UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH AND ALLIED SCIENCES
SCHOOL OF ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
COURSE OUTLINE
Course Title Credit Hours/Week
SAHS 203 HEALTH LAW AND ETHICS 2 2
Year 2024/2025 Semester: ONE Level: 200
Department Medical Laboratory Science
Required 1. The Blackwell Guide to Medical Ethics; Edited by Rosamond Rhodes, Leslie
Textbooks
P. Francis, and Anita Silvers; 2007 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
2. Medical Ethics Manual; (2009); World Medical Association; 2nd edition; ISBN
92-990028-1-9
3. Morris AE, Jones MA. (2011) Blackstone's Statutes on Medical Law; 7th
Edition. OUP Oxford. (ISBN-10: 0199582424 ISBN-13: 978-0199582426)
4. Mason & McCall Smith. (2013); Law and Medical Ethics; 9th Edition. Oxford
University Press. (ISBN 978-0-19-965990-6).
5. Beauchamp T L & Childress J F. (2013); Principles of Biomedical Ethics; 7th
Edition. Oxford University Press. (ISBN 978 195143329).
6. Other Text(s)/Resource(s): World Wide Web (www.google.com) for update of
current definition of terms.
Lecturer(s) 1. Prof. Samuel Essien-Baidoo
2. Dr. Irene Honam Tsey
3. Ms. Emmanuella Rejoice Komla (TA)
4. Ms. Emmanuella Atsupui Agbeko (TA)
Office Location SAHS OFFICE COMPLEX
Office Hours Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
12:30-15:00
Prerequisite Course(s):
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Course Description
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles of bioethics and moral philosophy, with a focus
on their application in healthcare settings. Topics include virtue ethics, professional standards of care,
medicolegal issues such as informed consent and malpractice, and the ethical challenges of resource
allocation and dual relationships. Students will explore clinical ethical decision-making frameworks,
professional boundaries, workplace rights and responsibilities, and the ethical conduct of research. Through
case studies and interactive discussions, the course prepares students to navigate complex ethical dilemmas
while upholding good medical practices and ensuring patient-centered care.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Describe and apply key concepts of bioethics and moral philosophy to healthcare practice.
2. Analyze ethical and medicolegal issues, including standards of care, informed consent, and malpractice.
3. Demonstrate ethical decision-making skills in clinical and professional contexts.
4. Establish and maintain professional boundaries while addressing workplace rights and responsibilities.
5. Evaluate ethical considerations in research and resource allocation to ensure equitable and patient-centered
care.
Course Content
Unit 1. Introduction to Bioethics
Unit 2. Ethics and Moral Philosophy
Unit 3. Good Medical Practices (Virtue Ethics)
Unit 4. Standard of Care vrs Duty of Care
Unit 5. Medicolegal Issues and Malpractice I (Consent)
Unit 6. Medicolegal Issues and Malpractice II
Unit 7. Clinical Ethical Decision Making
Unit 8. Professional Boundaries
Unit 9. Workplace Rights, Responsibilities and Legalities
Unit 10. Dual Relationships and Resouce Allocation
Unit 11. Research Ethics
Teaching and Learning Strategies
• Lecture and exposition
• Case studies
• Pair/group work/presentations
• Self directed study and discussion
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Assessment
A combination of formative and summative assessment including group tasks, quizzes, assignments and
examination will be used.
Continuous assessment: Work must be submitted by the stated deadlines!
Task Teaching Week (WK) Staff Marker
1
(Quiz 1) Issued WK 5 Prof. Samuel Essien-Baidoo
and Team
2 Issued: WK 5
(Group Assignment) Whole Class/ TAs
Deadline: WK 10
3
(Quiz 2) Issued WK 11 Prof. Samuel Essien-Baidoo
and Team
Assessment weighting
End-of-semester examination/ Term Paper: 60%
Quiz 1 (Individual) 20%
Quiz 2 (Individual) 10%
Presentation (group) 10%
You will be graded as follows:
A=80-100%; B+=75-79%; B =70-74%, C+ =65-69%, C= 60-64%, D+ = 55-59, D = 50 – 54, E< 50 (Fail)
Course Policy
Attendance: 100% attendance is required. In order words, attendance to all sections is compulsory. By the
University regulations you must support any absenteeism by the appropriate report.
Code of conduct: You should be punctual at all sessions and conduct yourself at same in a professional
manner. You must also switch your phone to silent mode during lectures.
Cheating/Plagiarism: Cheating and plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated and will attract the
appropriate sanctions as stipulated in the students’ handbook.
Assignment submission: All work should be submitted by the deadline. Late work will be capped at 80%.
Referencing: Use APA style in your essays/project write up as stipulated in the UCC theses and dissertation
guide.
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Schedule
Week Content Objectives Activities
Learners will be able to:
i. Introduction and i. describe the aims of the course i. Review of prerequisite
overview of course. and how they are related to their knowledge and skills.
1 personal/professional
ii. Overview of Bioethics development.
ii. Facilitator’s presentation
and whole class discussion
Ethics and Moral i. differentiate betweet ethics and
Philosophy morality
2 ii. explain how attitudes influenced Facilitator’s presentation
the practice of medicine and whole class discussion
iii. describe cultural and religious
relativism
iv. explain the role of reason in
ethics
i. list the qualities of an ethical Facilitator’s presentation
Good Medical Practice professional and whole class discussion
3 (Virtue Ethics) ii. describe the types of
professional relationships
iii. examine the influence of the
core ethical principles on the
various relationship types
Standard of Care i. differentiate between SoC and
vrs DoC Facilitator’s presentation
4 Duty of Care ii. describe the contribution of and whole class discussion
various determinants to SoC and
DoC
Medicolegal Issues & i. describe what constitutes
Malpractice I malpractice Facilitator’s presentation
5 ii. describe benefits of patient and whole class discussion
QUIZ 1
comuunication
iii. discuss how obtaining consent
can prevent malpractice cases
iv. differentiate between Assault &
Battery
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i. describe the importance of Facilitator’s presentation
Medicolegal Issues & confidentiality in medical and whole class discussion
6 Malpractice II practice
ii. explain requirements to prove
negligence
i. outline the conflicts between the
Clinical Ethical ethical principles Facilitator’s presentation
7 Decision Making ii. describe ethical delimas and how and whole class discussion
to solve them
iii. explain the steps involved in
resolving ethical dilemas
i. describe the challenges to
Professional Boundaries medical authority Facilitator’s presentation
ii. explain relationships with and whole class discussion
8 colleagues, teachers and
students in medical practice
iii. demonstrate how to report
unsafe or unethical practices
iv. analyse relationships with other
health professionals
v. evaluate cooperation in medical
practice
vi. discuss how to resolve conflicts
in practice
9
i. describe the Human Rights Act/ Facilitator’s presentation
Workplace Rights, Law and whole class discussion
Responsibilities and ii. identify the types of harassments
iii. mention employer
Legalities
responsibilities
iv. explain the scope of a civil
action and employee
respinsibilities
i. explain ethical implications of
dual loyalty Facilitator’s presentation
10 Dual Relationships and ii. describe the ethical issues in and whole class discussion
Resouce Allocation resource allocation
iii. discuss Public health concerns
on ethical practices
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iv. evaluate the global health
impact on ethical practices
i. apply the Law in practice
ii. list the core provisions of the law
11 Case Presentations
related to medical practice Student group
presentations
iii. describe clinical ethical decision
QUIZ 2 making
iv. define what constitutes
malpractice
i. analyse the importance of
Medical Research medical research
12 ii. estimate the ethical Facilitator’s presentation
requirements in medical research and whole class discussion
iii. evaluate the Ethics review
committee approval
iv. evaluate the scientific merit of a
research
v. describe the risks and benefits in
medical research
vi. demonstrate honest reporting of
results in research
13
Course wrap up Course wrap up Course wrap up
14-16
END OF SEMESTER EXAMS
General Comments
1. Students are responsible for the content of all assigned readings whether the material is discussed
or not in class.
2. It will be in your interest to use the recommended textbooks and ANY supplementary ones; review
regularly previous lectures and read on a topic before a new lecture.
3. Plagiarism (copying and representing of the works of others as your own) will not be tolerated. Be
sure to cite all references appropriately. No form of dishonesty will also be tolerated.
4. Mobile phones MUST stay switched off during the entire period of a class. If a phone rings to cause
a distraction. The phone and the owner will be ousted.
5. Lateness to class and absenteeism will not be entertained. You may be turned away once you
distract lectures.
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