Course info

Course Overview

This course introduces nursing students to the philosophical foundations of ethics and morality, their historical development, and their application in healthcare practice. It emphasizes the importance of ethical principles, values, and moral reasoning in guiding professional conduct, patient care, and decision-making in complex clinical situations.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Explain the history and evolution of ethics from ancient civilizations to modern applied ethics.

• Distinguish between ethics and morality, including their definitions, sources, and applications.

• Identify and analyze major ethical theories and models (Deontology, Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics, Rights-Based Ethics, Care Ethics, Principalism).

• Understand the development of bioethics, including landmark documents like the Nuremberg Code and Belmont Report.

• Apply ethical principles such as autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice in nursing practice.

• Explore the role of anthropology in ethics, including cultural relativism and ethical dilemmas in patient care.

• Examine moral formation and moral development theories (Piaget, Kohlberg, Freud) and their relevance to nursing.

• Appreciate the importance of professional integrity, accountability, and compassion in healthcare.

Course Modules

1. History of Ethics

   • Ancient codes (Hammurabi, Ten Commandments)

   • Greek and Eastern philosophies

   • Modern ethical theories (Kant, Mill, Aristotle)

   • Applied ethics in contemporary contexts

2. History of Bioethics

   • Hippocratic Oath and early medical ethics

   • Nuremberg Code & Belmont Report

   • Rise of bioethics as a discipline

   • Emerging issues: genetics, AI in healthcare, global health

3. Core Concepts

   • Definitions: ethics, morality, values, duties, virtues

   • Ethics vs. morality: distinctions and comparisons

4. Types of Ethics

   • Normative, Metaethics, Applied, Descriptive

   • Moral psychology and comparative ethics

5. Ethical Models

   • Deontology, Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics

   • Rights-Based Ethics, Care Ethics, Principalism

   • Comparative strengths and weaknesses

6. Ethical Schools of Thought

   • Consequentialism, Deontology, Virtue Ethics

   • Relativism, Naturalism, Intuitionism, Existentialism, Pragmatism

7. Ethical Principles in Nursing

   • Autonomy, Beneficence, Nonmaleficence, Justice

   • Fidelity, Veracity, Respect, Responsibility, Confidentiality

8. Anthropology & Ethics

   • Cultural relativism vs. universal rights

   • Ethical challenges in anthropological research

   • Applied anthropology in nursing dilemmas

9. Morality

   • Philosophical perspectives (Kant, Mill, Aristotle)

   • Types of morality: descriptive, prescriptive, conventional, absolute, relative, divine, humane

   • Moral formation and development (Piaget, Kohlberg, Freud)

10. Professional Application

    • Importance of ethics in nursing

    • Building trust, accountability, and integrity

    • Navigating complex decisions in patient care

Assessment Methods

• Quizzes & MCQs on ethical theories and principles

• Case study analysis of real-world nursing dilemmas

• Reflective essays on moral development and professional values

• Group discussions on applied bioethics in healthcare

Key Takeaway

Ethics and values are the backbone of nursing practice. This course equips students with the philosophical grounding, ethical reasoning skills, and moral sensitivity required to provide compassionate, just, and professional care in diverse healthcare settings.