The course that is named as “Protecting Human Research Participants” aims at discussing such issues as the importance of respect for all research participants and consideration of the principles that can be used in order to identify ethical research, regulations, policies, etc. With the help of this course, investigators can learn how to conduct research that involves human subjects, understand the obligation, and protect the rights. My reaction to this course is positive indeed because it helped me to gain knowledge in such issues as the history of human subject protections, the identification of the risks that could be imposed on research participants, and the importance of study designs that could be used by investigators. This course is a good chance to improve my personal attitudes to the work that I should know how to perform, combine theory with practice, and develop my analytical and critical thinking skills. I have learned that the relations between research participants have to be based on respect, honesty, and trust. All these issues are frequently discussed by a number of writers and researchers, who explain the chosen fields of study and explain how to take care for the vulnerable (Eller, Lev, & Feurer, 2014). Still, it is not enough to know these concepts. It is important to comprehend how to use them and make people recognize you as the user of these concepts.
At this time, I work in home health as an RN case manager and at the Emergency Department per diem. Such workplace organization helps me to realize that research that involves human participants should be organized in accordance with the principles that are covered in the Belmont report that discusses the worth of justice, beneficence, and respect for persons (Sims, 2010). In the chosen organization, there is an ethics committee that aims at discussing the peculiarities of research with human participants and focuses on the approval/disproval of the projects offered by investigators. After the scandal of the Tuskegee syphilis study, a number of discussions and concerns took place and made the commission create the regulations that met the expectations of investigators and participants (Emanuel & Menikoff, 2011).
Therefore, all members of the committee have to meet federal guidelines and consider the requirements that promote safe and effective research. There are four main members of the committee: two women (one of them is Asian-American) and two men (one of them is African-American). Such composition of the members helps to avoid any prejudices and contradictions. The members have enough time to investigate the peculiarities of research, evaluate the conditions under which the work should be done, and even provide some hints on how to improve and develop research in the most effective way. They review proposals, underline the main aspects, and make some predictions about the worth and importance of the offered topic. Besides, they analyze if there is some violation of human rights, and if such issues as respect for others, beneficence, and justice are taken into consideration by an investigator. At the same time, the committee should not analyze the content of the future project or correct the mistakes. The evaluation of ethical aspects of the work occurs only.
In general, the course and the evaluation of the workplace turn out to be the helpful sources of information. I want to believe that, within a short period of time, I got a chance to become a good researcher, who is ready to work with people and choose human subjects in an ethically appropriate way.
References
Eller, L. S., Lev, E. L., & Feurer, A. (2014). Key components of an effective mentoring relationship: A qualitative study. Nurse Education Today, 34(5), 815-820.
Emanuel, E. J., & Menikoff, J. (2011). Reforming the regulations governing research with human subjects. New England Journal of Medicine, 365(12), 1145-1150.
Sims, J. M. (2010). A brief review of the Belmont report. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 29(4), 173-174.