Pro Ethics and Legal Issues

Course Description

Designed to provide sequential development, application, analysis, integration and evaluation of ethical and legal concepts and theories as they relate to radiation therapy practice.

Learning Outcomes

  • Identify theories and principles that guide ethical decision making for practice situations.
  • Analyze practice situations that carry high potential for dilemmas that require ethical scrutiny.
  • Evaluate a series of ethical dilemmas using the radiation therapy code of ethics.
  • Explain the common theories and methods used in making value decisions and differentiate between morals and ethics.
  • Describe how the basic principles used in the analysis of moral dilemmas function in radiation therapy.
  • Explain the language of rights and the nature of the obligations that are attendant to these rights.
  • Discuss the principle of confidentiality from different ethical points of view.
  • Discuss access to health care in relation to justice and the allocation of scarce resources.
  • Discuss for or against the adoption of ‘a right to die.’
  • Develop an ethical rationale for the obligation of radiation therapists to study the issues of transcultural health.
  • Define common legal terms and apply concepts related to social, political, economic and historic issues to analyze the different sources of law.
  • Describe the steps in a civil legal procedure and identify the potential role of a radiation therapist.
  • Assess the role of effective communication skills in reducing legal action.
  • Analyze clinical practice issues of simulation, treatment delivery, patient assessment, patient education and quality assurance to determine if negligence is present.
  • Describe the role of the radiation therapist in the informed consent process, patient rights, and practice standards.
  • Evaluate safety measures to reduce patient injury.
  • Discuss the importance of documentation and maintenance of clinical practice records.
  • Discuss code ethics common to radiation therapy and formulate a risk management plan.

Prerequisites

Corequisite

  • RTT305
  • RTT300

Why Choose National University?

We’re proud to be a Veteran-founded, San Diego-based nonprofit. Since 1971, our mission has been to provide accessible, achievable higher education to adult learners. Today, we educate students from across the U.S. and around the globe, with over 230,000 alumni worldwide.

Four-Week Courses

Focus on one subject at a time — one month at a time — and finish your degree faster.

75+ Degree Programs

Choose from associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, plus credentials and certificates.

On Campus or Online

Study when and where it’s convenient for you with evening, weekend, and 100% online classes.

Year-Round Enrollment

Apply or transfer any time. Classes start monthly, and applications are accepted year round.

20+ Locations

Attend class and learn onsite at one of over 20 locations in California.

Military Friendly

As a Yellow Ribbon school, we offer tuition discounts to servicemembers and dependents.