NURS-FPX4000 Developing a Nursing Perspective

Assessment 1: Applying Ethical Principles to a Nursing Practice Dilemma

Course and Assessment Metadata

Course: NURS-FPX4000 Developing a Nursing Perspective (RN-to-BSN, FlexPath option)
Institution type: North American, UK, or Australian university undergraduate BSN program (early stage RN-to-BSN)
Assessment label: Assessment 1 – Individual Written Assignment
Assessment type: Case-based ethical analysis paper
Length: 3–4 pages (approximately 1,000–1,400 words excluding title page and references)
Weighting: Typically 20–25% of course grade
Submission format: Word-processed, double-spaced, APA 7th edition style

Assessment Overview

Nurses regularly confront ethical dilemmas that require structured reasoning, knowledge of professional codes, and the ability to justify decisions in written form that can withstand professional and regulatory scrutiny. This assessment develops professional voice, ethical reasoning competence, and scholarly writing skills through analysis of a realistic practice scenario.

You will analyse a short case involving an ethical problem in nursing practice, identify key ethical issues and stakeholders, and propose a defensible solution using an ethical decision-making model supported by scholarly evidence. The emphasis is on demonstrating a transparent reasoning process aligned with contemporary professional standards.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

Upon successful completion, you will be able to:

Apply information literacy skills to locate and use peer-reviewed nursing literature relevant to ethical practice issues.
Summarise a nursing case and clearly articulate the ethical dilemma and stakeholders.
Use a structured ethical decision-making model to analyse an ethical issue.
Apply core ethical principles such as autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, veracity, and fidelity.
Communicate clearly and professionally using APA 7th edition conventions.

Assessment Task

Step 1: Select a Nursing Ethical Dilemma Case

Choose one case that presents an ethical dilemma in nursing practice from one of the following:

Course learning materials
A de-identified clinical experience
A published academic or professional case

The case must involve a registered nurse as a central decision-maker and include a clear conflict between ethical principles, institutional policies, patient preferences, or legal requirements.

Step 2: Summarise the Case and Identify the Ethical Problem

In approximately 1–1.5 pages:

Briefly describe the case using neutral, factual language.
State the central ethical dilemma clearly.
Identify stakeholders and what is at stake for each.
Note relevant policies, legal requirements, or professional standards.

Step 3: Apply an Ethical Decision-Making Model

Using a recognised ethical decision-making model, analyse the case in approximately 1–1.5 pages.

Moral awareness: Explain why the situation constitutes an ethical problem.

Moral judgement: Analyse competing values using ethical principles and professional codes.

Ethical behaviour: Compare at least two possible courses of action using scholarly evidence.

Step 4: Propose and Justify a Solution

In approximately 1 page:

Identify the most ethically justifiable action.
Justify the recommendation using ethical principles, professional codes, and peer-reviewed literature.
Explain how the decision would be communicated and documented.

Step 5: Reflect on Professional Learning

In a brief concluding paragraph of 150–200 words:

Reflect on personal ethical reasoning development.
Identify one area for further professional growth.

Formatting and Submission Requirements

Length: 3–4 pages of main text.
Double-spaced, 1-inch margins, legible font.
Structured with introduction, analysis sections, conclusion, and references.
Minimum of three recent peer-reviewed sources plus professional codes.
Use APA 7th edition referencing.
Maintain academic integrity and use only de-identified clinical material.

Assessment Rubric (Scoring Guide)

Criterion 1: Case Summary and Ethical Problem (20%)

High performance requires a clear, concise case summary with accurate identification of ethical issues and stakeholders.

Criterion 2: Ethical Decision-Making Model Application (25%)

High performance demonstrates explicit and nuanced application of an ethical decision-making framework.

Criterion 3: Use of Evidence and Professional Standards (20%)

High performance integrates recent peer-reviewed sources and relevant professional codes with critical engagement.

Criterion 4: Justification of Proposed Solution (20%)

High performance provides a logically justified recommendation supported by ethical reasoning and communication planning.

Criterion 5: Academic Writing and Referencing (15%)

High performance demonstrates clarity, organisation, and consistent APA formatting.

Ethical decision making in nursing practice requires a structured approach that integrates professional values, clinical evidence, and patient-centred considerations. Contemporary scholarship emphasises that ethical competence is not limited to knowledge of principles but also involves moral sensitivity, contextual judgement, and reflective accountability within interdisciplinary care environments. Nurses who apply systematic decision-making frameworks are better positioned to manage conflicts between patient autonomy and beneficence because they can articulate defensible rationales that align with professional codes and institutional standards. Such structured reasoning supports transparency in clinical documentation and strengthens trust among patients, families, and healthcare teams (Grace, 2020).

Grace, P.J., 2020. Nursing Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Advanced Practice. 3rd ed. Jones and Bartlett Learning.

References

Beauchamp, T.L. and Childress, J.F., 2019. Principles of Biomedical Ethics.
Griffith, R. and Tengnah, C., 2020. Refusal of treatment and the competent adult patient.
Johnstone, M.J. and Hutchinson, A., 2019. Moral distress and moral residue.
Olsen, D.P., 2019. Informed consent in mental health care.
American Nurses Association, 2015. Code of Ethics for Nurses.