Course: (2023-24 FA) NURS 516 A - Lgl & Eth Prin to Hlth Care Ldrshp | Moodle

  • Welcome to NURS 516

    • This forum is for general news and announcements sent by your instructor throughout the semester. These announcements will come to students via their EMU email account as well as can be found here.

    • coffeeThis is a place to ask questions of each other or the faculty; share ah-ha moments, joys, or sorrows as we walk through the semester, or say anything else..
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  • Instructions: Clicking on the section name will show / hide the section.

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    • After having reviewed some of the resources for reading and watching - consider the following questions.

      • How have the events of the past several years impacted you as a person?
      • HHow have the events of the past several years impacted your role as a leader? Influenced your work? How has it changed you?
      • What work do you still need to process?
      • How might the past 2 years have ethical and/or legal implications?
      • What positive steps have you taken to provide self-care during these times?
      NOTE: This forum is set up as a Q&A forum - which means you can not see other peer's posts until 30 minutes after you have posted your response. After your 30 minute wait - be sure to refresh your screen or log out of the course and come back in.

    • Open this assignment to find your grade via the rubric for your participation in the discussion forum this week.

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    • Based on the readings for this week:

      1. Discuss how you would respond to a coworker who states "Aren't ethics and law the same thing? If something is ethical, then it must be legal, right?"
      2. Identify the most exciting learning objective or weekly topic for the semester; what topic or objective do you foresee being the most anxiety producing? In other words, what excites you about the topics in the syllabus - what bothers you as well?
      3. Describe one or two strategies you can start, or continue, in order to become a more ethical leader? 


    • Open this assignment to find your grade via the rubric for your participation in the discussion forum this week.

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      1. After reading "The Case of the Compassionate Committee", consider the various ethical standards/perspectives read about this week. Identify 2 or 3 standards that you believe the committee honored by their decision, and describe your rationale.
      2. Similarly, based on the Grant & Ballard readings - what are the legal issues that might be at stake?
      3. Finally - what is your categorical imperative and why? (See Deontology/Kantian ethics description in Darr, 2018, p. 18). When might it be impossible for you to follow your CI and how will you process that situation?



    • Open this assignment to find your grade via the rubric for your participation in the discussion forum this week.

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    • Complete the assigned readings first then do your own self-assessment of values. This is an adapted exercise from Taproot organization - a consulting firm that helps organizations complete root cause analysis investigation of errors, accidents, and environment contaminations. See more info at https://www.taproot.com/live-your-core-values-exercise-to-increase-your-success/

      2 additional steps after you have identified your labels:

      •  Add a verb to each value so you can see what it looks like as an actionable core value.
      • Finally, write your core values in order of priority in your planner, so they are available as an easy reference when you are faced with decisions. 

    • There are three parts to the discussion forum for this week. While each of these could be a day long discussion, the point is to begin the conversation and spend time in personal reflection about the "Words on your own wall": We are looking for you to respond to each question. Given that these are heavy questions, word count is less of a concern this week.

      #1: From the self-assessments:  What surprised you about the results?  What disappointed you? What are those core values or your 'words on your wall'?

      #2 Your Faith Perspective: What did you discover about the influence of your faith with your core values identified in #1? what are the major theological principles/values central to your faith belief system? How do they impact your ethical decision-making? How might/do they conflict with secular ethical principles when you need to make a decision as a leader?

      #3 In regards to the Lantos article/case study:  Assume you were going to defend the father, what ethical values learned over the past 2 weeks would inform the creation of your defense? Once you defend the father - anything else strike you in the author's interpretation of the story & oucome?

      NOTE: The purpose of question #3 is to both understand that being aware of normative perspectives with radically different views builds a leader's competency in effective decision-making; and to understand that conflicting moral views by stakeholders can be credibly defended by a myriad of values in our pluralistic society.


    • Open this assignment to find your grade via the rubric for your participation in the discussion forum this week.

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    • Reflect on the following:
      • What are some of the key take-aways for you in relation to the process & utilization of ethics committees?
      • What questions are still nagging you about the committee process?
      • What do you believe the best way for an ethics committee to handle the case study presented?
      • What surprised you or challenged you in the readings about ways to create a proactive culture as well as the barriers/ facilitators of accessing the ethics committee (Gaudine et al., 2011) )? Do you have examples or reflections about your organization in regards to ethics committees?
      NOTE - as in some previous weeks, this is a Q&A forum. You will need to wait 30 minutes before seeing responses from your peers.

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    • 1. Discuss (be reflective & analytical) your learnings from interviewing your CFO such as but not limited to:

      • What were some of the legal and ethical issues/values/standards that impact their role?
      • What were the highlights/ insights/ new appreciations from your conversation?
      • How can you help them do a better job?
      • How do the comments of the CFO reflect or contradict the readings?

      2. What policies should be in place in your organization to prevent broken window theory or downward spiral situations?

      3. What other learning points or surprises arose from the readings


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    • 1. Case Study from American Nurse Regarding Staffing
      If you can – forget that you have read the “Case commentary”:

      • First, identify the legal & ethical standards that apply to this case. Use the Grant & Ballard readings for this week as a basis for the legal issues; and readings especially from Week 2 and this week regarding ethical standards. Provide rationale for which ones you choose;
      • Second, based on a central premise by Darr that calls for primary prevention strategies for fostering an ethical culture - which one of the examples of ethics programs found in the readings this week may have prevented this case. Or consider, which one would best be implemented to prevent similar issues in the future.
      2. Creating an Ethical Culture for Staff in Your Organization
      • What structures are in place at your organization to reduce moral distress? If your organization already has something similar to what is found in the readings - how might that program be enhanced further?
      • Could any of the 4 examples found in the journal readings be effectively implemented in your health care organization? Which one? Why or why not?
      • What does your organization do to assure they follow the various legal mandates for the workplace as read about in Grant & Ballard?



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    • Reflect on the following:

      1. Regarding our committee processes:

      • Did we as a committee consider all stakeholder perspectives?
      • Should the committee have made another recommendation?
      • What questions are still nagging you about the case?

      2. Regarding the readings

      • identify one area within your organization/department that needs further improvement in relation to the legal and ethical perspectives concerning end-of-life issues. 
      • How might the readings provide beginning answers for improvement? 
      • How might you approach colleagues in your work setting as they express their feelings or beliefs about EOL?  Another way to look at this - how might you respond if they come to you as the nurse seeking personal advice about EOL issues they are experiencing?
      3. What else jump out at you, surprise you or concern you from the week's activities?

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    • As you watch this video of Dr. Irma Mahone, please open the PPT to follow along with the video. Dr. Mahone forgot to share her screen before she recorded. Thanks

    • Question #1: Based on the Badger et al. (2009) case (try not to read the last page or so) In one to two sentences fpr each question:

      1. What were the ethical and legal values/ standards/ principles involved with the case read for this exercise? Explain with brief rationale.
      2. What were the cultural & organizational characteristics that resulted in this case? What could be done as an organization to prevent this situation in the future?
      3. What recommendations might an ethics committee make to the practitioners/administrators (assuming this case went to the EC before his death)?
      4. Your reaction to the case - how did you feel deep inside as a health care professional as you read it?
      Question #2:
      1. Reflecting on the readings for this week and your review of your organizational consents, what did you learn about consents in your organization/department? How do they compare or contrast to the legal and ethical standards discussed by Darr and Grant & Ballard?
      2. What could be enhanced in your organization and how could you as an ethical leader do to improve shared decision-making in your organization?

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    • 1. Reflect on your experience prior to and during our Zoom session. Questions to consider:

      • What new insights or perspectives did you obtain?
      • Something from the readings struck you as interesting?
      • Something our guest said that got you thinking more deeply?
      2. Identify several ways you can enhance  your ethical stewardship as a leader as you work with staff or clients in regards to racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

      3. Other thoughts, questions, insights?

      IMPORTANT NOTE: As in some previous weeks, this forum is set up as a Q&A forum. This means you must submit your response before you can see the response of other students. If you wish to see other student's posts you will need to wait 30 minutes before they can be seen.



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    • FIRST: Reflect on the readings as well as the Zoom recordings. Questions to consider:

      • What new insights or perspectives did you obtain?
      • Something from the readings struck you as interesting?
      • Something one of the speakers said that got you thinking more deeply?
      • How might this experience influence your ethical stewardship as a leader as you work with staff or clients from diverse cultures?
      • Other thoughts, questions, insights?
      SECOND: Given that we could not meet with our guests live, what is a question that you would have asked the guest speakers based on their presentation (one question per each guest)?


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