Ethical challenges for children undergoing surgery: Evaluation of graduate nursing students' learning

Abstract

Background Multiple barriers can impede the holistic care of children and their meaningful involvement in their healthcare in the context of surgery. These include lack of clinician knowledge of the ethical concerns impacting children and scarce educational resources. Our team created an open-access training module (https://childsxethics.net) to enhance clinicians’ understanding of ethical challenges for children undergoing surgery.  Objective To evaluate the level of Bloom’s Taxonomy cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning reached by graduate nursing students after completing the module.  Methods A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Data sources comprised of participants’ course assignments. Data were analysed inductively and deductively using Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Childhood Ethics Framework. Results Nineteen participants wrote online reflections and peer responses. Two subgroups completed group assignments. The module and associated class assignments successfully promoted high levels of cognitive and affective learning of ethical challenges impacting children undergoing surgery. The type of assignment influenced participants’ level of learning and achievement of learning objectives. Cognitive and affective learning processes were enhanced when integrating reflections and fostering dialogue/interaction among peer learners.  Implications Study findings will be used to improve the module. Future iterations will include collaborations with international clinicians to enhance the global relevance of the module contents, which will be evaluated with other clinicians/trainees. Providing educational resources for clinicians on ethical challenges in children’s surgery will help facilitate the recognition of children as active moral agents and improve their surgical experiences by promoting holistic patient care.