MAKLI4200 Practical Ethics Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian;

This course is based on a humanistic view of life and fundamental values of nursing. Teaching covers ethical theories and key ethical problems that are important to relieving suffering and maintaining and protecting the patient’s dignity in vulnerable life situations. The course will give the students a more thorough understanding of how ethics form a part of patients' (and next of kin's) health in different clinical contexts. This topic will be related to cultural and social perspectives and be explored from a multicultural perspective.

The course also aims to highlight the importance of the nurse’s internalised values and ability to make decisions as a condition for practising ethically-founded patient care that safeguards the patient’s dignity. Among the topics discussed are dilemmas related to questions about life and death, prioritisation in the health services and increased use of welfare technology.

The course aims to bring the students’ argumentation and decision-making skills to an advanced level.

The master’s thesis is an independent scholarly work where the student must demonstrate insight into relevant research and theories, methods and approaches of relevance to the thesis' focus and area of specialisation. The student is free to choose the topic, method and perspective.

All the courses in the first year of the programme must be passed and all required coursework must be approved before the students can submit the master’s thesis and take the oral exam as the final assessment. This applies for students starting the programme until/including the academic year 2022-2023.

The following applies for students starting the programme in the academic year 2023-2024 and onwards:Students must have passed all of the courses in the first year of their study programme (FLKM4110, FLKM4210, FLKM4310/FLKM4320, and FLKM4410) before they can commence the course FLKM5000.

In very special cases and by application, partial deviation from these requirements may be considered.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

;

Knowledge

The student

• can critically assess different ethical guidelines and theories
• can assess values in nursing practice and the importance of their application in ethical practice
• can discuss dilemmas related to care with respect to vulnerability, dignity, infringement, power and powerlessness
• can assess and apply ethical principles such as autonomy, benevolence, non-maleficence and justice
• can critically assess moral virtues, professional discretion, and capacity for moral judgment
• can critically assess selected reflection and decision-making models within various ethical directions

;

Skills

The student

• can argue for basic values and ethical thinking in assessments and decision-making processes in nursing practice
• can identify patients and next of kin’s vulnerability in order to maintain their dignity, freedom and autonomy
• can apply decision-making theory in ethical argumentation to identify and analyse complex ethical problems and dilemmas
• can recognise moral stress in nursing practice and assess influences and preventive factors
• can use research to support ethical argumentation
• can communicate and argue on the basis of a professional ethical stance in interdisciplinary cooperation
• can apply decision-making theory and work methods used in clinical practice and ethics committees

;

General competence

The student

• can critically and independently reflect on ethical issues in a systematic manner
• can address patients and next of kin’s vulnerability in the event of health deficits in an ethical manner
• can see the importance of and reflect on values and their own personal formative education in ethical practice
• can assess and contextualise matters such as legal frameworks and cultural and socially-specific factors that are significant to ethical assessments and decisions
• can disseminate an independent work on ethical dilemmas and issues arising in their own clinical practice
• can contribute to new thinking in ethical questions and recognise their responsibility for ensuring ethical decisions that are in the best interests of the patient, next of kin and staff

The course will use varied, student-active work methods. Work and teaching methods include lectures, group work, training and self-study.

Emphasis is placed on dialogue and reflection, and topics that the students themselves wish to discuss based on their own experiences will be highlighted.

The following required coursework must be completed by students prior to submitting their master’s thesis for examination:

• participation in organised ‘writing seminar groups’ that will meet a minimum of 8 times for 2 hours each session, in which students’ present and discuss drafts of their thesis work (maximum of 10 pages / 3,000 words). Each student will present their work a minimum of two times each for feedback and discussion. These writing seminars support the development of students’ writing, and their capacity to take a critical stance to their own work and the work of others.
• Participation in at least one (1) 2-hour library database workshop and at least one (1) 2-hour academic / thesis writing workshop.
• Submission of a (mid-term) progress report / seminar paper for review (approximately 5,000 words).

The purpose of participation in the writing seminar groups, and other academic writing workshops, is to facilitate students’ progress in the writing of their thesis for its timely completion and submission for examination.

Similarly, the purpose mid-term progress report is to check on progress and, as required, identify any particular strategies or interventions needed to facilitiate timely progress and completion.

The basis for assessment is an individual master’s thesis of 30,000 to 38,000 words (excluding the cover page, summary, table of contents, reference list and appendices), followed by an individual oral exam lasting 45 to 60 minutes. The oral exam consists of an examination/conversation about the master’s thesis and its strengths and weaknesses.

Written thesis are evaluated, followed by the oral exam. One final grade is awarded for the master’s thesis, based on these two components. The final grade is set after the oral exam.

If the written master’s thesis does not meet the specified formal requirements, the submission will be registered as ‘failed’. An oral exam will then not be held for the candidate.

Assessment criteria

The master’s thesis will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

• The clarity, relevance and/or originality of the research questions or issues in relation to international education and development
• Ability to think independently and critically
• Documentation and use of relevant theory and research, and systematic approach to use of sources
• Connections between the main issues, research questions, choice of method, discussions and conclusions
• Ability to collect, systematise, interpret and present knowledge in a logical and easy-to-follow manner in relation to selected theories and perspectives
• Reflection on ethical issues in the research process
• Written presentation, clear table of contents, accurate literature references, reference list and appendices

Examination Report

A structured, written, evaluation report from the examiners will be provided to all candidates after the completion of the oral exam component.

Resit/rescheduled exams

A student will not be allowed to submit a new master’s thesis in the same programme if a pass grade has already been awarded. If a fail grade is awarded for the master’s thesis, the student can submit a new or revised thesis once only (see the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examination at OsloMet. Resit/rescheduled exams are organised in the same way as ordinary exams.

Right of appeal

If a student appeals the grade, both components of the exam must be re-assessed together. A new oral exam will be held.

Support material is permitted for the written part.

Letter grades ranging from A to F are used, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade, and F being a fail grade.

One internal and one external examiner are used. 

10 studiepoeng overlapp med MASYK4510