Dealing with ethical issues in nursing practice

Distinguish between an ethical issue, a legal issue and a clinical issue
Understand what might count as moral reason for takiung action in worl-related settings
Explore the function of a nursing code of ethics
Understand the application of ethical principles and moral rights to and in nursing practice
Apprecaite the role and responsibility of nurses promoting and protecting the significant moral interests of clients in healthcare contexts

The effect of financial constraints, investment policy, product market competition and corporate governance on the value of cash holdings

This study empirically investigates the value shareholders place on excess cash holdings and how shareholders’ valuation of cash holdings is associated with financial constraints, firm growth, cash-flow uncertainty and product market competition for Australian firms from 1990 to 2007. Our results indicate that the marginal value of cash holdings to shareholders declines with larger cash holdings and higher leverage. However, firms that are more financially constrained, that have higher growth rates and that face greater uncertainty exhibit a higher marginal value of cash holdings. These findings are consistent with the explanation that excess cash holdings are not necessarily detrimental to firm value. Firms with costly external financing and that also save more cash for current operating and future investing needs find that the market values these cash hoarding policies favourably. Finally, there is limited evidence of an association between various corporate governance measures and the value of cash holdings for a shorter sample period.

The study of ethical perceptions of construction managers

Ethics is important for business, individual career and image of industry. However, construction companies do not show high ethical standards. Studying ethical perception of manages is a popular topic at generic level, in particular professions and on construction-related professionals, but there is lack of research on studying ethical perceptions of construction managers. The aim of this research is to study the ethical perceptions of construction managers and how do demographic factors influence it. The method for conducting this study is through questionnaire survey among the UK construction managers. Three hundred and seven questionnaires were distributed and ninety-three completed questionnaires are completed and returned. The construction managers who appear to pay most concern on ethics are male, at middle age, at middle position in their organisations, having more than 21 years experience and are educated up to at least at degree level. The results show that the construction managers found ‘producing falsifying reports,’ ‘over-claiming expenses’ and ‘having low level of personal honesty’ as the most unethical perceptions. The findings also show that the ethical perceptions of construction managers are different from other construction-related professionals such as surveyors and engineers.

An investigation of the differences in ethical perceptions among construction managers and their peers

Previous research on ethical perceptions of managers and their peers show a consistent result, managers think they have higher ethical standards than their peers. The aim of this paper is to study the ethical perceptions of construction managers and their peers. The method for conducting the study is through a questionnaire survey among UK construction managers. Three hundred and seven questionnaires were distributed; ninety-three completed questionnaires were completed and returned. The overall results show that the construction mangers believe they have higher ethical standards than their peers. The ethical perceptions which are exceptions to this are cooperation between firms to establish common prices is an unfair act and whistleblowing, the respondents think their peers have higher ethical standards on these two issues. The managers in the current and previous studies think they are more ethical than their peers on dealing with the issue such as having low level of personal honesty. The difference between the current and previous studies is that the construction mangers think they have much higher ethical standards than their peers on the issue providing trade secrets in order to exchange for personal benefits.

Silences of ethical practice: dilemmas for researchers using social media

Social media, such as social network sites and blogs, are increasingly being used as core or ancillary components of educational research, from recruitment to observation and interaction with researchers. However, this article reveals complex ethical dilemmas surrounding consent, traceability, working with children, and illicit activity that we have faced as education researchers for which there is little specific guidance in the literature. We believe that ethical research committees cannot, and should not, be relied upon as our ethical compass as they also struggle to deal with emerging technologies and their implications. Consequently, we call for researchers to report on the ethical dilemmas in their practice to serve as a guide for those who follow. We also recommend considering research ethics as an ongoing dialogical process in which the researcher, participants, and ethics committee work together in identifying potential problems as well as finding ways forward.

Diabetes and end-of-life care: ethical issues, practices and challenges

Abstract:
Diabetes is the most significant chronic disease and the global prevalence is increasing. Diabetes is associated with debilitating long term complications and other comorbidities that cause high rates of morbidity and mortality. Keeping blood glucose and other metabolic parameters within an acceptable, personalised range is important to comfort and quality of life but can be challenging, especially during end-of-life care. Guidelines can help clinicians make appropriate care decisions; however, there is little research about what constitutes best practice diabetes care at the end-of-life: existing recommendations and guidelines blend the best available evidence with consensus opinion. In addition, there are important ethical and methodological considerations concerning research involving vulnerable people at the end-of-life. Chapter 3 describes the ethical and methodological issues that needed to be considered when developing guidelines for managing diabetes at the end-of-life and the contribution interviews with dying people and their family carers made to developing a guiding philosophy and to person-centred guidelines.