The teaching of nursing ethics and problem-based learning

Abstract

21世纪的高等教育改革,着重培养学生的批判性思维能力和国际视野。日新月异的医疗及生物科技,为人类健康带来无限希望的同时,也引发了对于生命伦理的争议。专业医护人员要面对应否使用和如何使用生物科技来提供医疗服务的伦理决策。在科技发达国家,如美国、日本等国把培养伦理思辨能力作为医护课程必修的一门学科。本文论述如何在护理本科伦理的教学中应用问题为导向学习(Problembasedlearning,PBL)。分别介绍了PBL的特点,护理伦理学的PBL课程设计,以及如何通过PBL活动开拓学生的国际视野及培养他们的伦理判断能力。 In line with the international professional community,reform in nursing education today targets at creating an educational environment which can empower students to become both caring practitioners and critical thinker.This is being accomplished by employing problem-based learning (PBL) as a pedagogical philosophy and strategy.This paper expounds how PBL is applied to the teaching of nursing ethics in a baccalaureate nursing program in Hong Kong.The paper comprises three parts.First is an outline of the characteristics of PBL,second is to describe the way in which the nursing ethics course is constructed using the PBL process.The third part is to explain how to orchestrate PBL learning activities illustrated by a problem case scenario.The paper concludes that PBL is the preferred method to develop students’ competence in ethical thinking and to acquire an international outlook for an analysis of issues of nursing concerns.