Ethical and legal aspects of the nursing profession

The goals to be achieved include providing future nurses with the necessary knowledge to discharge their duties in a legal and ethical manner. After completing this course they will be aware of the legal and ethical limits of the profession and the rights of patients. They will be able to identify and discuss critically, within the framework of their professional practice, those situations which are clearly defined by the law, and others where their actions may be governed from an ethical perspective. They will be provided with the basic terminology necessary for the understanding of legal issues related to their profession as well as ethical aspects of nursing care.

MODULE 1.- BASIC CONCEPTS OF LAW, DEONTOLOGY, ETHICS AND MORALITY.
- Concept and characteristics of ethics, morals, deontology and law.
- Principles of bioethics. Declarations of ethical principles.
- Bioethical dilemmas. Ethics committees.

MODULE 2.- CODE OF DEONTOLOGICAL AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE. CLINICAL HISTORY, RIGHT TO INFORMATION. INFORMED CONSENT.
- Professional ethics and Deontology. Nursing Code of Ethics.
- Human Rights and Fundamental Rights. Rights and duties of patients
- Professional intrusism
- Information. Decision autonomy. Informed consent: concept and regulation.

MODULE 3.- SECRET, INTRUSISM AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
- Confidentiality and professional secrecy.
- The Clinical History.
- Responsibility of the health professional
- Crimes of homicide and injuries. Mistreatment
- Crimes against sexual freedom

MODULE 4.- BEGINNING AND END OF LIFE PROBLEMS. INTERRUPTION OF PREGNANCY. ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION. BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. DNA BASES AND GENETIC ANALYSIS.
- End of life problems. Euthanasia.
- Demographic policies; Voluntary termination of pregnancy; Assisted reproduction;
- Organ transplant.
- Biomedical research: ethics and legislation. Research with humans and animals.
- Genetic studies. DNA databases. Genetic manipulation.

Bibliography:
- Ética y Legislación. Medina Castellano, C.D. Ediciones DAE (Difusión Avances de Enfermería),2009. Madrid.
- Bioética y Derecho. Blázquez Ruíz, FJ. Ediciones Eunate, 2014
- Ética y Deontología Médica. López Martín, S. Ediciones Marbán.2011.
- Bioética, Derecho y Sociedad. Casado, M y otros. Editorial Trotta. 2015
- Normativa Sanitaria Galega. 2ª edición. Consellería de Sanidade. Xunta de Galicia.
- Principios de ética biomédica. Beauchamp TL, Childress JF. Masson, Barcelona, 2002.
- Medicina Legal y Toxicológica. Gisbert Calabuig.7ª ed. Elsevier SA. Barcelona 2018
- Ethical and regulatory aspects of clinical research: Readings and commentary. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 2003
- Bermejo F, Sanjuanbenito L. Ética y atención primaria. Agencia Laín Entralgo. Madrid. 2006.
- Borrell i Carrió F. Práctica clínica centrada en el paciente. Triacastela. Madrid. 2011
- Feito Grande, L. Ética y Enfermería. San Pablo/Univ. Pontificia de Comillas. Madrid, 2009
- Davis, Tschudin, de Raeve. Ética en Enfermería. Triacastela. Madrid, 2009
- Gascón Abellán y cols. Derecho Sanitario y Bioética. Ed. Tirant Lo Blanc. Madrid. 2011
- Gracia D., Júdez. J. Ética en la práctica clínica. Triacastela, Madrid. 2004

Legal norms, agreements or “declarations” that must be consulted in their consolidated (updated) version:
- Código Penal. Ley Orgánica 10/1995, de 23 de noviembre.
- Código Civil.
- Ley 14/1986, de 14 de abril, general de sanidad.
- Ley 41/2002, de 14 de noviembre, básica reguladora de la autonomía del paciente y de derechos y obligaciones en materia de información y documentación clínica
- Ley Orgánica 3/2008 de 5 de diciembre de protección de datos personales y garantía de los derechos digitales.
- Ley 14/2007, de 3 de julio de investigación biomédica.
- Ley 20/2011, de 21 de julio del Registro Civil.
- Ley Orgánica 2/2010, de 3 de marzo de salud sexual y reproductiva.
- Ley Orgánica 3/2021, de regulación de la eutanasia.
- Ley 14/2006 de 26 de mayo sobre técnicas de reproducción humana asistida.
- Ley 8/2008, de 10 de julio, de salud de Galicia.
- Ley de Galicia 3/2001, de 28 de mayo, reguladora del consentimiento informado y de la historia clínica.
- Ley de Galicia 5/2015, de 26 de junio de derechos y garantidas de la dignidad de las personas enfermas terminales.
- Decreto 29/2009, de 5 de febrero, de uso y acceso a la historia clínica electrónica.
- Ley 16/2003, de 28 de mayo de cohesión y calidad del Sistema Nacional de Salud.
- Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2015, por la que se aprueba el texto refundido de garantías y uso racional del medicamento.
- Ley 55/2003, de 16 de diciembre, del estatuto marco del personal estatutario de los servicios de salud.
- Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos de 1948.
- Declaración sobre Bioética y Derechos Humanos de la Unesco.
- Convenio Consejo de Europa para la protección de los Derechos Humanos y la dignidad del ser humano respecto a las aplicaciones de la biología y la medicina (Convenio de Oviedo 1997)
- Declaración de Helsinki de la Asamblea Médica Mundial.
- Código Deontológico de la Enfermería Española.
- Convenio Internacional sobre la Diversidad Biológica.
- Declaración Universal sobre el Genoma Humano.
- Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 27 de abril de 2016, relativo a la protección de las personas físicas en lo que respecta al tratamiento de datos personales y a la libre circulación de estos datos y por el que se deroga la Directiva 95

- That students know how to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and possess the skills that are usually demonstrated through the elaboration and defense of arguments and the resolution of problems within their area of ​​study;
- That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (normally within their area of ​​study) to make judgments that include reflection on relevant issues of a social, scientific or ethical nature;
- That students can transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to both a specialized and non-specialized audience.
- Be able, in the field of nursing, to provide technical and professional health care appropriate to the health needs of the people they care for, in accordance with the state of development of scientific knowledge at each moment and with the levels of quality and safety established in the applicable legal and deontological standards.
- Promote and respect the right of participation, information, autonomy and informed consent in the decision-making of the people served, in accordance with the way in which they live their health-disease process.
- Know the ethical and deontological code of Spanish nursing, understanding the ethical implications of health in a changing global context.
- Teamwork capacity.
- Motivation.
- Ethical commitment.
- Capacity to solve problems.
- Basic knowledge of the profession.
- Capacity for analysis and synthesis.
- Capacity for decision-making.
- Interpersonal skills.
- Appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism.
-Know the applicable legislation and the ethical and deontological code of Spanish nursing, inspired by the European code of nursing ethics and deontology. Provide care, guaranteeing the right to dignity, privacy, intimacy, confidentiality and decision-making capacity of the patient and family. Individualize care considering age, gender, cultural differences, ethnic group, beliefs and values

-Traditional lectures: The fundamental concepts of each topic will be presented and the sources of knowledge for the proper study of these will be identified.

Interactive classes and Seminars: Work or practical cases will be carried out in which the aim will be to encourage the reflective search by the students of the different aspects under study, as well as their positioning regarding the practical application of the knowledge acquired. Problem-based case studies will be conducted, encouraging reflection and discussion.

Individual tutorials: For individual monitoring and resolution of doubts.

Evaluation system:

- Final Exam: Carries a weighted value of 70%-80% of the final grade (derived from lectures and seminars).

- Active participation in class and seminars (20%-30% of the grade): Marks are awarded for informed contributions, as well as a controlled following of the compulsory activities proposed in the Seminar sessions and in the pressential lecutres.

To pass it is required to reach 50% of the exam mark and achieve a total score of 5 out of 10.


Students who have not completed the continuous evaluation (active participation) can also do the final exam, but they need to get a 5 out of 8 on the final objective exam to pass and the maximum grade they can reach is an 8.

In the event that the student does not perform the final exam, their qualification will be NOT PRESENTED.

An additional exam may be done to award the Honor grade.

Expository teaching 26 h
Interactiv classes/Seminars 10 h
Tutoring, exam 3.5 h
Personal work: 73 h

Difficulties arise primarily from the language used in legal matters, which may be completely novel and different..
Students should work from notes taken in classes and seminars and find relationships with other subjects.
It is highly recommended to analyze situations that are experienced in hospital practices using the knowledge acquired during the course to observe from a different perspective to that of health care.