SMAH919 Assessment 1 Help: Health, Law and Ethics Case Study Guide
Quick answer: SMAH919 Health, Law and Ethics is a 6 credit point postgraduate subject (level 900) in the School of Nursing, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health at the University of Wollongong. The 2026 handbook lists three individual assessments: a Case Study Part 1 and Part 2 (40%), a Presentation (30%) and a Professional Task report (30%). Marks reward applying ethical frameworks and Australian health law principles such as consent, competence and substitute decision making to a real-world healthcare problem, then explaining how ethics and law interact.
SMAH919 at a glance
| Item | Detail (UOW handbook 2026) |
|---|---|
| Subject | SMAH919 Health, Law and Ethics |
| Provider | University of Wollongong, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, School of Nursing |
| Level and credit | Postgraduate, level 900, 6 credit points |
| Assessment 1 | Case Study Part 1 and Part 2, assignment, 40%, individual |
| Assessment 2 | Presentation, 30%, individual |
| Assessment 3 | Professional Task, report, 30%, individual |
| Learning outcomes | Identify ethical frameworks in healthcare; describe legal principles including consent, competence and substitute decision making; describe links between ethics and law; apply critical analysis to policies and practice |
Word counts, due dates and the case scenario are set in your subject outline on Moodle, so check your brief for those details.
How to approach each SMAH919 assessment
Assessment 1: Case Study Part 1 and Part 2 (40%)
Most health law and ethics case studies follow the same thinking pattern: identify the issue, name the ethical principles in tension, state the relevant law, apply both to the facts, then reach a reasoned position. A useful analysis grid is below.
| Step | Guiding question | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Facts | Who is the patient, who decides, what is being proposed? | Summarise in three or four lines only |
| 2. Ethical issue | Which principles conflict? | For example, autonomy versus beneficence |
| 3. Framework | Which theory helps you reason? | Principlism, deontology, consequentialism, virtue or care ethics |
| 4. Legal principle | What does the law require? | Consent, capacity, substitute decision maker, duty of care, confidentiality |
| 5. Application | How do law and ethics apply to these facts? | Use the facts, not general statements |
| 6. Position | What should the clinician or manager do, and why? | Acknowledge the strongest counter-argument |
For consent, Australian students usually discuss the elements of valid consent (capacity, voluntariness, sufficient information, specific to the procedure) and the duty to warn of material risks from Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479. For competence and substitute decision making, use the guardianship legislation of the state named in your case (for New South Wales, the Guardianship Act 1987) and explain who can consent when the person lacks capacity. Keep legal points accurate and cite primary sources where you can.
Worked method example (not an answer): take an invented case where an 82-year-old man with fluctuating confusion refuses a blood transfusion. Method: first assess capacity at the time of the decision (can he understand, retain, weigh and communicate?). If he has capacity, autonomy and the law of consent support respecting the refusal even if staff disagree; if he lacks capacity, check for a valid advance care directive, then the person responsible under state law. Ethically, contrast respect for autonomy with beneficence, then justify your position. Your own case will have different facts, so build the argument from them.
Common mistake: Treating law and ethics as the same thing. Something can be lawful but ethically questionable, or ethically compelling but outside the law. Learning outcome 3 asks you to describe the links between them, so add a short paragraph in each analysis that says where law and ethics agree and where they pull apart. Another frequent issue is citing overseas law without explaining which Australian rule applies.
Assessment 2: Presentation (30%)
A presentation in a law and ethics subject is marked on clarity of argument as much as content. Plan one key message per slide, keep legal citations on the slide short and speak to the reasoning.
| Slide block | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Title and issue | State the question in one sentence |
| Context | Policy or practice setting and why it matters |
| Ethical analysis | Two principles in tension and the framework you use |
| Legal analysis | Relevant legislation, case law or policy |
| Recommendation | What should change, with reasons and risks |
| References | In the referencing style your brief requires |
Assessment 3: Professional Task report (30%)
The handbook describes this as a report. Because the subject has applied work-integrated learning, expect a task linked to workplace policy or practice. A practical approach is to choose a policy from your own setting (for example consent documentation, open disclosure or privacy of health records), analyse its ethical and legal basis, identify gaps and recommend changes. Check your brief for the exact task and length.
Finding and citing legal sources
Use primary legal sources wherever you can. Australian cases and legislation are freely available on AustLII, and each state publishes its current legislation on an official website (for example, the NSW legislation website). Cite the section number when you rely on a statute, and give the full citation when you rely on a case. Health policy documents from state health departments and national bodies, such as the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, are useful for the professional task because they show how law and ethics are applied in practice. Always check that a policy is current before you rely on it.
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How assessors judge SMAH919
| What the marker looks for | Weak work | Strong work |
|---|---|---|
| Ethical frameworks (LO1) | Defines theories only | Applies a chosen framework to the case facts |
| Legal principles (LO2) | General statements about consent | Accurate elements, correct jurisdiction, cited authority |
| Ethics and law link (LO3) | Treats them separately | Shows agreement and tension between them |
| Critical analysis (LO4) | Describes policy | Evaluates policy, weighs options, justifies position |
| Communication | Unclear structure, weak referencing | Logical headings, academic tone, consistent referencing |
Pre-submission checklist
- You named the ethical principles in tension and a framework that resolves them.
- Each legal point states the rule and its source (statute, case or policy).
- You used the correct state or territory law for the scenario.
- Capacity is assessed before discussing substitute decision making.
- Your position is clear and you answered the strongest counter-argument.
- You linked analysis to the subject learning outcomes.
- References follow the style in your subject outline.
- Word count and file format match the brief.
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SMAH919 answer hints and sample structure
We do not provide answers to submit. If your case study brief asks for an essay-style analysis, a balanced structure looks like this. The marks column uses the 40% weighting from the handbook; split your own words in proportion to the marking guide.
| Section | Content | Suggested share of words |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Issue, scope, thesis statement | About 10% |
| Ethical analysis | Principles in tension and chosen framework applied | About 30% |
| Legal analysis | Consent, capacity, substitute decision making, duty of care | About 30% |
| Integration | Where law and ethics agree or conflict | About 15% |
| Recommendation and conclusion | Justified course of action and implications for practice | About 15% |
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SMAH919 FAQs
What is SMAH919 at UOW?
SMAH919 Health, Law and Ethics is a 6 credit point postgraduate subject in the School of Nursing at the University of Wollongong. It examines key ethical and legal issues in health, health services and health policy.
What are the SMAH919 assessments?
The 2026 handbook lists a Case Study Part 1 and Part 2 worth 40%, a Presentation worth 30% and a Professional Task report worth 30%. All are individual.
Which ethical frameworks should I use?
Common choices are principlism (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice), deontology, consequentialism, virtue ethics and ethics of care. Pick the one that best explains the conflict in your case.
Which consent case is used most in Australia?
Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479 is the leading High Court case on the duty to warn of material risks.
How do I discuss substitute decision making?
First explain why the person lacks capacity, then check for an advance care directive and identify the substitute decision maker under the relevant state guardianship law.
Can I use examples from my workplace?
Yes, if your brief allows it, but remove names and identifying details to protect privacy and confidentiality.
How long is the SMAH919 case study?
Word limits are set in your subject outline, so check your brief.
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Academic integrity note: This guide explains how to approach SMAH919 at the University of Wollongong. It is not an answer to copy. The university expects the work you submit to be your own. Our service is tutoring, feedback and proofreading only, in line with academic integrity rules in Australia (TEQSA Act 2011). Always follow your own subject outline and your marker's instructions. This guide is general study support, not legal advice.