Module manager: Natasha McKeever
Email: n.mckeever@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 Feb to 30 Apr View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is not approved as an Elective
What makes an ethical healthcare professional? How should decisions be made ethically in healthcare? This module will introduce you to a range of ethical issues that arise pervasively throughout healthcare practice, exploring the carer/ patient relationship, as well as ethical issues around how to be a good healthcare professional. We will also explore the philosophical arguments which underlie these considerations.
The aims of this module are, firstly, for you to gain an understanding of some of the philosophical and ethical issues and arguments within professional healthcare ethics and the implications they have for professional conduct in healthcare. Secondly, you will develop critical awareness of the ethical rationales underlying current approaches to central concepts in healthcare ethics.
These aims will be achieved through:
- Independent online learning where you will be introduced to core concepts, readings, and arguments and are encouraged to read texts critically and reflect on and analyse these arguments and concepts.
- Online discussion forums and synchronous webinars where you will have the opportunity to develop your own arguments on the topics and test these through critical reflection with other learners and academic staff.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Critically evaluate, in detail, a wide range of debates relating to professional duties in healthcare
2. Critically evaluate arguments concerning the nature of healthcare ethics itself, and its relationship to general ethics and professional responsibilities.
3. Construct detailed, sophisticated and independent arguments to defend your own view about professional duties in healthcare ethics.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4. Communicate ideas and understanding clearly and concisely, using appropriate academic language (Academic and Work Ready skill)
5. Critically analyse source material and demonstrate independence of thought (Academic and Work Ready skill)
6. Independently search for and utilise appropriate material to support knowledge and analysis of topics (Academic, Work Ready, Digital and Sustainability skill)
7. Identify ethical questions and use appropriate ethical frameworks when analysing issues and source material (Sustainability skill)
8. Effectively communicate, participate and collaborate in an online environment. (Digital and Work Ready skill)
Topics may include:
- Honesty
- Consent
- Loyalty
- The duty of healthcare workers to treat
- Strike action by healthcare workers
- Confidentiality and trust
- Use and abuse of codes
- Ethical models such as patient advocacy
- Conscientious objection
- Compromise and sharing responsibility
- Whistleblowing and complicity
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-line Learning | 8 | 2 | 16 |
| WEBINAR | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Independent online learning hours | 33 | ||
| Private study hours | 100 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 17 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
In addition to the formative feedback available to students in student hours and webinar-based activities, each student is invited to complete ONE piece of formative work which will receive written feedback.
Students are given a choice of: essay plan; exposition of an argument; objection and reply.
To ensure that students get the formative feedback that they need, they are asked to read and reflect on (i) the feedback they received in previous summative assessments, (ii) the PRHS marking criteria and (iii) the specific guidance provided on the summative assessment in this module. This requires students to critically engage with previous feedback, current expectations, and play an active role in honing their knowledge and skill development.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Essay | 90 |
| Coursework | Contributions to online discussion | 10 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
The resit for the discussion contributions will be an essay demonstrating familiarity with a wide range of debates and will be descriptively as opposed to analytically focused.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 17/02/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team