QLexNursing

🧪 1. “How research is required to be conducted” → Legal

🟦 The phrase “required to be conducted” points to rules that are mandatory, not optional, which is a hallmark of legal standards.

🟦 Legal guidelines for research come from laws, statutes, and formal regulations, such as those governing informed consent, privacy, safety, and institutional review boards (IRBs).

🟦 These requirements are enforceable by external authorities (governments, regulatory bodies), and failure to comply can lead to penalties, fines, loss of license, or criminal charges.

🟦 So, when we’re talking about how research is required to be conducted, we are mainly referring to legal considerations.

🤝 2. “Guided by integrity” → Ethical

🟩 Integrity is a core ethical principle, meaning honesty, fairness, and adherence to moral values in all professional actions.

🟩 Ethical guidelines emphasize doing what is right, even when no one is watching, and even if the law is silent on the issue.

🟩 In research, being guided by integrity means avoiding falsifying data, respecting participants, being transparent, and honoring commitments.

🟩 These behaviors are usually not spelled out in detail in law but are part of professional ethical standards and codes of conduct.

🏛️ 3. “External regulating agencies” → Legal

🟪 External regulating agencies (like government health departments, FDA, ethics boards with legal authority, etc.) are tied to legal oversight, not just moral guidance.

🟪 These bodies enforce laws and regulations that govern how research is carried out—for example, human subjects protection, drug trials, and safety standards.

🟪 Their power comes from legal frameworks, and they can impose sanctions if standards are not followed.

🟪 Because they enforce compliance with legal requirements, this phrase aligns with legal considerations.

📏 4. “How research should be conducted” → Ethical

🟨 The wording “should be conducted” usually reflects the ideal or right way, which is the language of ethics, not just law.

🟨 Ethical considerations answer: What is the most respectful, fair, and humane way to conduct research? even beyond what the law requires.

🟨 This includes respect for autonomy, beneficence, justice, and nonmaleficence toward participants.

🟨 So while law sets the minimum, ethics shapes how research should be conducted to honor human dignity and professional values.

🧭 5. “Applied through decision making” → Ethical

🟧 Ethical principles are often applied in real-time decision making, when the nurse or researcher asks: What is the right thing to do in this situation?

🟧 Ethical decision-making frameworks help professionals weigh benefits vs harms, rights, fairness, and respect when the answer is not black-and-white.

🟧 While laws tell you what you must or must not do, ethics guide what you ought to do, especially in gray areas.

🟧 Therefore, “applied through decision making” refers more to ethical considerations than strict legal rules.

📚 6. “Found in laws and regulations” → Legal

🟥 Anything “found in laws and regulations” clearly belongs to the legal category.

🟥 These are written, codified standards, often published by government bodies or official regulators.

🟥 Compliance is mandatory, and violations may lead to legal penalties, loss of license, or institutional sanctions.

🟥 So, this phrase describes legal guidelines, not just ethical ideals.