For this project, the QI aligns with the need for adequate falls assessment, high completion rates of training and education on safety, and robust use of checklists to improve clinical outcomes.

NURS-FPX9100: Defining the Nursing Doctoral Project

Nursing research requires researchers to uphold honesty and integrity. Ethical conduct and standards provide insights into acceptable and unacceptable practices. The goal is to avoid the falsification of data and maintain an environment of trust and respect. The IRB screening process guides nursing researchers to plan and design their projects according to the recommended standards. As such, a good project is well planned and ethically approved to achieve the intended objectives.

Overview of the Project

Inpatient falls are among the most commonly reported safety concerns. The high rates of falls expose patients to adverse clinical outcomes that jeopardize the facility’s safety and quality culture. One of the key mechanisms for reducing patient falls is through quality improvement initiatives that promote correct use of falls risk assessments, training and education programs, checklists and other interventions. For this project, the QI aligns with the need for adequate falls assessment, high completion rates of training and education on safety, and robust use of checklists to improve clinical outcomes.

The goal is to reduce length of stay, increase organizational net margins, and enhance the brand’s credibility. The fact that the facility admits many acute and sub-acute patients means that the majority are vulnerable to falls. The patients require person-centered care in the form of alternative and evidence-based options adopted to reduce the incidents of inpatient falls.

The stakeholders include the Chief Nursing Officer, the project team, patients, and the nurse educator. The group understands the challenges in the medical-surgical unit including the risk of patient falls. Successful improvements could enable the stakeholders to make significant contributions in enhancing the quality and safety of care. It is also crucial to adhere to ethical standards and conduct. Ethics enable researchers to uphold honesty and integrity throughout the project. The aim is to minimize the risk of harm to participants by upholding the principles of accountability, trust, and honesty.

History of Research Ethics

Research ethics traces its origin to the inhumane experimentation on prisoners during the Nazi regime. The experiments happened in Nazi death camps, thereby revealing the severity of the harm caused to inmates. World War II and trials associated with war crimes also reinforced the need for ethical research practices. The Nuremberg Code emerged from increased efforts to design and implement ethical principles in scientific and healthcare interventions (Gelling, 2020). The code described the need for physicians and scientists’ adherence to informed consent, proper designing of experiments, lack of coercion, and beneficence. The Helsinki Declaration of 1964 and the Belmont Report of 1979 followed the Nuremberg Code. The two focused on the need for ethical research in projects involving human subjects. This project draws insights from the various ethical aspects.

Applying the Principles of Research Ethics

The four principles identified for this project are autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. The non-maleficence concept guides researchers to avoid intention and unintentional harm and discomfort. For this project, the researcher will pay attention to privacy and confidentiality to avoid exposing individuals to emotional and psychological harm. Beneficence is the principle that obliges the researcher to act in the participants’ interests (Varkey, 2021). The objective is to uphold moral and ethical standards for safeguarding the rights and freedoms of participants. It is also important to eliminate conditions that may jeopardize individuals’ wellness. For this reason, the procedures adopted for this project reflect the need to promote goodness and ensure that participants benefit from the outcomes.
Autonomy is also vital throughout the project.

The principle requires researchers to allow participants to exercise independence of thoughts when choosing to participate in the process. In this case, it is vital to acknowledge participants’ contribution and their ability to make informed decisions before agreeing to participate in the project. Autonomy encourages researchers to appreciate the need for self-determination (Varkey, 2021). The principle discourages researchers from coercing or coaxing participants to participate in the project. Justice is the other principle that encourages fairness when including participants in a project. The element also promotes equity and the right treatment of participants when allocating resources.

Human Participants in the Project

The main participants for