Module: Dementia & Everyday Ethics

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Dementia & Everyday Ethics
Module Code	NS5075 (ITS) / PHE1002 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health
Module Co-ordinator	-
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Coursework Only

Description

This module will equip students with the skills to recognise situations in everyday dementia care that are ethical in nature and how to guide colleagues in a helpful manner through decision making processes. It will also equip them with a practical and theoretical grounding in ethical decision making. There will be a wide range of topics covered including physical care and ethical situations arising. Social context and ethical issues concerning stigma and social isolation will also be central themes. Such issues will be explored from the perspective of the person with dementia, their family and communities in which these people live. The module will be predominantly scenario led, covering issues such as regarding, hydration and nutrition, continence, hygiene, responsive behaviours, pain, continence, sleep patterns and anti-psychotic medication. Students will be expected to share knowledge and progress with the use of discussions, portfolio work, seminars, tutorials, lectures and assignments.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate an advanced ability to recognise taken for granted situations which are nonetheless ethical in nature and require evaluation through the effective use of evidence-based frameworks for the management of ethical dilemmas.
2. Critically evaluate social constructions of dementia and examine the implications of each for ethical dementia care.
3. Underpinned by theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence, students will critically analyse and evaluate everyday situations in dementia care such as hydration, nutrition, pain, mobility/restraint, sleep problems, responsive behaviours, sexuality and future-care decisions.
4. Demonstrate the ability to support family members using good interpersonal skills in shared decision-making with family and with the person with dementia where possible.
5. Demonstrate the principles of collaborative practice and the use of effective interprofessional approaches as part of the ethical decision making process.
6. Recognise the human rights of all people and how they are vulnerable in the case of dementia.
7. Students will source, appraise and synthesise relevant published literature to make a strong theoretically supported and evidence-based argument for a line of action which is often the 'least damaging' but not perfect solution to complex problems.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	24	Face to face lecture time
Online activity	50	Prescribed exercises
Clinical placement	12	Prescribed clinical exercises in own area of work
Independent Study	164	Prescribed and independently sourced readings, independent portfolio development and critical thinking. Undertaking peer and self reflection in the clinical setting (in addition to prescribed clinical exercises).
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Constructions of dementia
Critical discussion on the constructions of dementia and the implications of each in relation to conceptualising dementia and providing ethical person-centred dementia care.

Nutrition and Hydration
Critical discussion on the ethical decisions about nutrition and hydration throughout the dementia trajectory.

Pain
Ethical issues involved in the identification and treatment of pain in people with dementia.

Responsive behaviours
Ethically based approaches to responsive behaviours.

Continence
The ethical nature of continence in dementia and its impact on well-being.

Sleep
Ethical issues caused by sleep problems in dementia and the need to maintain sleep integrity.

Medication management
Approaches to medication management with people with dementia.

Sexuality
The ethical issues brought about by expressions of sexuality by people with dementia.

Assisted decision making
The implications of the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act for ethical dementia care.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	0%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Completion of online activity	10% of your mark (or part there of) is generated by the Loop if you completed the activities set for you. You will have a tick in the activities box on the left of Loop page if the activity is completed.	10%	n/a
Professional Portfolio	Practice evaluation through professional practice portfolio. Contributions to the portfolio will include: online posts, critical evaluation of ethical scenarios, ethical rounds and student reflection, and a 3,000 word analysis of an ethical dilemma in the student's own work place. Marks will be given to demonstration of reflective thinking, reference to ethical principles or approaches, creative problem solving and use of academic referencing.	90%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category -

Indicative Reading List

Baldwin, C & Hughes, J: 2006, Ethical Issues in dementia care: Making difficult decisions, Jessica Kingsley, London,
Bartlett, R. and O'Connor, D.: 2010, Broadening the dementia debate: Towards social citizenship., Policy Press.,
Bethel Ann Powers: 2003, Nursing home ethics, Springer Publications, New York,
Clarke, C.L., Wilkinson, H. & Keady, J.: 2010, Risk Assessment and Management for Living Well With Dementia, Jessica Kingsley, London,
Denier, Y., Gastmans, C., Vandevelde, T. (Eds): 2013, Justice, Luck and responsibility in health care: philosophical background and ethical implications., Springer, Dordrecht,
Gastmans, C. (Ed.): 2002, Between technology and humanity: the impact of technology on health care ethics., Leuven: Leuven University Press.,
Holstein, James A; & Gubrium, Jaber F: 2000, The self we live by: narrative identity in a postmodern world, Oxford University Press, New York,
Louw, Stephen J; Sabat, Steven R; & Hughes, Julian C: 2006, Dementia: Mind, meaning and the person, Oxford University Press, New York,
Kitwood, T.: 1997, Dementia reconsidered: The person comes first, McGraw-Hill Education, London,
O'Connor, D. & Purves, B. (Editors): 2009, Decision Making, Personhood and Dementia, Jessica Kingsley, Philadelphia,
Post, S. G.: 2000, The moral challenge of Alzheimer disease: Ethical issues from diagnosis to dying., JHU Press.,
Tronto, J.C.: 2001, An ethic of care. Ethics in Community-Based Elder Care,, Springer Publishing, New York,,

Other Resources

30506, Website, Nuffield Institute, 2009, Dementia: Ethical Issues, http://nuffieldbioethics.org/wp-content/ uploads/2014/07/Dementia-report-Oct-09.pdf, 31057, Website, This is a link to the universal declaration of human rights., 0, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/eng.pdf, 31058, Website, Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act, 0, Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act, http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/bills/2013/8313/b83c13d.pdf,