Course Objectives

When students have completed major course unit 3 they will:

• Further develop and integrate their knowledge of basic nursing through practicing nursing in the special health service.
• Be able to observe and evaluate the patient’s condition, symptoms, how the patient experiences his/her illness, personal resources and his/her ability to cope with circumstances.
• Initiate and follow up prescribed treatment and examinations.
• Carry out advanced nursing skills.
• Handle medication in a responsible manner.
• Further expand their knowledge of pathology, theory of illnesses and pharmacology.
• Have knowledge of health and illness in a multicultural context.
• Further develop their ability to empathise, care for, and interact with sick people.
• Be able to relieve pain and help the patient to achieve a dignified death.
• Respect the individual patient’s integrity, including their right to receive comprehensive care, to participate in decisions and to be treated with respect.
• Be able to show care and respect to patients and their families.
• Be able to apply knowledge of illnesses and people’s different reactions to illness in health-promoting and preventative work.
• Be able to inform, supervise and instruct patients, relatives and co-workers in the special health service.
• Be able to reflect upon the ethical dilemmas in the special health service and explain their views.
• Have insight into the organisational and legal frameworks of nursing in the special health service.
• Be able to further develop an explorative and critical approach to knowledge and learning.
• Be able to further develop understanding of research-based nursing practice.

Course Description

Course unit 11: Nursing as Planned Activity

4 ECTS

Course unit 11 A: The Scientific Nursing Foundation for the Care of Patients in the Special Health Service.

Course unit 11 B: Pathology, Theory of Illnesses and Pharmacology.

Course unit 11 C: Pedagogy and Law.

Objectives:

The student will:

Acquire knowledge of the scientific foundation of nursing in the special health service.

Gain further knowledge of the nurse’s professional functions and tasks in the special health service.

Gain further knowledge of the most common somatic illnesses and their medical treatment.

Acquire knowledge of special pharmacology.

Acquire basic knowledge of pedagogy.

Develop knowledge and skills in supervision and instruction of patients and their families.

Acquire knowledge of the organisational and legal frameworks for nursing in the special health service.

Content:

The course unit provides knowledge and insight in the scientific foundation of nursing. The nurse’s professional roles and responsibilities will be examined and related to the nursing of patients with various acute and chronic conditions, including treatment, pain relief and rehabilitation. Further instruction in pathology, the theory of illnesses and pharmacology will be given. The nurse’s pedagogical function will be introduced with a focus on the supervision and instruction of patients and their families. Organisation of the special health service and the framework of laws which regulate this service will be presented as well as the laws relating to health personnel and patients’ rights. Instruction will also be given in the professional development of the nurse, and his/her administrative functions and responsibilities.

Assessment methods:

Documentation assignment 11 has 1 assessment assignment and 2 documentation assignments.

Course unit code: 051HOEM3 DO1

Documentation assignment: The assignment is a multiple-choice test in pathology and pharmacology, which will be held online via the Internet. The test will measure the level of knowledge and will be used to plan further work on the subject, individually and in the learning-groups.

Course unit code: 051HOEM3 DO2

Documentation assignment: The assignment involves drafting a teaching plan for patients with a specific chronic illness, and their families. The group work will lead to presentations in the workshop week.

Course unit code 051HOEM3 3-1

Assessment assignment 3-1: Examination in pathology and pharmacology

The 3-hour invigilated examination will be held at the university college; the examination will be graded A-F, and counts for 40% of the course grade.

Course unit 12: Understanding Illness and Methods of Treatment

7 ECTS

Course unit 12 A: A Theoretical Nursing Perspective of Loss of Health and Illness.

Course unit 12 B: Nutrition and Illness

Course unit 12 C: Cultural Analytical Perspective of Illness and Loss of Health.

Objectives:

The student will:

Gain further knowledge of patients and their families regarding loss of health and illness.

Acquire knowledge and understanding of the importance of nutrition during illness.

Acquire knowledge of health and illness in a multicultural context.

Content:

The documentation assignment further develops understanding of the patients and their families’ experience of loss of health and illness, viewed in a multicultural context. Instruction will be given in the importance of nutrition during illness and special nutrition for specific selected conditions and illnesses.

Assessment methods:

Course unit 12 has 1 documentation assignment.

Course unit code: 051HOEM3 DO3

Documentation assignment: A training practice report which will be written during the clinical studies based on a patient’s situation. Individual response (2000 words).

Course unit 13: Advanced Methods in Practice and Education

4 ECTS

Course unit 13 A: Group Work as a Learning Method

Course unit 13 B: Written Work II

Course unit 13 C: Advanced Procedures and Practical Skills II

Objectives:

The student will:

Develop the ability to identify and resolve conflicts within their learning groups.

Develop skills in evaluating source material.

Develop advanced nursing skills and the ability to handle technical medical equipment.

Content:

The documentation assignment will provide students with knowledge and skills in communication and interaction; this will be achieved through instruction in conflict resolution. Students will develop their skills in evaluating source material and in assessing scientific articles. Practicing advanced nursing skills will also be continued as well as practice in using technical medical equipment in the practice department.

Assessment methods:

Course unit 13 has 1 assessment assignment and 3 documentation assignments.

Course unit code: 051HOEM3 DO4

Documentation assignment: Students will write a brief description of individual and learning-group aims for the current academic year. Maximum 1000 words.

Course unit code: 051HOEM3 DO5

Documentation assignment: An evaluation report written by the student on their performance in the application of advanced nursing skills, followed up by a plan for further work and training in nursing skills. Individual response, 350 words.

Course unit code: 051HOEM3 DO6

Documentation assignment:

A report based on two research articles which the group has chosen, in which the theme is related to acute/critically ill patients; the students will, amongst other things, critically evaluate the use of sources in the articles. Group response, 700 words.

Course unit code 051HOEM3 3-2

Assessment assignment 3-2: Test in advanced practical nursing skills.

The student will be tested in the practice department with two teachers present, and will be evaluated in relation to advanced, practical nursing skills. The test will be assessed on a pass/fail basis.

Course unit 14: Clinical Nursing and Situational Control

27 ECTS

Course unit 14 A: Clinical Nursing in the Medical Department

Course unit 14 B: Clinical Nursing in the Surgery Department

Course unit 14 C: Patients and Families’ Experience of Loss of Health and Illness

Course unit 14 D: Pain Relief and Care for the Dying Patient

Course unit 14 E: Decision Making Processes and Documentation I.

Objectives:

The student will:

Further develop competence in the observation and evaluation of a patient’s state of health, symptoms, resources and ability to cope with a difficult life situation. The evaluation will pay attention to factors such as, age, gender and cultural background.

Further develop understanding of how people’s basic needs change during illness.

Develop the ability to interact with patients suffering from loss of health and illness as well as their families.

Plan, carry out, document and evaluate the nursing of acute, critical and chronically ill patients.

Acquire knowledge of nursing of patients suffering from somatic loss of health and sickness.

Acquire knowledge of the relief of suffering and pain.

Further develop the ability to manage medication effectively.

Learn how to implement and follow up prescribed treatment and examinations.

Content: The course unit, through the clinical studies, provides students with the opportunity to further develop their competence in observing and evaluating patients in an overall perspective and to gain more knowledge and skills in relation to the nurse’s functions including treatment, pain relief and providing instruction. Nursing documentation will be expanded on and tested.

Assessment methods:

Course unit 14 has 2 assessment assignments and 3 documentation assignments.

Course unit code: 051HOEM3 DO7

Documentation assignment: Nursing documentation in surgery department. Individual response, 1000 words.

Course unit code: 051HOEM3 DO8

Documentation assignment: Nursing document in medical department. Individual response, 1000 words.

Course unit code: 051HOEM3 D09

Documentation assignment:

A reflection paper which focuses on medical or clinical surgery studies. The paper should illuminate a patient situation with the aid of a research article chosen by the student, and it should reflect on the challenges that the nurse faces. Individual response, 2000 words.

Course unit code 051HOEM3 3-3

Assessment assignment 3-3: Clinical studies in a medical department, 270 hours.

The student will be supervised and assessed during the clinical studies; pass/fail.

Course unit code 051HOEM3 3-4

Assessment assignment 3-4: Clinical studies in a surgery department, 270 hours.

The student will be supervised and assessed during the clinical studies; pass/fail.

Course unit 15: The Reflective Nurse and the Rights of the Patient

3 ECTS

Course unit 15 A: Ethical Dilemmas in the Special Health Service

Course unit 15 B: Nursing Challenges in the Special Health Service

Objectives:

The student will:

Develop the ability to reflect upon ethical dilemmas in the special health service.

Develop the ability to discuss ethical issues.

Reflect upon knowledge and experiences and develop understanding of complex issues in the nursing profession.

Content: The documentation assignment further develops the students’ knowledge of ethical responsibility by working actively with ethical dilemmas that students have experienced during their period of practical experience and in their discussions with the teacher and co-students. In reflection meetings with the teacher and co-students the student will develop the ability to reflect upon knowledge and their own experiences, develop their ability to participate in professional discussions and broaden their understanding of complex issues in nursing.

Assessment methods:

Course unit 15 has 1 assessment assignment and 1 documentation assignment.

Course unit code: 051HOEM3 D10

Documentation assignment: A paper describing a situation in the period of practical experience in the special health service in which patients’ rights were threatened. The participants in the learning-group present their papers to each other, and choose one situation to examine in greater detail. This situation will be illuminated by referring it to the Patients’ Rights Act and using knowledge of ethics; it will be presented for discussion at one of the workshops.

Course unit code 051HOEM3 3-5

Assessment assignment 3-5: Final examination.

Learning Methods

The study programme will alternate between classroom teaching, studio teaching, clinical studies, instruction and training in the practice department, learning-groups, and work on the portfolio assignments and supervision.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean