I would like to design something relating to Ethics, particularly confidentiality and workplace Ethics. Some of my students are entering the workplace for the first time to complete their fourth year internship so I think it would be of value to introduce them to this module at the start of the internship. Currently there is no such course and is a perceived lack in the learning of the students.
Ethics can be a very blah topic and they have been exposed to it at university level (mostly laws and acts governing our profession) so I am not going to reinvent the wheel but rather focus more on expected behaviours and conduct required from them in the workplace. The intended online course will focus mostly on equipping participants on how to apply the principles of confidentiality and workplace ethics in the working environment.
The key objectives that I would like to focus on during the online course will be:
- Confidentiality in the workplace
- Patient Confidentiality
- Confidentiality and the responsible use of Information Technology in the workplace
- Workplace Ethics
I would like to format the course so it can be it as interactive as possible by using activities and case studies and also provide them with a platform to share their thoughts, much like this medium or a discussion forum and perhaps a self-evaluation quiz to ascertain their own level of behaviour in the workplace.
Of course, as the literature shows, designing a course takes a lot of consideration and there are other stakeholders to also consider in the process but I think that an online course like this will add value to their learning and equip them sufficiently for their introduction into the workplace.
Will this be achievable? I sure am going to try my level best! Watch this space...
This is exciting! You are definitely a woman on a mission.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but wonder how or why ethics is not covered somewhere in the curriculum? I assume your students are exposed to ethics courses which relate to treatment of patients. I would consider asking students (in the analysis) and confirming with a brief desktop review of the curriculum where and how ethics is taught in their programme. This is definitely a tedious and potentially large investigation that could be done, but for the purpose of this module, a potential gold mine for the development and implementation phase.
You will also need to consider the type of platform you will use. Michael Rowe (UWC) created a wiki for physiotherapists (students and clinicians) on ethics and has published on this. Perhaps this could help.
Thanks Lianne, I will look into the works of Michael Rowe to see how to go about developing the course. Ethics is part of the curriculum and they were exposed to it during their time at varsity but this will be a slight variation to what they were taught at varsity. I would want to make it more employer specific with emphasis on the ethical do's and do not's in the workplace. We have experienced that learning something in theory and applying it in practice are two sometimes two totally different things for the students.
ReplyDeleteThey are familiar with the various acts, they know what is required of them from the profession and all the legalities that involve ethics. This is also taught in their first year and they come to us in their fourth year so most of them have misplaced first year knowledge with more recent knowledge. My intention is to have it as a combination of a "refresher" of ethics (with specific reference to application thereof in the workplace) and professional conduct in the workplace especially since they will now be exposed to sensitive patient information.
Hope this makes sense?
Hi Liezel, I think thats an exciting project to embark on. As you say students seem to have hard time understanding the concept of confidentiality in the work place more so when some moments are captured using the gargets for learning purposes. More often they seem to think of patients as cases for learning and discussion forgetting the do's and don'ts when one's case study involve a real human being. I therefore believe this would creat much of awareness for them and in the process develop skills in dealing with ethical issues.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ratu. Yes, this is indeed the aim.
ReplyDelete