BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING:

BIOETHICS/HEALTH CARE ETHICS

COURSE MODULE COURSE UNIT WEEK
1 1 1
Introduction to Bioethics; The Being we call MAN

 Read course and unit objectives

 Read study guide prior to class attendance
 Read required learning resources; refer to unit
terminologies for jargons
 Proactively participate in classroom discussions
 Participate in weekly discussion board (Canvas)
 Answer and submit course unit tasks

Personal Laptop/mobile device

Internet connection/device
Reading materials
Paper and Pen for writing

At the end of the course unit (CM), learners will be able to:
Cognitive:
1. Define ETHICS, Healthcare ethics/Bioethics and its importance in the nursing profession.
2. Describe the essence of being called MAN, its anthropology, rational, a unified whole and the
Dignity of MAN.
3. Discuss the relationship of Ethics and MAN and appreciates its significance in the care of client in
a clinical setting.

Affective:
1. Inculcate the importance of BIOETHICS/Healthcare Ethics in clinical practice.
2. Listen attentively during class discussions.
3. Demonstrate tact and respect when challenging other people’s opinions and ideas.
4. Accept comments and reactions of classmates on one’s opinions openly and graciously.

Psychomotor:
1. Apply ethical concepts and principles of Bioethics during class discussion.
2. Participate actively during class discussions.
3. Confidently express personal opinion and thoughts in front of the class.

BIOETHICS- is a field of study concerned with the ETHICS and philosophical implications of certain
biological and medical procedures, technologies, and treatments, as organ transplants, genetic
engineering, and care of the terminally ill.
a science that deals with the study of the morality of human conduct concerning human life
in all its aspects from the moment of its conception to its natural end.

HEALTH CARE ETHICS- is the field of applied ethics that is concerned with the vast array of moral
decision-making situations that arise in the practice of medicine in addition to the procedures and
the policies that are designed to guide such practice.
Health ethics is employed to regulate human conduct in the practice of health care so that the good
may be done and evil may be avoided thereby ensuring the purpose of health care.

 WHAT IS ETHICS?
 Ethics is a philosophical and practical science that deals with the study of the morality of
Human acts or human conduct.
 It is the science of morals, the area of philosophical study involved in systematizing,
defending and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior.
 It examines human acts to determine what is right or wrong, what is good or bad, or what
ought to be in a given situation.
 It provides the standards that govern human conduct, it is the study of the “good life”, the
kind of life people ought to live.
 WHY DO WE STUDY ETHICS?
 The goal of Ethics: To help man live a life of excellence.
 To achieve the goal of every human being which is to attain a happy and fruitful life.
 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ETHICS?
 According to Aristotle: “A person finds happiness by fulfilling, actualizing, and
developing all his potentials and talents.
 If he is unable to realize his potentials, man becomes frustrated and unhappy. So, man
naturally strives to discover his talents and realize his potentials.
 But his search of happiness is thwarted when he commits the wrong actions. By providing
guidelines in knowing what is good and what is bad, or what is right and what is wrong,
ethics enables us to make correct judgment of different types of situations.
 In order to choose the right course of action that will help us towards the attainment of
our goals.
 WHAT IS BIOETHICS?
 Bioethics is a relatively new field of inquiry and can be defined as ‘the systematic study
of the moral dimensions — including moral vision, decisions, conduct and policies — of
the life sciences and health care, employing a variety of ethical methodologies in an
interdisciplinary setting’ (Reich 1995a: xxi). The term ‘bioethics’ (from the Greek bios
meaning ‘life’, and ethikos, ithiki meaning ‘ethics’) is a neologism which first found its way
into public usage in 1970–71 in the United States of America (Reich 1994; see also Jecker
et al 2007)
 WHAT IS NURSING ETHICS?
 Nursing ethics can be defined broadly as the examination of all kinds of ethical and
bioethical issues from the perspective of nursing theory and practice which, in turn, rest
on the agreed core concepts of nursing, namely: person, culture, care, health, healing,
environment and nursing itself (I KNOWLEDGE.COM)
MORALITY OF HUMAN CONDUCT
 What is morality?
 Morality is that quality of human acts where the acts could either be good or right, evil or
wrong. This quality indicates and determines whether the kind of human act is performed
is good or bad
 What makes good, good?
 An act is good when it is in agreement or conformity with the dictates of right reason.
 To Christians, conformity with right reason and also with God’s Moral law and
gospel values exemplified by Christ.

 What makes evil, evil?

 When it is not in agreement or conformity with and is in transgression of the dictates of
right reason.
 To Christians, transgression to God’s moral law and gospel values exemplified by Christ.
 What makes reason right?
 When it is in conformity with the truth- which must be objective in its sense.
 The truth is not that which is acceptable to some but not to others. “What is true for you
may not be true for me” and vice versa. The truth must be universally accepted.

WHAT IS MAN?
 From Latin “Humanitas”, the concept of Man means human nature, general culture of
the mind. Most philosophers defined MAN as any human being endowed with reason.
What man is the ultimate metaphysical question.?
 I. THE ORIGIN OF MAN
 A. Definition of Anthropology
 1. The word “anthropology” comes from two Greek words, ánthrōpos, which has the
general meaning for MAN or human being, and lógia, which infers study or science.
 2. In its most basic meaning, Athropology means the branch of science, which studies
humankind.
 B. Approaches to Anthropology
 1. Anthropology two approaches:
 Secular approach, which observes man’s demographic origin, natural history, and
social development.
 2. Theological approach, which uses the Bible as its textbook and deduces man’s origin,
nature, and moral condition.
 C.Views Concerning Man’s Origin
 1. There are three major views about man’s origins. Each view is based on an
interpretation (or theory) since no human being was present at the time of creation.
 Roger Patterson states, just as evolutionists weren’t there to see evolution happen over
several billion years, neither were creationists there to see the events of the six days of
creation.
 The difference is that creationists have the Creator’s eyewitness account of the
events of creation, while evolutionists must create a story to explain origins without
the supernatural (Evolution Exposed, pg. 27).
 The three major views concerning man’s origin
 1. Evolution
 Evolution is a theory based on naturalism and precludes any supernatural intervention
by God.
 It is the major modern scientific theory that depends on time and chance. It is based on
mutations and the “survival of the fittest.”
 2. Theistic Evolution
 Theistic Evolution is a theory based on naturalism and limited supernatural intervention
by God.
 It attempts to bridge the gulf between Evolution and Creationism by means of divine
sparks of life and divine jumps across species
 3. Creationism
 Creationism is a theory based on biblical revelation and the sole supernatural creation
of God.
 The Bible clearly states that God created man in His image from the dust of the ground
(Gen 1:27; 2:7).
 Creation scientists recognize that true science supports biblical revelation
 "What is Christian Anthropology?"
 Anthropology is the study of humanity. Christian Anthropology is the study of humanity
from a Christian / biblical perspective. It is primarily focused on the nature of humanity -
how the immaterial and material aspects of man relate to each other. Here are some
common questions in Christian Anthropology:
  What does it mean that man is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis
1:26-27)? The image of God refers to the immaterial part of man. It is that which sets man
apart from the animal world, fits him for the “dominion” God intended (Genesis 1:28), and
enables him to commune with his Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally, and socially.
 Do we have two or three parts? Are we body, soul, and spirit - or - body, soul-spirit?
Human beings were intended to have a relationship with God, and as such, God created
us with both material and immaterial aspects. The material aspects are obviously those
that are tangible and only exist as long as the person is alive. The immaterial aspects are
those which are intangible: soul, spirit, intellect, will, conscience, etc. These
characteristics exist beyond the physical lifespan of the individual.
 What is the difference between the soul and spirit? It is important to understand that
both refer to the immaterial part of man, but only the "spirit" refers to the man's walk with
God. The "soul" refers to man's walk in the world, both material and immaterial.

 Personalism
 Personalism is any philosophy that considers personality the supreme value and the key
to the measuring of reality.
 Personalists claim that the person is the key in the search for self-knowledge, for correct
insight into reality, and for the place of persons in it.
 Persons have unique value, and Only persons have free will.

Sambajon, M. V. (2008). Health care ethics. Quezon City: C & E Publishing

Internet encyclopedia of Philosophy
https://clinicalgate.com/2-ethics-bioethics-and-nursing-ethics-some-working-definitions/
https://bioethicsarchive.georgetown.edu/bioethicshowcase2015/what-is-bioethics/index.html
Stanley, J. M. (2005). Advance Practice Nursing: Emphasizing Common Roles.Philadelphia: Davis
Company
https://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/Tableof
Contents/Vol-23-2018/No1-Jan-2018/Ethics-Education-in-Nursing.html
https://clinicalgate.com/2-ethics-bioethics-and-nursing-ethics-some-working-definitions/

 Study Questions:
 Discuss any similarities or differences between Bioethics and Healthcare Ethics?
 Why do we need to study Bioethics and Health care ethics?
 Discuss the Origin of Man in terms of 3 Major Views?
 Discuss the Origin of Man in Christian Anthropology?