Unit name | Patient and Professional Issues in Health Care Ethics and Law |
---|---|
Unit code | SSCMM0001 |
Credit points | 30 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
Unit director | Professor. Ruud ter Meulen |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
COBMM0001 |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Bristol Medical School |
Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
Subject matter to be covered will include: (i.) ethical and legal issues relating to consent and refusal of health care, including competence, information and voluntariness, (ii.) ethical and legal issues relating to deciding for others, including incompetence and the role of proxy decision-makers, (iii.) ethical and legal issues relating to confidentiality, including the ethical, legal and professional basis of the obligation and conflicting obligations, (iv.) ethical and legal issues relating to the vulnerable professional, including inter-professional obligations, (v.) ethical and legal issues of conscience, including conscientious objection and "whistle-blowing", and (vi.) ethical and legal issues relating to justice in health care, including avoiding discrimination and allocating limited resources.
Aims: This Unit aims to provide students with a systematic understanding and critical awareness of further key issues surrounding the role of the health care professional, with regard both for the individual patient and society at large. The Unit will focus students’ attention on theoretical justifications for, and ethical and legal obligations arising in relation to, work in the health care professions including professionals’ self-care and care of others. Students will learn to distinguish between, critically appraise and apply some of the theories relating to professionalism, conscience and justice and will gain greater insight into and ability to critically reflect on the legal and professional obligations in this context.
This Unit also aims to provide students with a systematic understanding and critical awareness of further key issues surrounding the role of the health care professional, with regard both for the individual patient and society at large. The Unit will focus students’ attention on theoretical justifications for, and ethical and legal obligations arising in relation to, work in the health care professions including professionals’ self-care and care of others. Students will learn to distinguish between, critically appraise and apply some of the theories relating to professionalism, conscience and justice and will gain greater insight into and ability to critically reflect on the legal and professional obligations in this context.
On successful completion of this Unit, students will be able to:
Student centred teaching & learning strategies will be promoted using the following methods:
This Unit will be assessed by one 6,000 word essay. Students will need to demonstrate understanding and application of the core ethical and legal issues arising in the chosen topic and how they relate to health care practice.