NURS-FPX 6107 Curriculum Design, Development, and Evaluation
Course Development and Influencing Factors
In this assessment, we propose including a comprehensive “Healthcare Ethics in Nursing” course in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) curriculum at the School of Nursing, University of Michigan. Throughout the assessment, we present an explicit description of the course and its position in the curriculum, a rationale to support the inclusion of the course, develop an outline of the course, detail on the required collaboration for considering the course, external and internal factors that affect course and curriculum design, and elaborate on the impact of program’s and organization’s mission, philosophy, and framework on curriculum design.
Description of the Course and its Integration in the Curriculum
The course “Healthcare Ethics in Nursing” involves the integration of ethical principles and critical thinking abilities into real-world scenarios relevant to the nursing practice. The nursing profession necessitates nurses to follow ethical principles while making decisions for patient care. Awareness of ethical principles and their relation with nursing practices is essential to recognize the actions that may risk moral duties adhering to the profession’s goals (Haddad & Geiger, 2022). This course aims to provide comprehensive knowledge about ethical considerations in nursing, equipping students with the necessary skills to navigate complex dilemmas encountered in healthcare settings. The course will utilize several educational delivery methods, such as theory-based lectures, case studies, and interactive group discussions.
The BSN program’s third or fourth year is the best placement for this course. The reason for placing it in the later years of the study is to ensure that students have a solid nursing knowledge and skills foundation that will help them integrate ethical principles into their clinical decision-making process. Moreover, the course is best fit towards the end of the program, ensuring that students acquire a well-rounded understanding of nursing theories and practice before transitioning into the complexities of healthcare ethics in clinical settings.
The Rationale for the Inclusion of the Course
The justification for including this course in the BSN curriculum rests in three concepts: fostering ethical competence among nursing students, promoting patient-centered care, and preparing students for real-world challenges. As healthcare professionals, especially nurses, encounter complex moral dilemmas in their practices, this course provides students with a more insightful understanding of ethical theories and principles, enhancing their competence in navigating these challenging situations. Nursing education surrounding ethical values, moral sensitivity, and moral reasoning contributes to the professional development of nursing students and improves their ethical decision-making abilities in clinical settings (Chen et al., 2021).
Another vital role that this course plays is enhancing patient-centered care through morally sound nursing practices. Ethical principles are the ground basis of patient-centered care. Thus, healthcare services following ethical principles of patient-centeredness, such as informed consent, cultural sensitivity, and end-of-life care, result in better patient outcomes (Ekman, 2022). These results are only obtained when nurses prioritize ethical dimensions of patient care. This course prepares future nurses to provide patient-centered ethical care, ensuring patients’ diverse needs and preferences are valued.
Lastly, this course is essential to prepare nurses for real-world ethical dilemmas. As healthcare environments evolve, nurses confront several ethical challenges. Integrating a course focused on emerging ethical issues and public health ensures that nursing students are well-prepared to face healthcare complexities (Andersson et al., 2022). This course equips students with the skills to address these challenges and adapt ethical decision-making.
Topical Outline and Linkage with Existing Courses
The topical outline established for the course “Healthcare Ethics in Nursing” (Appendix) is related to other topics of the BSN curriculum offered by the School of Nursing, University of Michigan. For instance, professional codes of ethics in nursing are connected with the course nursing seminar as it establishes students’ understanding of the ANA’s professional standards of nursing care, which has a nursing code of ethics as an integral component. Another relation is established between the existing cour
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