During my nursing studies, when the previous BON members were still in place, it seemed that there was a need to put some sense of priority into our Bioethics subject, knowing that at least one of the Board members was a proponent of Bioethics. After studying the principles and concepts, we practiced answering past board questions on bioethics whose answers I still couldn’t figure out especially its rationale.

Questions like these were asked of us from the June 2006 NLE:

Which is the most common problem experienced by a nurse abroad?
A. Adjustment
B. Weather
C. Language
D. Nutrition
The question asks for an opinion and does not measure competence.

The same is true with:
Many nurses are now leaving the country to work abroad. Aside from money, what would be the other primary reason of nurses leaving for abroad?
A. Educational opportunity for their children
B. Immigrant visa
C. Citizenship
D. Health care benefits

A person is peeping over the neighbor's house window of the neighbor. What crime would it constitute?
A. Harassment
B. Abuse
C. Indecency
D. Assault
Maybe this question ought to be asked in a criminal law examination not nursing.

In 2005 Nursing Licensure Exam the following questions were asked:

An old woman while walking down the street, stepped in a banana peel and fell. What is the best initial response of the nurse who witnessed the incident?

A. Assess the woman
B. Pick up the banana peel
C. Call for help.

Purportedly the answer is picking up the banana peel. Again, an opinionated question


A nurse is on a vehicle, sees a mental patient about to jump from a bridge. What would the RN do?

A. Step down on a vehicle
B. Call for help
C. Pray
The answer accordingly is B Pray but this is not a theology class.

During and after the exams, no one knew exactly for sure if the answers they chose for these were actually correct unless the examinee can probably perfectly emulate and masterly personify how a nun would think or react, something I never learned to do. So I said to myself maybe choose an answer that would be based on being trustworthy and sincere from the patient’s point of view. I thought the key to answering these was Sincerity. And once you’ve learned to Fake that, there’ll be no stopping you.

We also had the feeling then that the BON was doing some kind of morality profiling on us.

But we can only wonder and look at the irony of them doing a morality profiling on us when two of its own members' morality and ethics are in question.

Imagine every examinee’s disgust and cynicism after knowing that the board did some sort of morality profiling on us when at least 2 of its members:

-neglect of duty, morality and ethics are now in doubt while we were taught not to be negligent, live out or apply morality, and at the same time absorb all their principles of bioethics;

-had compromised our exam's credibility and at the same time cast an image of doubt or suspicion on those who made passed;

-had somehow jeopardized the possibility of the NCLEX coming in here that will translate to additional expenses for everyone;

-may have divided, brought shame and tarnished the whole Philippine nursing profession both here and overseas;

and

-have placed those who passed in a state of ambiguity.

Admittedly, Bioethics must be enhanced in the nursing curriculum in order to avoid unfortunate incidents such as the canister video incident on you tube by a nursing student. A similar incident such as this also happened in a Stockholm hospital when a nurse posted photos of surgeries on Facebook.

But will board exams be a tool or will there ever be a tool to determine whether a nurse that learned Bioethics practices it or is ever ethical?

P.S. While doing some research in the UERM library a month or two ago, i was caught in amazement when I found a book entitled “Nursing Law, Jurisprudence and Ethics”. The authors were Gonzalo Robles and ANESIA B. DIONISIO. Need I say more?


References:


Nurse posts surgery photos on Facebook, may lose job. Retrieved August 17, 2008
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/112993/Nurse-posts-surgery-photos-on-Facebook-may-lose-job

Privelege Speech Of Congresman Libanan In Response To The 2006 Nursing Licensure Exam Leakage (A Must Read). Retrieved August 17, 2008
http://pinoybsn.blogspot.com/2006/08/privilege-speech-of-congressman.html

Josh wrote:

The struggke we have is that, we integrate ethical values in our instructional material or course syllabus, but some learners maybe confused because teachers or people they look up to and expected to practice what they preach are the primary violator-no difference with politicians, how can our learners then practice what we preach to them? Another speculation. Divinia Joy Tuzon wrote: It is true that ethical issues are difficult to address especially if culture is to be considered. It all leads us back to our first discussion forum stressing the importance of self-awareness of the educators. Educators need to recognize and emphasize the essential moral elements already present throughout the curriculum especially through the literature they read, the topics they discuss, the pedagogy they implement, the behaviors they model and reinforce, the relationships they develop, and the virtues they practice everyday. This is why preparing and training students who will be potential educators of the next generation is stressed in the articles we've been reviewing for the past few days. If as early as now students are inspired to integrate ethics into their classes and are already able to appreciate the diversity of culture we have today, they will be capable of raising these awareness and understanding to the general public thus, creating future educators and leaders worthy to be followed and admired. Josh wrote: [size=18]In what way then can we face this issue? You are correct sir luder and yvette, that as a Christian nation it is sad to see that some of the educators,and worse, prominent religious figures are seemingly disgracing the name of Christianity. How can we address this matter then, as educators and future leaders

Indeed Kris, we should not just enter into something if we are still unprepared. It's as if we're entering into a war with no weapon or any tactic in mind at all. Most especially if we are dealing with education of our future generation. A noble profession such as being an educator or in our case, nurse-educators, entails great responsibility. What educators teach can make or break their students. This makes educators also accountable in molding the characters and values of their students. It’s great to know that as early as now, as a hopeful educator, you already realized the importance of being skillfully and ethically prepared before engaging into the academe.

Kriselda Manzano wrote:

Like josh, I think no one cansay that he/ she 100% morally upright but one can claim that he is ethically prepared to face issues. Realization came to me; one should not engage himself into the academe not unless he feels that he is ethically equipped. As a future educator I will not engage myself in teaching not unless, I feel that I am capable to teach the subject combined with ethics. One should not be called a teacher if he is not holistically prepared to shape his learners. We must not compromise quality education for the sake of earning much.

The implications of the approach in the curriculum will may lead to produce more sensitive person to look after his or her action

i agree with the study that personal perspective of a person even his or her culture greatly affect the individual ethical decision making. like culture, values also has a big impact in decision making as values influence choices and provide framework for life goals.

Divinia Joy Tuzon wrote:

That would be really nice then Ma'am Sonia. Let me just share what I have read. Pant (n.d.) found out in her study that studies have attempted to model contextual factors that could possibly affect the individual's ethical decision-making. These include one's personal history and perspective (Reiter and Flynn 1997), the organizational and professional environment (Trevino 1986 and Hunt and Vitell 1986, Victor and Cullen 1988), the larger culture (Hunt and Vitell 1986), and the specific ethical situation (Jones 1991). These are the reasons why truly, ethical development never ends and is never completed. Pant, L. (n.d.). "What Makes Us Be Good?". Article retrieved August 16, 2008 from http://aux.zicklin.baruch.cuny.edu/critical/html2/8041pant.html sdlopez02 wrote: The study targets undergraduate students. What if we assume that "human beings generally know right from wrong, honor from shame, virtue from vice"? That most of these young students, hopefully, have not been tainted with violence and immoral issues as they may have been shielded by their educative years when they were much younger. Then we do not need to reinvent the "ethical wheel". Furthermore, "Ethical development is lifelong; it is a process, never a product; it is never “completed.” Then we would serve as the younger generation's guide towards ethical maturity which is until they can go on by themselves and make their own way through an "ethical jungle". Reference: http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj98/sum98/toner.html

Thank you classmates for your participation. Through you, this forum had been a meaningful one. Your reflections, views, pondering points and insights have benefited me as well. May we continue to help/assist each other in the struggle of our career.
Thank you again. Godspeed.