Ethics in Healthcare Research

Описание: Lecture on healthcare research ethics. Suitable for any healthcare professionals who are new to research.

Learn more about my work: http://jenniferjacksonrn.org/

Activity Scenarios:

Ethics in Randomised Controlled Trials
Key issues relate to the fairness of randomisation, and avoiding harm
Scenario:
A nurse is recruiting participants for a drug trial to treat an aggressive form of cancer. Half of that patients in the trial will receive the medication, and half will receive saline. The trial is double-blind, so neither the researcher nor the participants will know which solution the patient receives. One participant that you recruit is ecstatic to participate in the trial. “This new drug will save me!”, he says.

How does this relate to the concepts of:
• Beneficence
• Non-maleficence
• Autonomy
• Justice
What ethical issues are involved? What would you do?
 
Ethics in Interviews
Key issues relate to avoiding emotional harm, interviewer safety, and revelations of misconduct
Scenario:
A researcher is interviewing a nurse who works at a care home, to learn more about patients being transferred to the emergency department. The purpose of the study is to identify how to support nurses in care homes to try and decrease transfers (thus, improving patient care). In an interview, the researcher asks the nurse about a recent transfer, asking why the nurse called 999. The nurse responded, “Then the paramedics would come with an ECG machine, so we could find out if the patient’s heart is beating”.

How does this relate to the concepts of:
• Beneficence
• Non-maleficence
• Autonomy
• Justice
What ethical issues are involved? What would you do?
 
Ethics in Questionnaires
Key issues relate to appropriateness and burden
Scenario:
A researcher is collecting data relating to a large study about young people’s health. The researcher goes to a school, and administers a questionnaire to students. The participants are assigned a code, so that their names are not on the survey. The survey reveals that young people from one London borough have high rates of drug use, and many are involved in gang activity. It would be possible to identify who is participating in illegal activity, if the codes were matched to participant names.

How does this relate to the concepts of:
• Beneficence
• Non-maleficence
• Autonomy
• Justice
What ethical issues are involved? What would you do?
 
Ethics in Observational Studies
Key issues relate to consent, being a participant/non-participant observer, witnessing harm
Scenario:
A midwife is in the Democratic Republic of Congo, recruiting participants for a study of antenatal care. The purpose of the study is to learn about barriers to effective antenatal care, and design interventions to support women. The midwife will observe local people, and learn about current practices. The local contact in a village calls together all of the people, and speaks to them for several minutes in French. At the end, the contact turns to the midwife (who does not speak French), and says, “Everyone agrees to participate”.

How does this relate to the concepts of:
• Beneficence
• Non-maleficence
• Autonomy
• Justice
What ethical issues are involved? What would you do?