Vulnerability or Possible Concerns for Identified Project Participants

Vulnerability or Possible Concerns for Identified Project Participants

Several issues emerge that influence compliance with ethical requirements. One concern is beneficence during the recruitment and data collection processes. This project involves collecting first hand data from the selected healthcare professionals and patients. The process would require the researcher to demonstrate respect and awareness of the implication of the principle of beneficence. As such, project participants may express concerns over the distribution of benefits and the risk of harm. The group would want clear information on protection of their autonomy and desire to make informed consent when participating of withdrawing from the project (Ingham-Broomfield, 2017). In other words, the failure to objectively describe the project’s purpose may discourage many potential participants from agreeing to be part of the QI process.

Another vulnerability is confidentiality and privacy of participant’s details. Participants may express the intention to withdraw from the project if the researcher does not assure them about the confidentiality of their personal identifiable details. For instance, participants may want the researcher to conceal their names, telephone numbers, and other information that may expose them to intimidation once shared or revealed to the management (Priyadarshini, 2020). It is necessary to consider individuals’ welfare by safeguarding them from privacy and confidentiality infringement, and the emotional and mental issues arising from non-compliance with the confidentiality rules. The ethical considerations demonstrate the need for researchers to avoid disclosing sensitive information.

Strategies to Address Potential Ethical Risks Related to The Doctoral Project

The beneficence principle entails describing the risks associated with the project and the efforts made to minimize harm. The principle discourages researchers from coercing potential participants to participate in the project. In this case, the group should familiarize itself with the procedures and risks and willingly decide to participate. Several risks could arise in the course of this project. A strategy for addressing participants concern over gains of the project is to ensure that everyone included in the project is competent and understands the research purpose and net gains (Gelling, 2020). Notably, participants should be well-informed of the researchers’ intentions. Similarly, a written consent statement is crucial to demonstrate individuals’ awareness of the impact of QI project focused on addressing inpatient falls.
The other risk relates to confidentiality and privacy.

The two provide insights into the need for researchers to avoid disclosing details that may expose participants to intimidation or harm. The researcher will uphold privacy and confidentiality by excluding personal details such as email addresses, telephone numbers, and other identifiers that may limit the respondents from providing accurate and complete insights into the scenarios exposing patients to falls. Further, adherence to the autonomy principle is necessary to encourage everyone to make rational decisions. Participants will have access to details about the project and independently decide to participate or withdraw from the process. Similarly, the researcher seeks to engage individuals with the right mental, physical, and emotional capacity to understand the value of the project on patients, their families, and the organization. Thus, the project excludes those on medical leave and health conditions that limit them from exercising self-determination and actively participating in the project.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Processes

The IRB Processes to Be Completed Prior to Starting The Data Collection Process

The Institutional Review Board is a key player in promoting compliance with ethical principles and practices. The institution monitors initiatives involving human subjects hence the need to understand guidelines and provisions for a more compliant project (Qiao, 2018). Before starting the data collection process, the IRB process will involve clarifying details of the key components of the project. The team will provide a detailed description of the problem, the project questions, data collection methods, anticipated outcomes, and the data analysis procedures (Phillips et al., 2017). The project team will also clearly define the scope of the project and the nature of data in line with the IRB approval requirements. Further, training of participants is crucial to confirm their knowledge of the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or the Privacy Act (Phillips et al., 2017).

This project meets the conditions on a design, evaluation, and net gains that portray adherence to the IRB’s review requirements. The selected site has an IRB based on the administ