PHIL 294 - Ethics and Policy in Healthcare (Part 1)

Credits: 2.5
Variable Credit Course: No

Lecture Hours: 28
Lab Hours: 0
Worksite/Clinical Hours: 0
Other Hours (LIA/Internships): 0

Course Description: Policy and Ethics in Healthcare is a required course for the Nursing Department Direct Transfer Agreement. The foundational principles of ethics and the health care policy environments are covered specific to the profession of nursing and health care. Explores the legal and ethical implications of the nursing process as applied to personal, client and organizational beliefs and values, utilizing the Jonsen, Siegler and Winslade (2010) Model for practice application. Focus is on understanding of policies, ethics, and legal issues related to overall practice in healthcare professions. Includes local, state, national, and global perspectives of healthcare policy, ethics and law. Includes a focus on emerging issues and uses of technology to plan for the future. (Part 1 of two-part course.)

Prerequisite: NURS 287, 288 with a grade 2.7 (B-) or higher and concurrent enrollment in PHIL 297.
General Education Requirements:

Fulfills Integrate General Education Requirement
Fulfills Think General Education Requirement

Meets FQE Requirement: No
Integrative Experience Requirement: No

Student Learning Outcomes

Describe the historical evolution of U.S. health care and types of health care delivery environments.
Review the legislative and policy environment for the health care industry.
Describe the impact of legislation on health care.
Assess the implications of ethics, beliefs and values on the health care system and organizations.
Classify major ethical theories and principles.
Differentiate between legal and ethical issues.
Apply problem-solving methodologies for clinical and administrative environments.
Critique the roles of institutional compliance and ethics committees.
Identify emerging issues that stimulate change in the global and US health care systems and services.
Debate future ethical issues in the rapidly changing health care environment including technological innovation.
PROGRAM OUTCOME: Human Flourishing: Advocate for patients and families in ways that promote their self-determination, integrity, and ongoing growth as human beings.
PROGRAM OUTCOME: Nursing Judgment: Make judgments in practice, substantiated with evidence, that integrate nursing science in the provision of safe, quality care and promote the health of patients within a family and community context.
PROGRAM OUTCOME: Professional Identity: Implement one’s role as a nurse in ways that reflect integrity, responsibility, ethical practices, and an evolving identity as a nurse committed to evidence-based practice, caring, advocacy, and safe, quality care.
PROGRAM OUTCOME: Spirit of Inquiry: Examine the evidence that underlies clinical nursing practice to challenge the status quo, question underlying assumptions, and offer new insights to improve the quality of care for patients, families, and communities.

Course Contents

Historical evolution of U.S. health care and types of health care delivery environments.
Legislative and policy environment for the health care industry.
Impact of legislation on health care.
Implications of ethics, beliefs and values on the health care system and organizations.
Major ethical theories and principles.
Legal and ethical issues.
Problem-solving methodologies for clinical and administrative environments.
Roles of institutional compliance and ethics committees.
Emerging issues that stimulate change in the global and US US health care systems and services.
Ethical issues in the rapidly changing health care environment including technological innovation.

Instructional Units: 2.55