•Using the Curriculum Framework from the Center for Interprofessional
Practice and Education (CIPE) at Washington University Medical
Campus, nursing and pharmacy faculty collaborated to create a new
learning activity. This activity includes objectives to increase exposure
to ethical dilemmas, particularly when more than one profession plays
a role.
•Accrediting bodies emphasize interprofessional education for both
schools. This activity exposed students to difficult conversations and
real-life examples that affect patient safety.
•Purpose: To increase awareness of ethical principles in decision
making processes.
•Activity Objectives:
•1) Analyze gaps and overlap between the nursing and pharmacy scope
of practices and code of ethics;
•2) Identify approaches to address ethical dilemmas;
•3) Both as an individual and as a team, describe possible
resolutions to ethical dilemmas.
(1) St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP), (2) Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College (GSON)
•Faculty coordinators in different courses at each of their professional
schools collaborated to brainstorm how to increase exposure to
ethical dilemmas and how to incorporate medical ethics decision
making into patient care scenarios.
•Due to the expertise areas of the course coordinators, special
population groups were the target for the ethical scenarios and
pediatrics was chosen.
•Students received class credit for participation in the activity.
•Pilot dates were established to determine how this activity would be
designed and implemented into the curriculum.
•Students were provided with pre-activity reading materials to refresh
baseline medical ethical principle knowledge to help augment the in-
class activity.
•Students from both schools were randomly assigned to team tables
(up to 6 students total) so an even number of students were
represented.
•A Kahoot! quiz was administered at the beginning to determine
baseline knowledge.
•An activity worksheet was provided to each student and faculty
facilitators led the students through various pediatric ethical dilemmas
and discussion that was mostly student driven.
•A post-assessment was completed by each student to gather feedback
on the activity for quality improvement and expansion.
References:
1. Butts, J.B. & Rich, K.L. (2013). Nursing ethics across the curriculum and
into practice. Burlington, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Learning.
2. Guido, G. W. (2000). Legal and ethical issues in nursing. New York City,
NY: Pearson.
Special thanks to additional faculty facilitator:
Deirdre Schweiss, DNP, RN, CPNP - Goldfarb School of Nursing
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
•A total of 122 second professional year pharmacy and second year
baccalaureate nursing students combined have participated in this
activity over three different dates in Fall 2018
•This activity was initially a pilot activity that was revised for quality
improvement and future expansion within the CIPE curriculum.
•Areas of strength of the activity:
•Learned about each other’s roles in practice
•Increased awareness of utilizing the Code of Ethics with
clinical cases, and how to differentiate morals versus ethics
•Allowed interprofessional collaboration and team
discussion to improve patient outcomes
•Areas of improvement of the activity:
•Allow for more time for teams to discuss the ethical case
decision-making process
•Revise the cases to make more ethically controversial
•The faculty coordinators created a document, the Ethical Dilemma
Documentation Tool, to help students outline the decision-making
process using ethical principles and case information to identify and
resolve the ethical problem.
Table 1. Student Evaluation Responses Post-Activity
List of Kahoot! Survey Questions
1. Which ethical principle is Latin for self rule?
2. Which ethical principle means to do no harm?
3. Which ethical principle means the health professional wants to
do good for the patient?
4. Treating people equally and fairly is an example of which
ethical principle?
5. All healthcare professionals have some amount of bias. True or
False?
6. Telling the truth is an example of which ethical principle?
Kahoot! Code of Ethics
Comparison Asthma Case &
Debrief Teen Pregnancy
Case & Debrief
