Course Coordinator:Naomi Howell (nhowell@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Nursing
Online |
Online | You can do this course without coming onto campus. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
The principles of law and ethics are applied by nurses & midwives in everyday practice. You will examine the Australian legal system and relevant statutory bodies in order to understand legislation affecting health policy and nursing & midwifery practice. Ethical principles guide the practice of health professionals and you will gain an understanding of ethical decision making frameworks relevant to nursing & midwifery. You will apply theoretical knowledge presented in the course to critically appraise contemporary legal and ethical issues in health care practice.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Online | |||
Online – Online asynchronous learning and teaching recording and self-directed learning. Students will be supported with Zoom drop-in sessions. | 3hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
200 Level (Developing)
12 units
Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia | |
1 | Identify, describe and apply aspects of the Australian legal system and statutory bodies to nursing and midwifery practice. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker |
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.4, 1.7, 2.1, 2.2, 3.7, 7.3 |
2 | Define and apply contemporary professional ethical standards to decision making and practice. |
Creative and critical thinker Ethical |
1.2, 1.4, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.7, 2.9, 3.7, 4.3, 6.5, 7.3 |
3 | Critically analyse health situations from an ethical and legal perspective |
Creative and critical thinker Ethical |
1.2, 1.4, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.7, 2.9, 3.7, 4.3, 6.5, 7.3 |
4 | Apply principles and practices of academic writing and referencing | Ethical | |
5 | Apply ethical use of intellectual property. | Ethical |
CODE | COMPETENCY |
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia | |
1.1 | The RN accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice |
1.2 | The midwife accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings, for safe, quality midwifery practice |
1.3 | The RN 1.3 respects all cultures and experiences, which includes responding to the role of family and community that underpin the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of other cultures |
1.4 | The midwife undertakes ongoing processes of reflection to ensure professional judgements acknowledge how personal culture impacts on practice |
1.5 | The RN uses ethical frameworks when making decisions |
1.7 | The midwife identifies and promotes the role of midwifery practice and the midwifery profession in influencing better health outcomes for women |
2.1 | The RN establishes, sustains and concludes relationships in a way that differentiates the boundaries between professional and personal relationships |
2.2 | The RN communicates effectively, and is respectful of a person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights |
2.3 | The RN recognises that people are the experts in the experience of their life |
2.5 | The RN advocates on behalf of people in a manner that respects the person’s autonomy and legal capacity |
2.7 | The RN actively fosters a culture of safety and learning that includes engaging with health professionals and others, to share knowledge and practice that supports person-centred care |
2.9 | The RN reports notifiable conduct of health professionals, health workers and others. |
3.7 | The RN identifies and promotes the integral role of nursing practice and the profession in influencing better health outcomes for people |
4.3 | The RN works in partnership to determine factors that affect, or potentially affect, the health and well being of people and populations to determine priorities for action and/or for referral |
6.5 | The RN practises in accordance with relevant nursing and health guidelines, standards, regulations and legislation |
7.3 | The midwife uses evaluation and reflection to inform future practice and professional development |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Enrolled in Program SC385, SC391, SC392, SC393, SC335
Not applicable
PAR222
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
One online quiz will be conducted early in the semester (week 4). The feedback from the online quiz is provided to students at the time of completion. The feedback will identify correct responses and identify where to find correct information for incorrect responses. This formative feedback will inform students about progress within the course and highlight the areas requiring additional support.
Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
All | 1 | Quiz/zes | Individual | 0% | 30 minutes |
Week 4 | Online Test (Quiz) |
All | 2 | Case Study | Individual | 50% | 2000 words |
Week 9 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 3 | Artefact - Creative, and Oral | Individual | 50% | 10 minutes of narrated powerpoint |
Week 13 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All - Assessment Task 1:Online Quiz | |
Goal: | The goal of this assessment is designed to help you develop an understanding about health law and ethics. |
Product: | Quiz/zes |
Format: | The quiz will include multiple choice questions. Further information about the online quiz assessment will be posted on the Canvas course site. |
Criteria: |
|
All - Assessment Task 2:Written assessment | |
Goal: | Nurses, midwives and other health professionals have legal and ethical responsibilities and accountabilities in practice. The goal of this assessment is to apply your understanding of ethical and legal principles and requirements to the roles and responsibilities. |
Product: | Case Study |
Format: | You will be required to develop a written assessment to set case studies. Your responses will draw on theory, legislation, professional codes and practice standards. You will also provide a reflection based on your experience. |
Criteria: |
|
All - Assessment Task 3:Narrated PowerPoint | |
Goal: | Nurses, midwives and health professionals are required to communicate through a wide range of mediums to a diverse audience. The goal of this task is to apply your knowledge and understanding of legal and ethical principles in assessing and presenting a case study to an audience. |
Product: | Artefact - Creative, and Oral |
Format: | You will prepare a narrated PowerPoint presentation. The presentation will be 10 minutes long and using dot points, will address legal and ethical principles related to a provided case study. You will be required to produce and deliver the presentation along with 10 dot points in the note section. You will be provided with the PowerPoint template. The PowerPoint presentation needs to consider and draw on sources of relevant legislation, professional codes, practice standards and ethical theory. You need to discuss the application of principles to clinical practice and make conclusions based on your analysis of the case. |
Criteria: |
|
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.
Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
Required | Fiona McDonald,Shih-Ning Then | 2019 | Ethics, Law and Health Care | 2 | Red Globe Press |
Must have access to a computer and internet as this is an online course.
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.
The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.
For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.
If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.
Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.
Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.