POPLHLTH 204 : Health Care Ethics

Medical and Health Sciences

2020 Semester One (1203) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

An introduction to healthcare and medical ethics. A theoretical foundation of ethics in addition to the practical ethical issues relevant to healthcare professionals.

Course Overview

This course will introduce and explicate a broad range of the most challenging and important ethical issues in health care. This course provides a foundation in the content and methods of ethics as well as an introduction to specific ethical debates relating to the provision of health care. We draw on a range of real cases to explore and apply ethical theory. There are five thematic sections: Introduction to ethics; Research ethics; Distributive justice in health; Population health ethics, and Clinical ethics. 

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Recognise the key themes that characterise discussions of the ethical issues across a wide range of health care issues, (Capability 1.2, 2.1 and 5.2)
  2. Discuss a broad range of ethical issues that arise in the domain of health care, including issues relating to the structure of healthcare systems; the philosophy of healthcare allocation and issues pertaining to public health and issues in clinical and treatment contexts; (Capability 2.1, 3.2 and 4.1)
  3. Apply ethical theory to decision-making, policy development and legislation relating to health and health care, (Capability 3.2, 5.2 and 6.2)
  4. Critically reflect upon and defend one's own ethical commitments. (Capability 2.3, 5.3 and 6.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Case reflection 10% Individual Coursework
Close reading of a scholarly paper 20% Individual Coursework
Essay 30% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 40% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Case reflection
Close reading of a scholarly paper
Essay
Final Exam
Late assignments: The School policy in relation to late assignments will be applied. Extensions will be considered only in exceptional circumstances and where the request is made within a reasonable timeframe prior to the assignment due date. The extension application should be in 24 hours before the due date. Assignments received more than 2 weeks after the due date will not be marked and will be graded 0.* The 5% penalty is absolute and not taken off the mark received. We do this otherwise there would be an inequity between students. For example, if you submit your assignment 4 days late and receive a raw mark of 72%, your final mark for that assignment will be 52% (72% - 20%) not 57.6% (72% less 20%)** a day is considered part of any 24 hour period, including weekends. For example an assignment submitted 5 mins late will incur a 5% penalty as will an assignment submitted 23 hours late. 

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in the course website located in the University’s learning platform CANVAS which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Course Contacts

Dr Monique Jonas
Course Director
m.jonas@auckland.ac.nz

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 5 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Other Information

This course is held at The University of Auckland Grafton Campus. Lectures are at 11 am on Tuesday and 9 am on Friday. Tutorials are on Tuesday at 12 noon or 1pm, or Friday at 10 am, 11am or noon

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Students from 2019 expressed appreciation of lecture recordings. In 2020 all lectures will be recorded. Full lecture notes for each class will also be made available prior to lectures.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 20/12/2019 03:05 p.m.