Ethics issues Assignment | Custom Essay Services

Ethics examines issues of right and wrong, good and bad, in any area of human interaction (Melynk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). When conducting research your subjects must be treated with respect and dignity. One of the fifteen ethical principles I will be discussing for this week’s discussion is consent. Informed consent is an important safe guard in research. The right to obtain informed consent arises out of respect for the subjects involved. Consent allows autonomy of the individual to decide whether or not to voluntarily participate in biomedical or health research. This ensures that no person may be used as a subject in research against his or her will (American Medical Association, 2020).
When research participants participate in a study, they must always give their permission or consent. Before consent is given, participants must be given pertinent and adequate information to allow “informed” consent to participate. According to Polit and Beck (2018) informed consent means that participants “have adequate information about the study, comprehend the information, and have the power of free choice, enabling them to consent or decline participation voluntarily”. This ensures that participants are knowledgeable about what to expect prior to partaking of the research, in order to decide what is best for themselves on their own free will.
There are some people who are considered vulnerable due to their diminished capacity to consent. Vulnerability refers to in this case as individuals who are incapable of protecting their self-interests at the time of the research. These individuals are your children, prisoners, pregnant women, handicapped, mentally disabled persons, or economically and educationally disadvantaged persons. In certain cases, it is required that another person gives consent on their behalf. According to Biro (2018), an individual with diminished or fluctuating capacity may be represented by their legally authorized representative (LAR). In this case, it is assumed that the LAR understands what the participant would likely choose if able to speak on their own behalf, and is acting in the best interest of the participant (Biro,2018).
References
American Medical Association (2020), Retrieved April 9, 2020 from https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/ethics/informed-consent-research
Biro, M. (2018). Capacity, Vulnerability, and Informed Consent for Research. Journal of Law& Medical Ethics, 46(1), 72-78. DOI: 10.1177/1073110518766021
Melnyk, B. M., & Fiineout-Overholt, E. (2018). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: a guide to best practice. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer
Polit, D.R., & Beck, C.T. (2018). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice (9th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health
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