ST.

MARY’S COLLEGE
Tagum City

Syllabus in
Bioethics

Prepared by:

MERRY MAY S. SAMBAS, PTRP, RN

Faculty
Nursing Program
COURSE TITLE: Bioethics

NUMBER OF UNITS: Theory – 3 units

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course deals on the basic concepts and principles of bioethics. This is a one semester course that consist of
three units lecture/ discussion.

COURSE OBJECTIVE:
At the end of the semester, the students are expected to:

1. develop and understand the important concepts and principles of Bioethics

2. to know basic principles used in the analysis of moral dilemmas and show how these principle function in the
health care delivery
3. be sensitive on ethical consideration and issues in patient care, community work and public issues
Course Content: Bioethics
CONCEPT CONCEPT
I. Introduction to Bioethics 8. duty of non-maleficence
a. Importance of bioethics
b. Definition of terms IV. The Calling of the Health Care Provider
1. ethics a. The health Care Profession
2. biology b. The client
3. bioethics c. The Health Care Provider
4. health ethics d. Health Care Provider-Client relationship
5. professional ethics
c. History of Ethics V. Qualities and Responsibilities of a Good Health
Care Provider to the Client, Society and Its
II. The Human Person Profession
1. the personhood
2. human acts and acts of human VI. Virtues, Vices and Habit of a Health Care Provider
a. knowledge a. Virtues of Health Care Provider
b. freedom 1. fidelity
c. conscience 2. honesty
3. integrity
III. Types of Ethical Thoughts 4. humility
a. Kantian 5. respect
b. Rawl’s Ethics 6. compassion
c. St. Thomas Aquinas 7. prudence
d. Ross Ethics 8. courage
1. Actual/prima-facie duty b. vices of health care provider
2. duty of fidelity 1. fraud
3. duty of reparation 2. pride
4. duty of gratitude 3. greed
5. duty of justice
6. duty of beneficence
7. duty of improvement
 CONCEPT CONCEPT
VII. Basic Ethical Principles
a. Stewardship
b. Totality
c. Double effect
d. Cooperation
e. Solidarity

VIII. Major Bioethical Principles

a. respect for person and justice
b. non-maleficence
c. beneficence

IX. Application of Bioethical Principles to the Care of

the Sick
a. functions of Informed Consent
b. Rights of a Patient
c. Prevalence of Bioethical Issues
1. abortion
2. euthanasia
3. determination of death
4. biological and Clinical Death
5. In-Vitro fertilization
6. stem cell technology
 At the end of the week the students are expected to:
1. Recognize the need to study bioethics
Week 1 Objectives 2. Define ethics, biology, bioethics, health ethics and
professional ethics
I. Introduction to Bioethics 3. Appreciate the history of bioethics
a. Importance of bioethics
b. Definition of terms Strategies Lecture, discussion
i. ethics
ii. biology Value Focus Pro- people
iii. bioethics
iv. health ethics Related Values Respect
v. professional ethics
c. History of Ethics
Evaluation/Application 1. Give one situation where in ethics could be applied.
2. Explain the importance of bioethics as a course in
nursing.

Objectives At the end of the week the students are expected to:
Weeks 2 and 3 1. Describe the characteristics of a person
2. Differentiate act of human from human acts
II. The Human Person 3. Define knowledge, freedom and conscience
i. the personhood 4. Enumerate and describe the different types of
ii. human acts and acts of conscience
human 5. Relate knowledge, freedom and conscience as a
1. knowledge characteristic of a person
2. freedom
3. conscience Strategies Lecture, discussion, role playing, journal writing

Value Focus Catalyst for change

Related Values Respect

Evaluation/Application 1. What is the role of the knowledge, freedom and

conscience to a person?
 At the end of the week the students are expected to:
1. Describe the concepts of Kant, Rawl, St.
Week 4 and 5 Objectives Thomas Aquinas and Ross on ethics.
2. Compare the concepts of Kant, Rawl, St.
III. Types of Ethical Thoughts Thomas Aquinas and Ross on ethics.
a. Kantian 3. Explain the different duties as enumerated
b. Rawl’s Ethics by Ross
c. St. Thomas Aquinas
d. Ross Ethics Strategies Lecture, discussion, group dynamics
i. Actual/prima-facie duty
ii. duty of fidelity Value Focus Pro- people
iii. duty of reparation
iv. duty of gratitude Related Values Fidelity, fairness, humility
v. duty of justice
vi. duty of beneficence
Evaluation/Application 1. Give one situation where the types of ethical
vii. duty of improvement
viii. duty of non maleficence thoughts discussed could be applied.
2. Explain the importance of learning these ethical
thoughts in nursing.
 Week 6 Objectives At the end of the week the students are expected to:
1. appreciate the health care profession as a vocation
IV. The Calling of the Health Care Provider 2. describe the stages of a health care provider-client
a. The health Care Profession relationship
b. The client
c. The Health Care Provider
d. Health Care Provider-Client Strategies Role playing, journal writing, group dynamics
relationship
Value Focus Pro people

Related Values Respect, patient advocate, fairness

Evaluation/Application 1. What do you think will be the influence of nursing in

your life?
2. What is the effect of knowing the health care
provider-client relationship to you as a nurse?

At the end of the week the students are expected to:

1. describe the qualities of a good health care
Objectives provider to the client , society and its
Week 7 profession
2. enumerate the responsibilities of a health
care provider to the client, society and its
V. Qualities and Responsibilities of a
profession
Good Health Care Provider to the
Client, Society and Its Profession
Strategies Lecture, discussion, group dynamics

Value Focus Pro- people

Related Values Diligence, fidelity, integrity

Evaluation/Application 1. Relate your qualities to the qualities and

responsibilities of a good health care provider. Is
there any similarities or differences?
 Week 8 Objectives At the end of the week the students are expected to:
VI. Virtues, Vices and Habit of a Health 1. define the different virtues of the health care
Care Provider provider
a. Virtues of Health Care Provider 2. define the different vices of health care provider
1. fidelity 3. practice the different virtues of a health care
2. honesty provider
3. integrity
4. humility Strategies Group dynamics, film showing
5. respect
6. compassion Value Focus Pro people
7. prudence
8. courage Related Values Fidelity, honesty, humility, compassion respect
b. vices of health care provider
1. fraud Evaluation/Application 1. How could the virtues help you become a good nurse
2. pride 2. How could the vices hinder you from becoming a
3. greed good nurse?

At the end of the week the students are expected to:

1. describe the principle of stewardship, totality, double
Objectives effect, cooperation, and solidarity
Week 9 and 10 2. enumerate the condition necessary for double effect
application
VII. Basic Ethical Principles 3. apply basic ethical principles in health care setting
a. Stewardship
b. Totality Strategies Lecture, discussion, group dynamics, case analysis
c. Double effect
d. Cooperation Value Focus Pro- life
e. Solidarity
Related Values Respect, cooperation and dignity of life

Evaluation/Application 1. Explain the conditions that must be met in order to

apply the principle of double effect.
2. Can a health care provider be guilty of an unethical
act if a member of a team also committed such act?
 Week 11 and 12 Objectives At the end of the week the students are expected to:
1. Describe justice, beneficence and non-maleficence
VIII. Major Bioethical Principles 2. Apply major bioethical principles in health care
a. respect for person and justice 3. Enumerate principles on how equality could be
b. non-maleficence based
c. beneficence
Strategies Lecture, discussion, case analysis

Value Focus Pro people

Related Values Respect, justice and dignity of life

Evaluation/Application 1. How is justice applied in the distribution of

burden/benefit in health care?
2. What are the differences and similarities of
beneficence and non-maleficence?
 Objectives At the end of the week the students are expected to:
Week 13 and 14 1. enumerate the components of an informed
consent
IX. Application of Bioethical Principles to the 2. enumerate the rights of a patient
Care of the Sick 3. analyze and discuss different bioethical
a. functions of Informed Consent issues
b. Rights of a Patient 4. relate the importance of bioethics to
c. Prevalence of Bioethical Issues different bioethical issues
1. abortion
2. euthanasia Strategies Lecture, discussion, group dynamics, case analysis
3. determination of death
4. biological and Clinical Value Focus Pro- people, pro-life
Death
5. In-Vitro fertilization Related Values Respect and dignity of life, patient advocate
6. stem cell technology
Evaluation/Application 1. What is your stand in the different bioethical issues?
2. How could bioethics affect a health care provider’s
stand in the different bioethical issues?