Ethical training in allied health professional education: current pedagogical approaches to ethical training

Abstract

Ethics education has been a concern of medical, nursing and allied health professions education for decades. There is growing evidence that the current informal curriculum of ethics and the moral environment of the professional practice are not enough for the healthcare students’ professional/moral development. The aim of this study was to survey allied health schools and colleges about their present and planned approaches to providing healthcare ethics training. A web-based survey using mrInterview (SPSS corp.) was made available to 106 Institutional members of Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions. The survey was a cross-sectional, evaluative study developed and administered during the period of January 2006 and September 2006 through the Associate Dean’s office of the College of Health Professions at Wichita State University. The response rate was 41%. Most institutions include ethics education as part of Health Professions education. Only 2 reported no ethics education at all. However, 46% of respondents replied that they didn’t know if the training offered was effective yet only 16 % report they are considering changes while most are not considering any change. This survey provided a sampling catalog of current curricular assessment approaches used in a subset of AHP schools. Data revealed a need for careful, systematic assessment of education for moral developmental in health care education.