Syllabus - ETH 1010-F-O - Health Care Ethics - Fall Two 2019
LABOURE COLLEGE
Leo R. Thibault, Instructor - leo_thibault@laboure.edu
Office Telephone: 617.322.3559) - Office: Student Success Center (adjacent to Student Lounge)
Office Hours: Available as needed.
Written “Forum” Posts Due on Sundays (unless otherwise indicated) by 11:55pm
Class Dates Based on the 1st Day AFTER Assignments are DUE
Given the start day of our class is on a Wednesday, the “Official” Attendance Day will be on Wed.’s.
However, your Attendance will be based on EACH of your completed assignments having been Posted by the following Sunday evenings of each week.
For example, our first day of Attendance is Wednesday the 23rd, so, as long as you completed EACH assignment Due on Sunday the 27th by 11:55pm, your Attendance will be recorded as “Present” for the Wednesday the 23rd.
Given assignments are also Due by 11:55pm on Wed., the 30th, Attendance will be recorded just after then on the 30th. Be certain to have completed EACH assignment Due for the Wednesday the 30th by 11:55pm.
Attendance Recorded on Wed., October 23rd
Attendance Recorded on Wed., November 6th
Attendance Recorded on Wed., November 13th
Attendance Recorded on Wed., November 20th
Attendance Recorded on Wed. November 27th
Attendance Recorded on Wed., December 4th
Attendance Recorded on Mon., December 16th - Final Essays Due at 11:55pm - Last Class Day
Dates to Consider:
Day One of Class with Introductory info. & 1st Assignment Instructions: Wednesday, Oct. 23rd
Last Day to Drop Classes: Tuesday, November 26th
- COURSE OVERVIEW:
ETH 1010-F-O: Health Care Ethics: 3 Credits---
This course provides a critical academic exploration of healthcare ethics and seeks to foster a community of learners engaged in the pursuit of ethical knowledge. This pursuit embraces diversity and cross-cultural competency as it tries to envision a just society committed to the common good. As such this course seeks to answer the question, "What is the good life and human flourishing in relation to healthcare ethics?" The course proceeds in two parts: 1) introducing students to the normative ethical theories of consequentialism, deontology, virtue, human rights, theories of justice, and Catholic social ethics; and 2) applying these theories to the ethical domain of the health care professional. Special attention will be paid to the question of how advances of biotechnology and medicine benefit the most vulnerable members of society. Furthermore, this course aims to develop the critical thinking skills of students and help form them into ethical leaders within the healthcare professions.
- LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon successful completion of this course, students ought to be able to:
- Describe, compare and contrast various religious and secular philosophical theories.
- Explain the processes and responsibilities related to human choice for an individual and society.
- Analyze pertinent issues and current approaches within the field of medical ethics.
- Evaluate how moral principles in philosophy, religion, and contemporary culture influence our decision-making ability.
- Apply the skills of effective critical thinking by the successful completion of written assignments.
The Educated Person---
The College is committed to graduating an educated person. The educated graduate of Labouré College possesses the basis for life-long learning and civic engagement and is prepared to deliver patient-centered care as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
To this end, the General Education courses promote learning in broad areas of human knowledge leading to an understanding of historical, social, mathematical, philosophical, and scientific phenomena as well as ethical perspectives. The professionally oriented courses promote learning that emphasizes evidence-based practice, including the latest research and clinical expertise of practitioners, quality improvement approaches, and the use of information technology.
Liberal education concepts and theories found in General Education courses, along with professionally oriented courses in a student’s major, support and facilitate the development of skills necessary for student to function competently in life and work. These skills include information literacy, critical and creative thinking, oral, written, and interpersonal communication, and team building.
TEXTS AND REQUIRED RESOURCES:
Nursing Ethics: Across the Curriculum and into Practice, 5th Edition
Butts, J. & Rich, K.
ISBN-13: 978-1284170221
Publishers: Jones & Bartlett; Boston
Published: 2019
American Nurses Association. (2001). American Nurses Association code for nurses with interpretive statements. Washington, DC: Author.
Articles and Additional Text, audio / visual Resources Provided
- CLASS FORMAT:
Class meetings will be conducted in an “On-line” format. NO seated in-classroom classes are required. Assigned text / article readings, Podcast and videos will be available through e-Learning via your my.laboure.edu portal. Progress in understanding class material will be assessed by graded written assignments / Posts and a Final Comprehensive Research Paper. Calculation of your Semester Score will be based upon the College’s Numerical Scale (Grading Policy & Practices) and unexcused absences.
Writing Assignment Instructions, Discussion Board Posts, listening, reading and viewing resources are posted in within the “Coursework” & “Forum” Tabs within e-Learning.
Information literacy via critical reading, critical thinking and critical writing are introduced and reinforced through:
Research and related writing initiatives
On-line Posts written relative to course content
- Interaction with e-Learning “Coursework” Resources & “Forum” Posts will consider assigned readings via required class textbook, supplemental articles, other text, podcasts & videos. Writing assignments will stem from your analysis of articles, podcasts, textbook & videos culminating with Final Essays.
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- ACADEMIC HONESTY [Academic Misconduct (Labouré Catalog, p. 37):
Academic integrity is the hallmark of Labouré College. Academic honesty is expected of all students, who have to complete their own work and submit or present their own original work unless specifically directed otherwise by the professor. Academic dishonesty constitutes academic misconduct, which includes the following:
⦁ Acts of cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, or assisting another in the commission of such acts; and
⦁ Any acts of misconduct occurring at a clinical facility during the clinical education component of any course.
- Allegations of academic misconduct will be reported to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, who will review them.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
(Please refer to the College Catalog/Handbook for information on all academic policies):
Student Success Center---
The Student Success Center (SSC) is a comprehensive program designed to enrich the learning opportunities through resources available to all students at Labouré College. Modeled on best practices for excellence in teaching and learning, SSC provides students with opportunities to extend and to deepen their classroom learning experiences by participating in academic advising, academic coaching (focused on learning strategies), academic tutoring (focused on course content), basic skill strengthening (e.g., focused on Mathematics, Writing, or Critical Reading), career counseling, and/or short-term personal counseling. SSC also offers specialized assistance to students with learning differences, including advocacy, learning strategies, and, when appropriate, reasonable accommodations such as extended time on exams, note-taking assistance, enlarged print, preferential seating, and support in accessing digital audio texts, readers, scribes, and/or assistive technologies. Located across from Rm. C-112, SSC strives to be a warm and welcoming community of learners dedicated to fostering student growth and success.
Labouré College is committed to extending reasonable and appropriate accommodations to students whose learning differences are consistent with standards described in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. To be eligible, students seeking accommodations will provide documentation from a licensed medical or mental health professional that describes a legally recognized learning difference and that indicates the accommodations necessary to assure equal access to the College’s programs and services. This documentation should be submitted to the Learning Differences Specialist at least two weeks prior to the implementation of accommodations. Refer to the Student Success Center link located within the Student Tab in my.laboure.edu for more information.
Given assignments are due on Mondays & Fridays by 11:55pm, Attendance is also indicated twice weekly; on Tuesdays & Saturdays.
Given the class is offered as an “Accelerated” class, the span of the class extends for seven weeks.
However, it is understood that given the class warrants Three Academic Credits, there is the requirement that 15 weeks of class content be honored.
Consistent with a traditional 15-week Semester, this Accelerated seven-week class holds class content comparable to a 15-week Semester; hence class engagements occur twice weekly bringing the “Contact Hours” to an equivalent 15-week Semester. Given Assignments are due by 11:55pm for EACH of the seven Sundays during the Semester, Attendance will be sent to the Registrar each Monday.
Given the Accelerated 15 week Semesters are condensed into only SEVEN weeks, all class dynamics are then essentially “doubled” for EACH week; including your doubled contact hours with articles, texts, podcast, written “Forum Posts” and / or videos for your review each week.
See Page One of the Syllabus for information regarding specific Attendance Recording Dates.
Should assignments then not appear in e-Learning “Forums”, or via an otherwise identified method, an “Un-excessed” designation will apply for the day(s). Please carefully review Attendance info. which follows here…:
Statement on Attendance (College Catalogue & Student Handbook ’19-’20):
The classroom is the heart of the educational experience at Labouré College because it provides a formal setting for the important exchanges among professors and students. Regular and punctual attendance at all classes, essential for maximum academic achievement, is a major responsibility of Labouré College students. Absence affects the contributions one can make to the class environment. Whether in online, hybrid or traditional courses, absence significantly and demonstrably reduces the quality of the educational experience for everyone in the class. As a result, absences almost always impact the quality of performance.
As part of its commitment to a quality educational experience for all members of the Labouré community, the College formally requires specific attendance policies to be developed by its professors and reviewed by the Division Chairpersons and Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA). Any attendance policy used by an individual professor as a criterion for evaluation has to be specified in the course syllabus and presented to students during the first week of classes. These policies may include reasonable penalties for excessive absences.
In the event of prolonged illness, accident, or similar emergency, it is the responsibility of the student to notify the professor and to make up the work they may have missed during an absence from class. Students are directed to confer with their professors when their absences jeopardize satisfactory progress.
Whenever a professor is absent without notification, students are expected to wait fifteen minutes before leaving (or signing off) and to sign an attendance list, which a class member delivers to the Registrar's Office.
All Labouré College students are expected to attend and participate in enrolled courses. While absences are discouraged, the College understands that students may occasionally have a legitimate reason to miss a class. Legitimate reasons for missing class may include medical, family illness or death, and unforeseen circumstances such as a car accident. Students will assume full responsibility for submitting any missed assignments due to an absence, at the discretion of the professor.
Professors are required to record and submit attendance. Official attendance will be taken by the professor and reported to the Registrar's Office twice each semester. The first report will be the first day of class during the second week of class after the add/drop (adjustment) period - this will also become the census data for the course. The second report will be at or before the 50% mark of the semester - for 15-week courses, this will be Week 7, and for 7-week courses, this will be Week 3. Hybrid and online courses must be able to verify attendance through an early assignment, and/or participation post. It may become necessary for a professor to confirm a last date of attendance at any point in the semester.
It will be at the professor's discretion how attendance and academic participation are tracked during non-attendance reporting weeks. Professors may opt to continue to take attendance, use submitted assignments, or use other ways of tracking student participation in a course. Academic participation does not have to be reported during non-attendance-reporting weeks, but may be used to calculate a student's last day of attendance if he/she withdraws.
Academic participation and/or attendance requirements for students should be clearly defined in the syllabus for students to read. If a professor notices that a student has not participated in class (in any way the instructor defines) for two or more weeks, then it is the professor's responsibility to create an Early Alert for the Department of Student Affairs. An academic advisor should then reach out to the student to ascertain whether the student will be returning to class - if the professor allows - or withdrawing from the course. This is also an opportunity to reach out to the student to see if other services are needed by the student. If a student does not respond back to the academic advisor within one week, the student will be withdrawn from the course.
Students must notify the Registrar's Office in writing of their intention to drop any course(s) prior to the published last day to withdraw from courses to avoid a failing grade for the course. Tuition refunds depend on the refund policy, not the withdrawal deadline. The last day to withdraw for each semester is published in the Academic Calendar. Withdrawal requests can be emailed to registrar@laboure.edu.
Financial Aid Implication:
When a student withdraws from a course, the Department of Financial Aid is responsible for completing a calculation (called a Return to Title IV or R2T4). The calculation determines how much federal aid (including grants and loans) the student may keep. The percentage of the semester completed drives the calculation, so a correct last day of attendance is important. If a student completes 10% of the course, then they keep 10% of their federal aid; if they complete 50%, then they keep 50% of their aid. Once a student has completed at least 60% of the scheduled semester, they keep 100% of their federal aid.
To be compliant with federal guidelines, the calculation must be completed within 30 days of the date the school determines the student last attended. It is important that instructors create - and academic advisors follow up on - Early Alerts in a timely manner if a student is not attending class or submitting required assignments.
DROPPING THE COURSE:
In order to drop a course, you have more to do than to stop attending class or to inform your professor. In accordance with Labouré College policy, you have to drop a course, in person or in writing at the One-Stop Service Desk during the published adjustment period. Please discuss with your Instructor and/or an Academic Advisor if you are thinking of dropping this course. Last Day to Withdraw: Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 by 5:3pm.
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- GRADING AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Progress in understanding class material will be assessed by graded writing assignments and over-all class engagement. Calculation of your Semester score will be based up the College’s Numerical Scale (Grading Policy & Practices) and unexcused absences.
Graded Assessment Criteria: Class Engagement to include---
(a.) Attendance - e-Learning “Forum” Posts and Final Essays
(b.) Weekly Readings / Viewing / Podcasts / Power Points & Written Assignments
NOTE: Each written assignment presumes completion of EACH portion of EACH assignment(s) assigned for EACH week of class.
There is no partial Credit for Assignments not fully completed consistent with the “Forum Instructions” for each Assignment. Assignments DO have a "shelf-life" and are anticipated to have arrived on their respective due dates identified in “Forum Instructions” in e-Learning.
(c.) Final Essays
Class Engagement—
Engaged Attendance = 20%
Forum Posts = 50% (10% - 20% per Post)
Final Essays = 30%
Grading System, Quality Points, and GPA, Grade Quality Grade
Points Equivalencies A 4.0 100-93
A- 3.7 92-90
B+ 3.3 89-87
B 3.0 86-83
B- 2.7 82-80
C+ 2.3 79-77
C 2.0 76-73
C- 1.7 72-70
D+ 1.3 69-67
D 1.0 66-63
D- 0.7 62-60
F 0 59 or below
W Withdrawn: no grade
WP Withdrawn: passing
WF Withdrawn: failing
I Incomplete
Health Care Ethics --- ETH 1010-F-O --- Fall Two 2019
UNITS ONE & TWO---
ETHICAL THEORIES - FAITH / END OF LIFE ETHICS: IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE
CLASS CONTENT:
What is Morality/Ethics? Why is Religion a Moral Determinate? How & Why is Religion a Societal Influencer? How does Faith Inform Health Care? Is Health Care a privilege or a right?
Virtue & Ethics of Caring - Aristotle to Carol Gilligan
Utilitarianism--(Consequentialist / Nonconsequntialist Theories) - Teleological - Jeremy Bentham
Deontological - Immanuel Kant
Ethics in relation to Faith Experience
Social Equality in Light of Faith
CLASS VIEWING: Advanced Directives Video /
“Living with Dying”-Bill Moyers/PBS- Hospice Care/End of Life Care
CLASS READING: Text: Chp. 1: pp. 3-10 (up to “The Middle Ages”); pp. 12 (Care-Based Versus Justice-Based Reasoning) to 24
Chp. 6: p. 161- (Facing Death) to 163 (up to Nursing Care of Adolescents)
Chp. 8: pp.197-199 (up to “Assessing the Capacity to Remain at Home)
Chp. 9: p. 207-234
Mauk (Chp. 17): pp. 290-301 (Including Key Points-See Coursework)
Brigham and Women’s Hospital Advanced Directives Information
UNITS THREE & FOUR
THE ETHICS OF HEALTH CARE AND ITS IMPACT ON PATIENTS-CLINETS / PRACTITIONERS AND SOCIETY
CLASS CONTENT:
Identify criteria defining an ethical dilemma. Consider how critical thinking is used in ethical nursing practice. Consider models of reflection and decision making in ethical nursing practice. Differentiate nursing ethics from medical ethics and bioethics. Consider nursing ethical competencies: moral integrity, communication, and concern. Consider issues of vulnerability as they relate to the care of infants and children. Consider ethical issues regarding the universal vaccination of children. Consider the nurse’s role as an advocate in the care of infants and children.
CLASS VIEWING: TBD
Additional Viewing TBD
CLASS READING: Text: Chp. 2: pp. 27-40 (up to “Justice); pp. 43 (from “Professional-Patient Relationships”) to p.56
Chp. 3: pp. 59-86 (up to “Nurses and Social Media”)
Chp. 5: pp. 125-138 (up to 1971 John Hopkins Cases”) & pp. 141-142
Chp. 6: pp. 145-161 (up to “Facing Death”) & pp. 163 (from “Nursing Care of Adolescents”) to p.165
UNITS FIVE AND SIX---
HEALTH CARE IN LIGHT OF ENVIRONMENTAL & TECHNOLOGICAL ETHICS
CLASS CONTENT:
Influence of Social Media in Medicine and Behavioral Health Back to Nature: Eastern / Western Notions of Nature and Spirit-Ecology Environmental Ethics relative to: Disease, Food, Manufacturing & Economy. . Ethics of Technology relative to:
Client / Patient Care in Light of Robotics.
Nano. Technology and Environmental Harm and Cancer Treatments.
Influence of Social Media on Behavioral Health
CLASS VIEWING: TBD
CLASS READING: Text: Chp. 3: pp. 86-90 (from “Nurses and Social Media”)
Chp. 7: pp. 169-182
Chp. 8: pp. 185-197 (up to “Quality of Life”) & pp. 197 (from “Assessing the Capacity of Remaining at Home”) to p. 204
UNIT SEVEN—
THE ETHICS & HEALTH OF HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS
CLASS CONTENT:
Rights & responsibilities of patients and health care providers Relating ethically within professional engagements Behavioral Health; denied & forgotten Co-relatives between Behavioral Health and safer environments
CLASS VIEWING: TBD
CLASS READING: Text: Chp. 10: 241-260
***Final Essays Due: Monday, December 16th by 11:55pm