Presenters: Dr. Dawana Gibbs, Dr. Nicole Masano, & Dr. Laura Grantham
Titles: Associate Professor of Nursing & ASN Program Coordinator; Assistant Professor of Nursing & Chair of the Department of Nursing; Assistant Professor of Nursing & BSN Program Coordinator
Department: Nursing
Emails: dgibbs@ccga.edu, nmasano@ccga.edu, & lgrantham@ccga.edu
Abstract:
Three faculty members from the School of Nursing and Health Sciences will discuss how we use innovative methods to teach ethical decision-making for junior students and senior students across both nursing programs and for junior health sciences students We will describe and give a brief intro to a provocative values clarification activity as step one in ethical decision-making. This works very well in a basic class at the fundamentals level. The next step in subsequent courses is to participate in an ethical decision-making activity where students work individually or in small groups, depending upon class size and classroom space. Contingent on the class complexity and course outcomes, students may participate in a debate using an ethical framework to defend a position. In some circumstances the students are allowed to choose their position and ethical framework and at other times they are assigned a position and a framework by faculty. One of the most complex activities is creating full case studies including multi-disciplinary dimensions based on “individuals” they were introduced to in the very first values clarification activity. While we have implemented these activities in nursing and health sciences courses, the format and activities could be generalized to teach ethics and ethical decision-making across multiple disciplines. We would love the opportunity to share our ideas with others.
Dr. Dawana Gibbs
Dr. Laura Grantham