PG 652: Spirituality, Religion and Contemporary Healthcare Ethics

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Module Level

9/10: MTh / PhD / STL Seminar Course

Assessment

Continuous Assessment: Attendance, Participation and Reflection Papers = 40%. Focused Research Paper = 60%

Module Aims

Rationale: This module provides an opportunity for an in-depth exploration of a field of applied ethics. It will examine the ethical dimensions of health care practice as well as key concepts that underpin clinical practice in medicine and research in bioethics. It will expose students to a wide range of topical issues.


Indicative Syllabus:

  • Meanings of ‘illness’, ‘the body’, ‘vulnerability’, ‘healing’ and ‘death’
  • Ethical Theories as they apply to the field of Health Care
  • Conscience and Moral Decision Making
  • Key principles in bioethics and healthcare ethics: autonomy, beneficence, dignity.
  • Current trends in healthcare: resource allocation, legal developments, cultural changes, codes of behaviour
  • Contemporary Topical Issues
  • Spirituality of Health Care.


Learning Outcomes

  • By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  • Evaluate and display a critical awareness of current trends and issues in contemporary healthcare, clinical practice and bioethical research
  • Demonstrate a systematic understanding of a range of ethical theories and principles operating in the field of Health Care
  • Apply and appraise various frameworks for dealing with ethical problems, challenges and dilemmas in health care
  • Consider the resources proposed by spiritual practices and religious traditions, especially the Catholic tradition.

Bibliography

  • Arbuckle, G.A. Healthcare Ministry: Refounding the Ministry in Tumultuous Times. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2000.
  • Lammers, S. and A. Verhey, eds. On Moral Medicine. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.

  • Meilaender, Gilbert. Neither Beast nor God: The Dignity of the Human Persons. New York & London: New Atlantis Books: 2009. 

  • Messer, Neil. Theological Issues in Bioethics: An Introduction with Readings. London: DLT, 2002.

  • O’Rourke K. and P Boyle. Eds. Medical Ethics: Sources of Catholic Teachings. 4th edn. Washington: Georgetown University Press, 2011
  • Sowle-Cahill, Lisa. Theological Bioethics. Washington: Georgetown University Press, 2005