NR 730 Week 5 The Ethical and Legal Aspects of Practice Change

Grace J.
September 17, 2025September 17, 2025
CU DNP, NR-730

Student Name

Chamberlain University

NR-730: DNP Project

Prof. Name

Date

The Ethical and Legal Aspects of Practice Change Discussion

Purpose

The purpose of this discussion is to analyze the ethical responsibilities of a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)-prepared nurse in the process of implementing practice changes. DNP-prepared nurses play a pivotal role in bridging evidence-based research with clinical application, ensuring that patients receive safe, equitable, and high-quality care. By reflecting on ethical and legal principles, nurses can safeguard participants’ rights, minimize risks, and enhance the overall outcomes of practice change initiatives.

Instructions

Reflecting on this week’s readings, the following questions are addressed to guide the ethical and legal considerations of practice change.

1. Identify the Participants of Your Proposed DNP Practice Change Project as Stated in Your PICOT Question

The participants in my proposed DNP practice change project are adult patients diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) receiving care in a primary care clinic. The project also involves nurse practitioners, diabetes educators, and primary care providers who collaborate in implementing an evidence-based intervention focused on lifestyle modification and patient education to improve glycemic control.

2. Examine the Benefits and Risks for the Participants of Your DNP Practice Change Project

The practice change project is expected to generate both benefits and potential risks for the participants. The table below provides a clear outline:

Participants	Benefits	Risks
Patients with T2DM	Improved blood glucose control, reduced complications, enhanced quality of life through education and lifestyle interventions	Risk of emotional distress due to lifestyle changes, possible non-compliance leading to frustration, privacy concerns with health data
Nurse Practitioners/Providers	Increased clinical efficiency, improved patient outcomes, enhanced interprofessional collaboration	Increased workload, potential ethical dilemmas in patient adherence
Diabetes Educators	Opportunity to apply evidence-based strategies, improved patient engagement, professional growth	Time constraints, risk of burnout
Healthcare System	Reduction in long-term costs from complications, improved care quality metrics	Initial implementation costs, need for training resources

This balanced perspective ensures that while the benefits strongly outweigh the risks, proactive strategies must be implemented to minimize possible challenges.

3. Detail the Measures You Will Take to Protect Their Human Rights

Protecting human rights is central to the ethical conduct of any practice change initiative. To safeguard participants, the following measures will be implemented:

Informed Consent: All participants will be fully informed about the purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits of the project. Participation will be voluntary, with the option to withdraw at any time without consequence.
Confidentiality: Patient health information will be protected in compliance with HIPAA regulations. Data will be de-identified for reporting and stored securely.
Equity and Fairness: Participants will be treated with respect and dignity regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or background. Special efforts will be made to reduce disparities in care delivery.
Nonmaleficence and Beneficence: The project design ensures that interventions do not cause harm and are structured to provide maximum benefit to patients and providers.
Oversight and Ethical Review: The project will undergo approval by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure compliance with ethical standards.

Program Competencies

This discussion enables students to demonstrate the following program competencies:

Integration of scientific evidence into clinical practice (POs 3, 5).
Application of leadership skills to influence organizational culture and promote continuous improvement in care outcomes (PO 6).
Use of analytic methods to translate critically appraised research into clinical practice innovations (POs 3, 5).
Appraisal of health information technologies to optimize care delivery (POs 6, 7).
Critical analysis of health policies to promote equity and social justice (POs 2, 9).
Development of supportive organizational structures that facilitate teamwork and population health initiatives (PO 8).
Leadership in professional identity formation, clinical judgment, systems thinking, and accountability in clinical practice (POs 1, 4).

Course Outcomes

This assignment also aligns with the following course outcomes:

Prioritization and application of ethical principles relevant to translation science (PCs 1, 3, 8; POs 3, 4, 5).
Application of clinical scholarship in designing, implementing, and evaluating quality improvement initiatives at various levels of the healthcare system (PCs 1, 3, 5; POs 3, 5, 9).

References

American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. American Nurses Association.

Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of biomedical ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.