College of Nursing

Silliman University

Ethics in
Nursing
Research
Florenda F. Cabatit RN. MA
Facilitator
Hi stori cal Context
 Past

• German experimentation
• Tuskegee Syphilis study
 Present

• Cancer research in Brooklyn

Historical Context

 Ethicalsystem designed to prevent

people from being used as scientific
guinea pigs
 Contemporary emphasis on the ‘rights’ of
people to take risks to save themselves
 Ethical Codes and Regulations
 Nuremberg Code
 Declaration of Helsinki, Helsinki II
 The Belmont Report
 Codes of Federal Regulations for the Protection of
Human Subjects (1981, 1991)
 ANA Human Rights Guidelines for Nurses in Clinical
and other research (1985)
 ANA Position statement on Ethics and Human
Rights (1991).
The Nurember g C ode
The B elmo nt R eport
Declaration of Helsinki
Declaration of Helsinki contd.
 Ethical Principles
The principle of beneficence
- Encompasses the maxim “ Above all do
no harm”
Dimensions:
- Freedom from harm
- Freedom from exploitation

Benefits from Research

The risk/benefit ratio
The Principle of Res pe ct for
Huma n Di gnity
Dimensions:
 The right to self-
determination
 The Right to Full
disclosure ● Informed consent

•Voluntary participation
Th e Pri nciple of Ju stice

Dimensions:
1.The Right to Privacy

•Anonymity
•Confidentiality
Th e Pri nciple of Ju stice
Dimension
2.The Right to Fair
Treatment

•Right to services
 Vulnerable Groups

• The old and the young

• Mentally or physically disabled

• Institutionalized persons

• Pregnant women
 Ele ments o f In for me d
Con sent

1. Purpose of the research project

2. Procedures
3. Risks and discomforts
4. Benefits
5. Alternatives to participation
6. Confidentiality
7. Request for more information
 Elements of Informed Consent
contd.

1. Refusal or Withdrawal
2. Injury statement
3. Consent statement
4. Signatures
 Institutional Review Boards

 Mechanism for reviewing

proposed research
 Mechanism for protecting the
institution and researcher
 Submitting an IRB proposal