General Instruction:

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Ethical Considerations

It is critical that ethics be observed in the conduct of the study. Ethical

standards prevent against the fabrication or falsifying of data and therefore,

promote the pursuit of knowledge and truth which is the primary goal of

research. Researchers must also adhere to ethical standards in order for the

public to support and believe in the research. Thus this section of the

manuscript discusses the ethical considerations that will be observed when

conducting the study.

Protection of Human Rights.

The Belmont Report, provides the ethical foundation for research

regulations and guides IRB deliberations, it was generated by a federally

commissioned group of scientists, physicians, ethicists, and philosophers and

published in 1979. The three primary ethical principles cited in Belmont are:

autonomy, beneficence, and justice. These principles shall be observed in

the conduct of the study.

Autonomy refers to the right of an individual to determine what

activities they will or will not participate in. The respondents of the study will

be made to understand what they are being asked to do in the study (to

simply answer a questionnaire), make a reasoned judgment about the effect

participation will have on them, and make a choice to participate free from
coercive influence. To afford autonomy an informed consent will be reflected

on the questionnaire

Beneficence refers to the obligation on the part of the researcher to

maximize benefits for the individual participant and/or society, while

minimizing risk of harm to the individual. Minimizing risks and maximizing

benefits are discussed in the succeeding paragraphs.

Justice demands equitable selection of participants, i.e., avoiding

participant populations that may be unfairly coerced into participating, such

as vulnerable subjects. The principle of justice requires that those who

undertake the burdens of research must be likely to benefit from the

research.

Risk – Benefit Ratio Determination. As an initial step, an

assessment of all the possible risk associated with the study will be done

including the magnitude and the probability of those harms or risks. Once

done, appropriate measures will be instituted to minimize the risks/harms.

Benefits. A few of the benefits that will redound to the respondents

are as follows: (a) Nurses and doctors will be able to conduct themselves

with proper decorum and demeanour especially in times of stress in micro-

macro problems that at times pitched upon in the organizational process in

the hospital operation. This study will broaden the staff’s understanding and

dealings with their employees job satisfaction, job retention and work break

point; (b) Patients will be guaranteed with a quality care when the nurses

and doctors caring for them are satisfied with their work; (c) Hospital
administrators will be able to improve the hospital regarding employee

relation, and indirectly toward health care services and similar priorities; (d)

The researcher will be polished in terms of his skills and knowledge; (e)

Future researchers will make use of this study as a reference and

researchable topic.

Risks. To minimize risks, the following will be done:

Physical Harms. The respondents are not exposed to physical harms,

because the study will not introduce any interventions to the respondents.

The study is purely answering of a survey questionnaire, this way physical

harms will be avoided.

Psychological Harms. The manner the questions are stated in the

questionnaire do not pose psychological harm. No questions ask about

sensitive issues that will psychological harm the respondents. The questions

are pertaining to work overload, job satisfaction and job retention.

Social and Economic Harms. No sensitive information will be

solicited from the respondents that may cause embarrassment to the

respondents. No information about drug and alcohol use, mental illness,

sexual behavior, and illegal activities will be asked from the study. The

researcher will attempt to minimize economic costs to respondents by doing

the data gathering in the place where that respondents are reporting to

work. The research will not involve additional actual costs to respondents.

Respondents will not be subjected to any fees or costs when participating in

the study.
 Implied Consent. The study will rely on implied consent. This would

mean that upon completion of the questionnaire by the respondent, it would

presuppose that consent is given. While the study relied on the use of

implied consent, the following elements of a consent are reflected in the

questionnaire:

Participant Status. The respondents of the study are made to

comprehend that all data gotten from the investigation is only for

educational purposes just as a prerequisite for the specialist's doctorate

degree.

Study Goals. The primary target of the investigation will be imparted

to the respondents so they will know the explanation for the lead of the

research. Respondents are given the choice to pull back from the research

whenever at their will.

Type of Data. The study is purely quantitative in nature, data are

gathered through the use of a survey questionnaire on work breaking point,

job satisfaction and job retention.

Procedures. The study commences with seeking permission from the

Dean and Hospital Director, followed by an approval by the IRB. After which,

data gathering shall be done. A survey questionnaire will be given to the

respondents to assess their work breaking point, job satisfaction and job

retention. This will then be followed by data collation and statistical

treatment. Data will be presented in tabular forms with the corresponding

interpretation and analyses. Refer to Data Gathering Procedures for a more

detailed discussion.

Nature of the Commitment. A considerable amount of time will be

required from the respondents. They are required 15-20 minutes of their free

time to complete the questionnaire. The study will make sure that the

respondents will be comfortable when answering the questionnaires. It shall

be done where privacy is observed.

Sponsorship. Funding for this undertaking is solely borne by the

researcher as this is a requirement for the master’s degree of the

researcher.

Participants. In the selection of respondents, inclusion and exclusion

criteria will be relied on. Inclusion and exclusion are discussed separately

under the Respondents’ section.

Potential Risks. The respondents are only exposed to minimal risk.

This type of risk is similar to a risk which an ordinary person is exposed to in

his ordinary daily routine. Tis is further discussed in the previous paragraph

on Risk-Benefit Ratio Determination.

Potential Benefits. Potential benefits are discussed in the Risk-

Benefit Ratio Determination.

Alternatives. No alternatives will be instituted as the study does not

entail the use of interventions. This study is purely gathering of information

through the use of questionnaires and no interventions will be introduced.

 Incentives. As further explained in the succeeding sections, no

incentives will be given to the respondents. Words of gratitude will serve as

the means of thanking the respondents for participating in the study.

Confidentiality Pledge. Confidentiality will always be observed in the

conduct of the study. To do this, a separate discussion on privacy and

confidentiality is available on the succeeding paragraphs.

Voluntary Consent. As an element of informed consent, the

voluntariness of the informed consent will be observed in the conduct of the

study. In order to get the voluntary consent of the respondents, no coercion

or undue influence will be exerted in the conduct of the study.

Right to Withdraw and withhold information. The researcher will

make sure that respondents are informed of, and that the researcher will

respect, their right to decline to take part in research and to withdraw from

the research project at any time, with an assurance that this will not

adversely affect their relationship with those providing care. Once

respondents withdraw from the study they will not be penalized or punished.

Contact Information. The study will undergo ethical and technical

review by the IRB. Should there be questions about the study, they may

contact the university IRB through Ma. CArmila I. Rama at 416-8607 or 0943-

533049 or email at uvirb2015@gmail.com.

Authorization to Access Private Information. The additional data

will be gathered in the study other than the responses to the questionnaires.

Thus, the study will not involve seeking permission to access private
information such as 201 files from the HRD or charts from the records

section.

Privacy and Confidentiality.

Privacy. It is the control over the extent, timing, and circumstances of

sharing oneself (physically, behaviorally, or intellectually) with others. The

evaluation of privacy also involves consideration of how the researcher

accesses information from or about potential participants during the

recruitment process). As the study goes through IRB strategies to protect

privacy interests relating to contact with potential participants, and access to

private information will be strictly observed.

Confidentiality. Confidentiality will be strictly observed in the

conduct of the study. It pertains to the treatment of information that the

respondent has disclosed in a relationship of trust and with the expectation

that it will not be divulged to others without permission in ways that are

inconsistent with the understanding of the original disclosure. During

the informed consent process, if applicable, respondents will be informed of

the precautions that will be taken to protect the confidentiality of the data

and be informed of the parties who will or may have access. This will allow

respondents to decide about the adequacy of the protections and the

acceptability of the possible release of private information to the interested

parties. This shall be strictly observed in the study as discussed in the

succeeding paragraphs as well.

 Security. Security and privacy of the information gathered will be

safeguarded through the following means: (a) identifying information (i.e.

name, address) from respondents will not be obtained; (b) each respondent

will be assigned with an identification number and no identifiers to the actual

data will be used; (c) all accomplished questionnaires will be placed in a

locked file for the time being until the study is done and they will eventually

be shredded; (d) only the researcher will have access to the accomplished

questionnaire and the collated data; (e) when collating the data, no

identifying information will be used including in the computer files; (f) the

computer file will be placed with a password before the file can be opened or

accessed; (g) reporting research information in the aggregate (tabular); if

information for an individual is reported, anonymity will be observed to

protect the identity of the respondent such as through the use of a fictitious

name or code.

Debriefing, Communications and Referrals.

Debriefing. A debriefing session will not be conducted as it is not

possible to gather all the nurses and doctors as they work in different shifts.

However, to replace this, the researcher will be available at any time for

possible inquiries and questions about the study. The study will utilize a

survey questionnaire only and therefore does not necessitate a debriefing

session.

Communication. Transmittal letters will be utilized in seeking

permissions to conduct the study from the Dean of Graduate Studies for the
College of Nursing and from the Hospital Director. Verbal communication will

be the main means of communication with the respondents through the

survey questionnaire.

Referrals. The study is purely non-experimental and the procedure of

data gathering will not make use of interventions, no referral is necessary.

However if at any point in the study a referral is needed, it shall be done.

Incentives or Compensation. Payments can be made to reimburse

expenses, to compensate for time, inconvenience and possible discomfort, to

show a token appreciation for participants’ help, or to pay for people’s help.

However, in the study no payment or incentives in any form will be given to

the participants. This is also done in order to make sure that the participation

of respondents are not influenced by the payment. For giving their time in

the study, words of appreciation and gratitude will compensate for the

respondents’ participation and will be afforded personally by the researcher.

Conflict of Interest. The researcher declares conflict of interest

considering that the researcher holds a position in the hospital where the

study will be conducted. To avoid a conflict of interest, the researcher will

seek the help of the Human Resource Department in the distribution and

collection the questionnaires or a third party not connected to the hospital

will be commissioned to do the data gathering to prevent biases, influence

and conflict of interest.

Collaborative Study Terms of Reference. This study is purely

academic in nature and serves as a partial fulfilment of the requirements of

the researcher’s master’s degree. This study is not in collaboration with

another person or institution.

Recruitment. Recruitment in the study involves a number of

activities, including identifying eligible participants through the inclusion and

exclusion criteria, adequately explaining the study to the potential

participants, recruiting an adequate sample based on study goals and

design, obtaining informed consent and maintaining ethical standards, and

retaining participants until study completion. To ascertain that the most

fitting respondents are chosen in order to have the best results in the study

activities mentioned above are observed in the conduct of the study.

However, there is no specific recruitment methods that will used. Qualified

respondents will be asked to answer the survey questionnaire at a time

convenient to them in an area where they can have privacy. Participation

from the study may be enhanced with the help of the Human Resource

Department on encouraging participation through a memorandum.

Vulnerability Assessment. Specific populations are identified to be

vulnerable subjects such as children, prisoners, mentally disabled persons,

and economically or educationally disadvantaged persons, in research. No

vulnerable subjects will be part of the study. However, some factors are

being considered in the conduct of the study despite not involving vulnerable

subjects, namely: (a) the setting of inclusion and exclusion criteria for

selecting and recruiting respondents; (b) informed/implied consent and

voluntarism; (c) no coercion and undue influence; (d) confidentiality of data;

(e) group characteristics such as economic, social, physical, and

environmental conditions, so that the research incorporates additional

safeguards and (f) not over-selecting or excluding certain groups based on

perceived limitations or complexities associated with, or the easy availability

of, those groups (for example, it is not appropriate to target prisoners as

research subjects merely because they are a readily available "captive"

population).