COURSE TITLE: Bioethics

NUMBER OF UNITS: Theory – 3 units

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course deals on the basic concepts and principles of bioethics. This is a one semester course that consists of
three units lecture/ discussion.

COURSE OBJECTIVE:
At the end of the semester, the students are expected to:

1. develop and understand the important concepts and principles of Bioethics

2. to know basic principles used in the analysis of moral dilemmas and show how these principle function in the
health care delivery
3. be sensitive on ethical consideration and issues in patient care, community work and public issues
Course Content: Bioethics
CONCEPT CONCEPT
I. Introduction to Bioethics 8. duty of non-maleficence
a. Importance of bioethics
b. Definition of terms IV. The Calling of the Health Care Provider
1. ethics a. The health Care Profession
2. biology b. The client
3. bioethics c. The Health Care Provider
4. health ethics d. Health Care Provider-Client relationship
5. professional ethics
c. History of Ethics V. Qualities and Responsibilities of a Good
Health Care Provider to the Client, Society
II. The Human Person and Its Profession
1. the personhood
2. human acts and acts of human VI. Virtues, Vices and Habit of a Health Care
a. knowledge Provider
b. freedom a. Virtues of Health Care Provider
c. conscience 1. fidelity
2. honesty
III. Types of Ethical Thoughts 3. integrity
a. Kantian 4. humility
b. Rawl’s Ethics 5. respect
c. St. Thomas Aquinas 6. compassion
d. Ross Ethics 7. prudence
1. Actual/prima-facie duty 8. courage
2. duty of fidelity b. vices of health care provider
3. duty of reparation 1. fraud
4. duty of gratitude 2. pride
5. duty of justice 3. greed
6. duty of beneficence
7. duty of improvement
 CONCEPT CONCEPT
VII. Basic Ethical Principles
a. Stewardship
b. Totality
c. Double effect
d. Cooperation
e. Solidarity

VIII. Major Bioethical Principles

a. respect for person and justice
b. non-maleficence
c. beneficence

IX. Application of Bioethical Principles to the Care of the Sick

a. functions of Informed Consent
b. Rights of a Patient
c. Prevalence of Bioethical Issues
1. abortion
2. euthanasia
3. determination of death
4. biological and Clinical Death
5. In-Vitro fertilization
6. stem cell technology
 At the end of the week the students are expected to:
1. Recognize the need to study bioethics
Week 1 Objectives 2. Define ethics, biology, bioethics, health ethics
and professional ethics
I. Introduction to Bioethics 3. Appreciate the history of bioethics
a. Importance of bioethics
b. Definition of terms Strategies Lecture, discussion
i. ethics
ii. biology Value Focus Pro- people
iii. bioethics
iv. health ethics Related Values Respect
v. professional ethics
c. History of Ethics
Evaluation/Application 1. Give one situation where in ethics could be
applied.
2. Explain the importance of bioethics as a
course in nursing.

Objectives At the end of the week the students are expected to:
Weeks 2 and 3 1. Describe the characteristics of a person
2. Differentiate act of human from human acts
II. The Human Person 3. Define knowledge, freedom and conscience
i. the personhood 4. Enumerate and describe the different types
ii. human acts and acts of human of conscience
1. knowledge 5. Relate knowledge, freedom and conscience
2. freedom as a characteristic of a person
3. conscience
Strategies Lecture, discussion, role playing, journal writing

Value Focus Catalyst for change

Related Values Respect

Evaluation/Application 1. What is the role of the knowledge, freedom

and conscience to a person?

Week 4 and 5
III. Types of Ethical Thoughts
a. Kantian
b. Rawl’s Ethics
c. St. Thomas Aquinas
d. Ross Ethics
i. Actual/prima-facie duty
ii. duty of fidelity
iii. duty of reparation
iv. duty of gratitude
v. duty of justice
vi. duty of beneficence
vii. duty of improvement
viii. duty of non maleficence
At the end of the week the students are expected
to:
Objectives 1. Describe the concepts of Kant, Rawl,
St. Thomas Aquinas and Ross on
ethics.
2. Compare the concepts of Kant, Rawl,
St. Thomas Aquinas and Ross on
ethics.
3. Explain the different duties as
enumerated by Ross
Strategies Lecture, discussion, group dynamics
Value Focus Pro- people
Related Values Fidelity, fairness, humility
Evaluation/Application 1. Give one situation where the types of
ethical thoughts discussed could be
applied.
2. Explain the importance of learning these
ethical thoughts in nursing.

Week 6
IV. The Calling of the Health Care Provider
a. The health Care Profession
b. The client
c. The Health Care Provider
d. Health Care Provider-Client relationship
Objectives At the end of the week the students are expected to:
1. appreciate the health care profession as a
vocation
2. describe the stages of a health care provider-
client relationship
Strategies Role playing, journal writing, group dynamics

Value Focus Pro people

 Related Values Respect, patient advocate, fairness

Evaluation/Application 1. What do you think will be the influence of

nursing in your life?
2. What is the effect of knowing the health care
provider-client relationship to you as a nurse?

At the end of the week the students are

expected to:
Objectives 1. describe the qualities of a good
Week 7 health care provider to the client ,
society and its profession
V. Qualities and Responsibilities of a Good 2. enumerate the responsibilities of a
Health Care Provider to the Client, Society and Its health care provider to the client,
Profession society and its profession

Strategies Lecture, discussion, group dynamics

Value Focus Pro- people

Related Values Diligence, fidelity, integrity

Evaluation/Application 1. Relate your qualities to the qualities and

responsibilities of a good health care
provider. Is there any similarities or
differences?

Week 8 Objectives At the end of the week the students are expected
VI. Virtues, Vices and Habit of a Health Care Provider to:
a. Virtues of Health Care Provider 1. define the different virtues of the health
1. fidelity care provider
2. honesty 2. define the different vices of health care
3. integrity provider
3. practice the different virtues of a health care
 4. humility provider
5. respect
6. compassion
7. prudence
8. courage Strategies Group dynamics, film showing
b. vices of health care provider
1. fraud Value Focus Pro people
2. pride
3. greed Related Values Fidelity, honesty, humility, compassion respect

Evaluation/Application 1. How could the virtues help you become a

good nurse
2. How could the vices hinder you from
becoming a good nurse?

At the end of the week the students are

expected to:
Objectives 1. describe the principle of stewardship,
Week 9 and 10 totality, double effect, cooperation, and
solidarity
VII. Basic Ethical Principles 2. enumerate the condition necessary for
a. Stewardship double effect application
b. Totality 3. apply basic ethical principles in health care
c. Double effect setting
d. Cooperation
e. Solidarity Strategies Lecture, discussion, group dynamics, case analysis

Value Focus Pro- life

Related Values Respect, cooperation and dignity of life

Evaluation/Application 1. Explain the conditions that must be

met in order to apply the principle of double
effect.
2. Can a health care provider be guilty
of an unethical act if a member of a team
also committed such act?
 Week 11 and 12 Objectives At the end of the week the students are expected
to:
VIII. Major Bioethical Principles 1. Describe justice, beneficence and
a. respect for person and justice non-maleficence
b. non-maleficence 2. Apply major bioethical principles in
c. beneficence health care
3. Enumerate principles on how
equality could be based

Strategies Lecture, discussion, case analysis

Value Focus Pro people

Related Values Respect, justice and dignity of life

Evaluation/Application 1. How is justice applied in the distribution of

burden/benefit in health care?
2. What are the differences and similarities of
beneficence and non-maleficence?

Objectives At the end of the week the students are

Week 13 and 14 expected to:
1. enumerate the components of an
IX. Application of Bioethical Principles to the Care of the informed consent
Sick 2. enumerate the rights of a patient
a. functions of Informed Consent 3. analyze and discuss different
b. Rights of a Patient bioethical issues
c. Prevalence of Bioethical Issues 4. relate the importance of bioethics to
1. abortion different bioethical issues
2. euthanasia
3. determination of death Strategies Lecture, discussion, group dynamics, case analysis
4. biological and Clinical Death
Value Focus Pro- people, pro-life
5. In-Vitro fertilization
6. stem cell technology Related Values Respect and dignity of life, patient advocate

Evaluation/Application 1. What is your stand in the different bioethical

issues?
2. How could bioethics affect a health care
provider’s stand in the different bioethical
issues?