Evidence-Based, Ethical Decision-Making: Using Simulation to Teach the Application of Evidence and Ethics in...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare education
• Interprofessional learning
• Medical ethics

Background:

• Evidence-based practice (EBP) and ethics are crucial for healthcare decision-making.
• Integrating EBP and ethics in education prepares students for real-world scenarios.
• Isolated teaching of these concepts is insufficient for effective healthcare practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a mock hospital ethics committee meeting on student learning.
• To assess how students learn to use evidence in ethical healthcare decision-making.
• To describe the educational outcomes of an interprofessional ethics committee simulation.

Main Methods:

• Convened a mock hospital ethics committee.
• Involved 121 students from nursing, social work, law, and medicine.
• Utilized thematic content analysis to evaluate learning outcomes.

Main Results:

• Positive impact on nursing students' learning regarding ethics.
• Enhanced understanding of group dynamics and discipline-specific responsibilities.
• Demonstrated improvement in evidence-based practice (EBP) knowledge and application.

Conclusions:

• Interprofessional education effectively links evidence and ethics in healthcare.
• Students learned to apply evidence and ethical principles to practice priorities.
• The experience supported decision-making in resource utilization and treatment for optimal patient outcomes.