Ethical issues in nursing education: the dual-role researcher

There is imminent pressure on instructors of nursing students to evaluate teaching methods, examine curricula, and gauge students' abilities to grasp the educational process. The evaluative procedure or research, which often involves the instructor's students, can generate ethical dilemmas as the teacher attempts to be both educator and investigator. Some of these issues can be ameliorated through vigilance of proper human subject and informed consent procedures. In this article, we address the vulnerability of the nursing student as a research participant, the ethical and informed consent process, and the recommendations for avoiding or correcting issues related to research procedures, and the vulnerability of students.