vcc.ca
NURS 4169: Health Law
Effective date
September 2020
Department
Baccalaureate Nursing
School
Health Sciences
Description
This course gives students the opportunity to develop an understanding of the origin and sources of the law as it applies to the Canadian health care system.
The course stimulates an appreciation for legal terminology, reasoning, and processes and the basic principles of law that apply to and govern the delivery of health care services in Canada, emphasizing British Columbia.
The course develops an ability to identify the legal aspects of health care practice, governance and administration and an ability to determine when and how to use legal counsel effectively.
Credits
2.0
Year of study
4th Year Post-secondary
Prerequisites
NURS 3262, NURS 3263, NURS 3264, NURS 3266, NURS 3370.
Corequisites
NURS 4163, NURS 4164, NURS 4166, NURS 4168.
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Name and discuss basic legal principles, the legal process and the most important implications of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for the health care field.
- Explain the basis of contract and tort law.
- Describe the legal relationships between patients/clients and the health care providers and institutions caring for them as well as the governmental agencies involved, including governance of health authorities, relationships between boards, physicians and employees, powers of government, licensure and registration of professionals and the coroner’s system.
- Discuss the law relating to patients’ rights and patient care, including statutory duties, contractual duties and tort duties, in particular a discussion of negligence, direct, vicarious and corporate liability, medical products liability, risk management and quality assurance as well as insurance.
- Explain consent to health care and the roles of physicians and other health care workers as well as the rights and responsibilities of patients, including minors and persons with developmental handicaps and other mental disabilities.
- Discuss bioethical issues such as death and dying, advance directives, “do not resuscitate” and “degree of intervention” orders, abortion, sterilization, reproductive technologies, organ donation and transplantation and HIV/AIDS.
- Outline health records: maintenance, contents, retention and destruction, ownership of information, duty of confidentiality and mandatory disclosure of information, liability for unauthorized disclosure, access to information and records by clients, incident reports and peer review documentation.
- State legal aspects of mental incapability and the treatment of patients with mental disorders.
- Demonstrate a professional presence with confidence, honesty, integrity, and respect in all interactions.
- Demonstrate consistent application of knowledge, skills, attitudes, judgment, and professional/ethical conduct to promote patient safety at an individual and system level.
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
None
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 30
Total Hours: 30
Total Hours: 30
Instructional Strategies
This course is delivered in the classroom using seminars/discussion, group work, and guest speakers from community organizations. Active participation is a foundation of professional practice, critical thinking and capacity building.
Grading System
Letter Grade (A-F)
Passing grade
60%
Evaluation Plan
|
Type |
Percentage |
Assessment activity |
|
Assignments |
30 |
Case Study |
|
Quizzes/Tests |
35 |
Open Book Exam |
|
Final Exam |
35 |
Open Book Exam |
Course topics
- - Discussion of patient safety movement and “just culture” vs "blame culture” - Implications of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for health care providers - Health Professions Act - Bioethical issues - Specific Acts that affect Nursing Practice
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/. - To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.