In the past 30 years, medical ethics education has emerged as a high-priority subject in Korea. This article provides a general overview of medical ethics education in the medical school curriculum. The author supports the idea that the goal of medical ethics education should be to equip physicians with a knowledge base for analyzing and resolving ethical dilemmas as a core element of the profession. The core elements already have been delineated by the textbook of medical ethics that is in use, and can be applied in contexts including theoretical work, specific areas of application, and problematic clinical cases. This field requires a multidisciplinary approach and should be integrated throughout the entire curriculum of medical school. Ethical theory and knowledge-based approaches should be studied as a basic course, and case studies and ethical debates should incorporated into applied clinical training courses. The grade system is suitable for the knowledge-based approach, while pass-fail evaluations are suitable for small-group discussions of case studies. A team-based approach including both ethicists specializing in philosophy and physicians would be helpful in teaching medical ethics. Progress in ethics education may depend on medical schools to invest in faculty development and to allocate resources accordingly. Ethics education should be treated as a course in professionalism, and should also be incorporated into continuing medical education programs after graduation from medical school.
Curriculum* ; Education* ; Education, Medical, Continuing ; Ethical Theory ; Ethicists ; Ethics ; Ethics, Medical* ; Humans ; Knowledge Bases ; Korea ; Philosophy ; Professionalism ; Schools, Medical*

The rapid advances in genetic knowledge and technology raise various, sometimes unprecedented, ethical dilemmas in the scientific community as well as the public realm. To deal with these dilemmas, the international community has prepared and issued ethical standards in various formats. In this review, seven international standards regarding genetics and genomics will be briefly introduced in chronological order. Critical reflections on them will not be provided in this review, and naturally, they have their own problems and shortcomings. However, a common set of the principles expressed in them will be highlighted here, because they are still relevant, and many of them will be more relevant in the future. Some of the interesting contents will be selected and described. After that, the morality of one recent event related to whole-genome sequencing and person-identifiable genetic data will be explored based on those international standards.
Ethics ; Genetics* ; Genomics* ; Morals

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the paths of influence that a hospital's ethical climate exerts on nurses' organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior, with supervisor trust as the mediating factor, and verify compatibility of the models in hospital nurses. METHODS: The sample consisted of 374 nurses recruited from four hospitals in 3 cities in Korea. The measurements included the Ethical Climate Questionnaire, Supervisor Trust Questionnaire, Organizational Commitment Questionnaire and Organizational Citizenship Behavior Questionnaire. Ethical Climate Questionnaire consisted of 6 factors; benevolence, personal morality, company rules and procedures, laws and professional codes, self-interest and efficiency. Data were analysed using SPSS version 18.0 and AMOS version 18.0. RESULTS: Supervisor trust was explained by benevolence and self-interest (29.8%). Organizational commitment was explained by benevolence, supervisor trust, personal morality, and rules and procedures (40.4%). Organizational citizenship behavior was explained by supervisor trust, laws and codes, and benevolence (21.8%). CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that managers need to develop a positive hospital ethical climate in order to improve nurses' trust in supervisors, organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior.
Beneficence ; Climate* ; Efficiency, Organizational ; Ethics ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Morals ; Negotiating

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to examine the associations among moral reasoning, empathy, communication self-efficacy, and moral sensitivity and to determine predictors of nurses' moral sensitivity. METHODS: Data were collected from 194 nurses in the Republic of Korea. Structured questionnaires consisted of the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, Defining Issues Test, Jefferson Scale of Empathy, and Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory. The collected data were analyzed using t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression analysis using SPSS ver. 21. RESULTS: Nurses' moral sensitivities were significantly associated with frequency of ethical education, empathy, and communication self-efficacy. In hierarchical multiple regression models, the significant factors of nurses' moral sensitivity were age (β=.21, p=.044), the frequency of experience in ethics education (β=.18, p=.007), empathy (β=.32, p < .001), and communication self-efficacy (β=.25, p=.001), which explained 33.2% of the variance in nurses' moral sensitivity. CONCLUSION: Our study findings show that nurses' moral sensitivity could be enhanced by more frequent ethics education programs. In addition, nursing ethics education might be developed to include potential strategies to improve empathy and self-efficacy in communication for high levels of moral sensitivity in nurses.
Counseling ; Education ; Empathy ; Ethics ; Ethics, Nursing ; Moral Development ; Morals ; Republic of Korea

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the effects of moral sensitivity and ethical values on biomedical ethics awareness of nursing students. METHODS: A descriptive survey design was used for this study. The participants were 324 nursing students from S University located in J city. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey done from September 30 to October 18, 2014. Data were analyzed using a t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: The factors influencing nursing students' biomedical ethics awareness were identified as moral sensitivity(beta=.34), ethical values(beta=.11), awareness of Korean nurses' declaration of ethics(beta=.15), religion(beta=.14), and religious activity(beta=.12). Five factors explained 10.8% of nursing students' biomedical ethics awareness. CONCLUSION: The results of this study can be used to develop further educational programs on the moral sensitivity and ethical values for enhancement of nursing students' biomedical ethics awareness.
Bioethics* ; Humans ; Morals ; Nursing* ; Students, Nursing*

PURPOSE: This study examines the effectiveness of an educational program of nursing biomedical ethics for nursing students to increase awareness of the Code of Ethics for Nurses, moral sensitivity, and application of the Code of Ethics for Nurses. METHODS: A quasi-experimental research design and t-test were used. The experimental group (n=31) and control group (n=32) were second-year university nursing students in two major cities. The experimental group received 15 hours of nursing ethics education during the 15-week semester. The training was not provided to the control group. RESULTS: The application of the Code of Ethics for Nurses increased significantly in the experimental group (t=−1.06, p=.017), nurses and patient (t=−2.23, p=.029), obligation of nurse as an expert (t=−2.08, p=.042), nurse and cooperator (t=−2.54, p=.014). The consciousness of biomedical ethics increased significantly in the experimental group (t=4.28, p=.021), newborn's right to live (t=−2.61, p=.011), euthanasia (t=−2.36, p=.021). CONCLUSION: The results of the study show that providing a nursing biomedical ethics program to nursing students is an effective method to enhance the application of the Code of Ethics for Nurses and Consciousness of Biomedical Ethics. Implementing an intervention program of the Code of Ethics for Nurses in the regular nursing curriculum may reduce conflicts involving ethical decision making by nurses.
Bioethics* ; Codes of Ethics* ; Consciousness* ; Curriculum ; Decision Making ; Education* ; Ethics ; Ethics, Nursing ; Euthanasia ; Humans ; Methods ; Morals ; Nursing* ; Research Design ; Students, Nursing*

PURPOSE: This study investigated medical students' attitudes toward academic misconduct that occurs in the learning environment during the pre-clinical and clinical periods. METHODS: Third-year medical students from seven medical schools were invited to participate in this study. A total of 337 of the 557 (60.5%) students completed an inventory assessing their attitudes toward academic misconduct. The inventory covered seven factors: scientific misconduct (eight items), irresponsibility in class (six items), disrespectful behavior in patient care (five items), dishonesty in clerkship tasks (four items), free riding on group assignments (four items), irresponsibility during clerkship (two items), and cheating on examinations (one item). RESULTS: Medical students showed a strict attitude toward academic misconduct such as cheating on examinations and disrespectful behavior in patient care, but they showed a less rigorous attitude toward dishonesty in clerkship tasks and irresponsibility in class. There was no difference in students' attitudes toward unprofessional behaviors by gender. The graduate medical school students showed a stricter attitude toward some factors of academic misconduct than the medical college students. This difference was significant for irresponsibility in class, disrespectful behavior in patient care, and free riding on group assignments. CONCLUSION: This study indicates a critical vulnerability in medical students' professionalism toward academic integrity and responsibility. Further study evidence is needed to confirm whether this professionalism lapse is confined only to this population or is pervasive in other medical schools as well.
Ethics ; Humans ; Learning ; Patient Care ; Professional Misconduct ; Professionalism ; Schools, Medical ; Scientific Misconduct ; Students, Medical

Otologists and audiologists care for patients and conduct clinical research to find more effective treatments that benefit patients. Institutional Review Board (IRB) permission is necessary for conducting clinical trials on humans. Furthermore, many bioethical conflicts are encountered while conducting research. However, few otologists and audiologists in Korea know bioethics and the principles and regulations of IRBs in detail. This paper reviews the history of ethics in clinical research and current bioethical principles and IRB regulations. We outline what you need as otologists or audiologists to get IRB approval while considering the principles of bioethics.
Bioethical Issues ; Bioethics ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Humans ; Korea ; Social Control, Formal

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify ethical climate factors in hospitals and analyze their influence on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. METHODS: A convenience sample of 196 nurses from one national university hospital in J city participated in this descriptive study survey. Instruments included the Ethical Climate Questionnaire, Job Satisfaction Scale, and Organizational Commitment Scale. Cronbach's alpha and factor analysis were done to test reliability and construct validity of the scales. Data were collected from March 15 to March 25, 2013 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, t-test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 18.0. RESULTS: Seven ethical climate factors were identified; laws and professional codes, social responsibility, company rules and procedures, self-interest, personal morality, efficiency, and friendship. Factors influencing job satisfaction were friendship (beta=.25), social responsibility (beta=.20), laws and professional codes (beta=.20), and educational level (beta=.27), explaining 37.6% of variance in job satisfaction. Factors influencing organizational commitment included social responsibility (beta=.29), friendship (beta=.27), laws and professional codes (beta=.23), and age (beta=.19), with explanatory power of 44.6%. CONCLUSION: Results can be used as preliminary data for developing new strategies to establish positive ethical climates in hospital environments and thus enhance nurses' job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Climate ; Friends ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Jurisprudence ; Morals ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Social Responsibility ; Weights and Measures

Physicians ; Professional Misconduct ; Professionalism ; education