Unit Outline
CAA215
Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care
Health Study Period 3, 2024
Anya Daly
School of Paramedicine
College of Health and Medicine
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
Unit Coordinator
Anya Daly
Email: anya.daly@utas.edu.au
What is the Unit About?
Unit Description
 
This unit explores how legal and ethical principles inform the practice of healthcare professionals, particularly registered paramedics, in Australia. You will gain knowledge of the fundamental legal and ethical principles governing practice and reflect on how to apply these in everyday situations. Through the analysis of real-world case studies, you will also gain a critical appreciation of the legal and ethical complexities, and the multiple perspectives inherent in any healthcare context.
Intended Learning Outcomes
As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1
Describe the legal responsibilities and the legal boundaries of paramedicine practice.
2
Apply the codes of conduct, codes of ethics and professional standards to the practice of paramedicine.
3
Critically reflect on the ethical debates and issues in a professional healthcare context.
4
Integrate legal and ethical principles and reflective practice in clinical decision-making situations.
Requisites
REQUISITE TYPE
REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)
CNA308
Alterations as a result of student feedback
No Alterations have been required. As always, the teaching team will greatly appreciate your feedback both informally during the delivery of the unit in 2024, and formally through the University of Tasmania’s eVALUate surveys following your completion of the unit.
 
 
Teaching arrangements
ATTENDANCE MODE
TEACHING TYPE
LEARNING ACTIVITY
CONTACT HOURS
FREQUENCY
Online
Independent Learning
10 hours per week to the self-paced learning materials, assessment tasks and independent self-directed learning.
10
Weekly
Attendance / engagement expectations
If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online or includes online activities, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline or MyLO, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.
 
In this unit, your active engagement will be monitored in the following way:
  • Engagement with the materials on the MyLO site,
  • Active participation in discussion forums, and 
  • Completion of all assessment tasks.
 
 
How will I be Assessed?
 
For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.
Assessment schedule
ASSESSMENT TASK #
ASSESSMENT TASK NAME
DATE DUE
WEIGHT
LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:
Reflective analysis
Week 4
20 %
LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 2:
Analysis of a Case study
Week 8
40 %
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:
Examination - take home
Exam Period
40 %
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
 
Assessment details
Assessment Task 1: Reflective analysis
Task Description:
Reflect on learning material designated in the assessment task instructions and apply a prescribed reflective framework to a specific critical incident.
Task Length:
750 words excluding references
Due Date:
Week 4
Weight:
20 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Explain the key concepts related to self-awareness and personhood; reflect on own values, biases, behaviours and how these inform relationships and ethical professional conduct.
LO2, LO3
2
Describe the ethical complexities encountered in professional practice.
LO3
3
Write clearly and succinctly using a first-person reflexive approach and appropriate ethics terminology.
LO2
4
Use appropriate professional, academic referencing conventions.
LO2
 
Assessment Task 2: Analysis of a Case study
Task Description:
Analyse a real-world case study from an ethico-legal perspective, drawing on the relevant content from the unit to date.
Task Length:
2000 words excluding references
Due Date:
Week 8
Weight:
40 %
 
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Identify and describe key ethico-legal concepts relevant to the case study, and discusses their unique complexities and consequences.
LO1, LO2
2
Apply legal and ethical principles to clinical decision-making, and discusses the importance of negotiated outcomes between stakeholders.
LO3, LO4
3
Apply relevant literature on professional codes, standards and ethico-legal principles.
LO1, LO2
4
Communicate clearly and succinctly using correct grammar, correct ethico-legal terminology.
LO2
5
Use appropriate academic referencing conventions.
LO2
 
Assessment Task 3: Examination - take home
Task Description:
Take home case-based examination. Answer questions regarding two case studies.

Due: 16:00 Monday 10th February 2025
Task Length:
Aim for 750-1000 words per case study, making a total of 1500-2000 words excluding references OR 10 minute interview (as determined by the Unit coordinator).
Due Date:
Exam Period
Weight:
40 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Describe and explain legal and ethical complexities in the case studies to demonstrate familiarity with key concepts.
LO1, LO2
2
Apply ethical and legal principles to the decision- making process drawing on scholarly literature and case law.
LO1, LO3, LO4
3
Develop a clear and logical argument supported by evidence for each case.
LO4
4
Communicate clearly and succinctly with correct grammar and appropriate terminology.
LO2
5
Use appropriate academic referencing conventions
LO2
 
 
 
How your final result is determined
To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.
Submission of assignments
Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.
Academic integrity
Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.
Requests for extensions
If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.
 
A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.
 
The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Late penalties
Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.
Review of results and appeals
You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.