasks, syllabus and resources
4.1. Methodological overview
The learning of the subject is based on the knowledge acquired in the lectures. This in turn is reinforced by the real cases that are discussed in the seminars, aimed at learning about possible ways of resolving ethical conflicts.
In addition, students' personal work will enable them to access and obtain information in two ways: personal research in the library and newspaper library and access to official archives for regulatory searches. Active learning methodologies will be incorporated to achieve greater student participation.
Due to the current circumstances, the possibility of carrying out the teaching activity online is being considered.
4.2. Learning tasks
Presentation and participation sessions. 50 h: lecture sessions complemented with debate and student interaction. During these sessions, the contents of the different thematic sessions of the course will be presented.
Seminars. 10 hours: in small groups. Activities of compulsory attendance, in which the theoretical content previously taught will be studied in depth. In these activities, students will acquire skills to recognise and resolve ethical dilemmas in different nursing practice situations, being able to analyse legal texts with an influence on their professional practice, and to defend their position in these situations, recognising and respecting dissenting positions.
Personalised tutorials: if necessary, students have the support of the teaching staff of the subject for face-to-face tutorials on the established days and times. Notwithstanding the above, the teaching staff will be available via email and the digital platform moodle2 for the resolution of individual doubts.
Complementary material: the complementary material of the subject will be available through the moodle2 platform. It is therefore advisable to have a computer with internet access. Likewise, students will work with different web links that may be of interest due to their content related to the subject.
4.3. Syllabus
The course will address the following topics:
Theme 1: Introduction to law and the functions of law in social life. Legal rule: concept and characteristics.
Theme 2: Legal framework of the health professions.
Theme 3: The healthcare act, competences of the nursing profession. Law on the Organisation of Health Professions.
Theme 4: Confidentiality and professional secrecy. Patients' rights and clinical safety.
Theme 5: Concept and history of ethics.
Theme 6: Nursing Code of Ethics
Theme 7: Genetic manipulation, assisted reproduction and surrogacy.
Theme 8: Ethical aspects of care during pregnancy. Voluntary termination of pregnancy.
Theme 9: Ethics in paediatric care. Child abuse.
Theme 10: Accidents at work and occupational diseases. Occupational risks in nursing practice.
Theme 11: Assistance to victims of domestic violence and gender violence.
Theme 12: Ethical aspects of care for migrants. Female genital mutilation.
Theme 13: Ethics in the care of the elderly and the disabled. Concept of legal incapacitation.
Theme 14: Ethical aspects of research involving human subjects.
Theme 15: Ethics in the assistance and care of people at the end of life.
Theme 16: Relevant ethical aspects of organ donation and transplantation.
Theme 17: Conscientious objection.
4.4. Course planning and calendar
The timetable for theory classes and seminars will be arranged at the beginning of the course by the school management.
TRAINING ACTIVITIES:
Theoretical sessions: the teaching methodology will be by means of an interactive lecture. 50 h.
Seminars: compulsory attendance, learning is based on problem solving. Active learning aimed at the development of critical thinking on the part of students will be promoted. 10 h.
Assessment activities: Theoretical content will be assessed by means of a single exam. The activity carried out in the seminars will be assessed by means of attendance and the intensity of participation in them.
The order in which classes and content are taught and/or the dates on which the assessment tests are held may change depending on the circumstances and/or organisational needs of the centre.
KEY DATES OF THE SUBJECT:
The provisional timetable, agreed with the school management, can be consulted on the school's website, as well as the official exam dates for June and September.