1. Ashford HCA322 Entire Course (Health Care
Ethics and Medical Law)
PLEASE DOWNLOAD HERE
Diversity and Ethical Decision Making. View the American College of
Healthcare Executives (A.C.H.E.) website. Using the Diversity Resources and
Ethics Resources links available in the left-hand navigation panel of the site,
explore the relationship between cultural diversity and the process for ethical
decision making. What are the most important factors in producing ethical
decisions? Why? Your initial post must be a minimum of 250-300 words.
Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts.
Autonomy, Fidelity, and Confidentiality. Define the principles of autonomy,
fidelity, and confidentiality. How do these terms support ethical and moral medical
practices? Do these concepts create any barriers to ethical principles? Why or
why not? Your initial post must be a minimum of 250-300 words. Respond to at
least two of your classmates’ posts.
Euthanasia Laws. In most states, physician-assisted suicide (euthanasia) is a
felony crime, punishable by imprisonment. Locate and watch the “A Good Death:
Case Studies in End-of-Life Care” video in the Ashford University Library Films
On Demand database. Discuss the ethical aspects of these laws, focusing
particularly on the medical staff’s relationship with the patient and their ability to
act on behalf of the patient’s best interests. Also, discuss the legal rights of
patients as well as those of their family and friends, as they make difficult and
emotional end-of-life decisions. Your initial post must be a minimum of 250-300
words.
Health Care Ethics Committees. Describe, in your opinion, the three best and
the three worst attributes of Health Care Ethics Committees. Include a thorough
explanation of your reasoning. Do you agree that the expanding use and power of
ethics committees help to foster and ensure that ethical standards are upheld in
the medical profession? Why or why not? Your initial post must be a minimum of
250-300 words. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts.
Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide Debate. Review the Euthanasia ProCon.org
website. On the top right of the home screen, click on the orange buttons and
read the “Core Question” and the “Top Ten Pros and Cons.”
Write a four to five page paper (excluding title and reference pages) that
discusses your position regarding euthanasia. Address the following:

2. 1. Define euthanasia and identify the difference between the types of euthanasia
(passive/active euthanasia)
2. Discuss your beliefs regarding euthanasia. Are there any circumstances when
you feel it is justified? Explain your answer.
3. Define and describe the special populations as presented on the Pro/Con web
site, and how each population might be adversely affected by euthanasia.
Discuss your beliefs regarding euthanasia and these special populations.
4. Identify and describe the law(s) concerning physician assisted suicide in the
state you reside or the state you consider your “home state.” Compare and
contrast laws in your home state against either Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act or
another state of your choice.
Your paper must be formatted according to APA guidelines as outlined in the
Ashford Writing Center. Include at least three to five scholarly and/or peer-
reviewed sources (one may be your textbook) that were published within the past
five years and are cited according to APA format.
Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986. Describe the background to and
the main purpose of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986. Review
the case study “Failure to Meet Ethical Standards” from Chapter 7 of your course
text. Respond to the two questions listed after the case study. Utilize at least two
scholarly and/or peer-reviewed sources that were published within the past five
years and are cited according to APA guidelines as outlined in the Ashford
Writing Center to support your response. Your initial post must be a minimum of
250-300 words. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts.
Respondeat Superior. Provide an overview of the respondeat superior legal
doctrine and explain its significance in the health care industry. Additionally,
explain at least two defenses to this legal doctrine. Your initial post must be a
minimum of 250-300 words. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts.
Types of Law. Write a four to five page paper (excluding title and reference
pages) that explains which types of law detailed in Chapter 6 of your course text
most directly impact health care professionals. Include an analysis of how the law
and ethical decisions work together, or do not, and identify how the law has
impacted health care professionals.
Your paper must be formatted according to APA guidelines as outlined in the
Ashford Writing Center. Include at least three to five scholarly and/or peer-
reviewed sources (one may be your textbook) that were published within the past
five years and are cited according to APA format
Ethical Principles. Codes of conduct are standards that outline how individuals
or groups of people are to act. The health care/medical community has their own

3. code of conduct, which is outlined in the American Medical Association’s Code of
Medical Ethics. This code is rooted in the four ethical principles of autonomy,
justice, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. Using the definitions of these terms
from Chapter 1 of your course text as well as your own scholarly research,
explain these four principles and analyze how they are reflected in the Code of
Medical Ethics. Your initial post must be a minimum of 250-300 words. Respond
to at least two of your classmates’ posts.
Issues for Health Care Professionals. For this assignment, you are to
summarize the unique ethical and legal issues that a health care professional
may face in his or her career. You may choose any of the professional positions
listed in Chapter 9 of your course text, or you may choose another occupation
with the prior consent of your instructor. Include an overview of the laws that bind
the professional, a discussion of the common ethical issues faced by the
profession you chose, and a summary of the legal requirements or ethical
conflicts that have affected this health care professional.
Your paper must be four to five pages (excluding title and reference pages) and
formatted according to APA guidelines as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Include at least three to five scholarly and/or peer-reviewed sources (one may be
your textbook) that were published within the past five years and are cited
according to APA format.
Consent. Summarize informed consent and implied consent with regard to
patients. Analyze the differences between the two. What are the best ways to
prove consent? Your initial post must be a minimum of 250-300 words. Respond
to at least two of your classmates’ posts.
Patient’s Rights. Chapter 14 of your text provides an overview of a number of
different patient’s rights. Which do you think are the three most important? Why?
How do patient rights affect how health care workers interact with patients? Use
at least one scholarly source that was published within the past five years, in
addition to the textbook, to substantiate your post. Sources must be cited
according to APA format as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Respond to at
least two of your classmates’ posts.
Focus of the Final Paper
Much of your coursework regarding moral questions and moral theory may seem
abstract. This broad overview is necessary to have a complete understanding of
the subject. Your Final Paper must be eight to ten pages (excluding title and
references pages) and should synthesize moral theory and ethical considerations
with their application to a real-world setting/circumstance.
Select a topic for your Final Paper from the following:
1. Do not resuscitate requests/issues (DNR)

4. 2. Surrogacy
3. Wrongfulconception
4. Organdonation
5. Stemcellresearch
6. Informedconsent
7. Assistedsuicide
8. Practices specific to diverse cultural contexts
9. Your own topic, with instructor approval
Your Final Paper must include the following regarding your chosen topic:
1. Identify a legal/ethical issue or dilemma within your topic.
2. Provide the history of the issue or dilemma.
3. Present current resources to address the issue or dilemma.
4. Evaluate alternative or better solutions for the issue or dilemma addressed.
5. Analyze the potential effects of this issue and predict how they may be
addressed in the future.
Additionally, you must address at least three of the course learning outcomes as
they apply to your selected topic. For example, you could address the Patient’s
Bill of Rights as it pertains to a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. Or, you could
discuss the elements of autonomy, fidelity, and confidentiality as they are
incorporated in the ethics of organ donation. The three outcomes you select must
be explained in relation to your selected topic.
The course learning outcomes are as follows:
1. Analyze the evolution and application of moral theory and ethical principles in
health care.
2. Discuss the elements of autonomy, fidelity and confidentiality. 3. Explain the
legal rights of individuals as they interact with health care services.
4. Explain the process, including cultural diversity, for ethical decision making.
5. Analyze the monitoring systems that ensure human rights, legal aspects, and
quality health care.

5. 6. Discuss the implications of the Patient’s Bill of Rights.
7. Analyze selected ethical and legal case studies that have promulgated
precedent-setting decisions.
You must utilize at least eight to ten scholarly and/or peer-reviewed sources that
were published within the past five years (not including the textbook). You may
also supplement your paper with interviews of agency personnel, comparisons of
similar governmental agencies in varying communities or service populations,
updates on current legislative initiatives in the area, and ethical analyses of the
issues and services involved with the current situation(s) analyzed.