Introduction

The curriculum for the Bachelor’s degree programme in Nursing, Part-time, at Telemark University College aims to put into practise the National Curriculum and regulations for 3-year nursing education approved by the Ministry of Education and Research 25th January 2008 pursuant to the Act of 1st April 2005 no. 15 “Universities and University Colleges” §3-2(2).

The curriculum for the 4-year part-time study programme in nursing is based on the following documents:

• White Paper No. 27 (2000-2001) on reform of the quality of higher education: "Do your Duty - Demand your Rights".
• The National Curriculum and regulations for 3-year nursing education approved by the Ministry of Education and Research 25th January 2008 pursuant to the Act of 1st April 2005 no. 15 "Universities and University Colleges" §3-2(2).
• The Norwegian Universities Act no. 15, 1st April 2005.
• Telemark University College's Examination Regulations adopted by the board 15th December 2005, and internal regulations for nursing education - Faculty of Health and Social Studies.
• Telemark University College's Strategic Plan (2005-2009) approved by the board 18th December 2005.
• The curriculum for the Bachelor's degree in Nursing (full time) at Telemark University College, 6th November 2006.
• Regulations for suitability assessment for health and social studies, which came into force 30th June 2006.
• Self-evaluation of the flexible Bachelor's study programme in Nursing: "From intention to reality", June 2006.
• External evaluation report on the flexible Bachelor's study programme in nursing: "From intention to reality", January 2007.

The curriculum is valid for 2009 enrolment, part-time programme.

The study programme curriculum is to be understood as the student’s contract with the teaching faculty, and includes a basic description of how this contract should be executed. In addition, the curriculum will serve as a working and guidance tool for distributing information about the department’s professional pedagogical activities.

No part of the programme allows for the individual assessment of external candidates.

The curriculum for the Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, part-time, at Telemark University College has been approved by the Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Studies.

Nursing education in Telemark first began in 1908; in 1994, Telemark College of Nursing was incorporated into Telemark University College. Telemark University College received an enquiry from Telemark county municipality and the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities regarding the possibility of increasing the number of students, and also the possibility of making a study programme available to part-time students, which resulted in the “flexible Bachelor’s degree programme” initiated in 2002. The project was concluded in summer 2006, with both self-evaluation and external evaluation.

The present curriculum is the result of the pedagogical development efforts which were carried out during the project period; it differs from the full time study programme in the following important areas:

• The national curriculum’s major course units are formed into four new major course units, where knowledge from the various scientific areas is used thematically in relation to the field of nursing.
• Portfolio assessment is used both as a structure for learning and as the basis for assessment.
• Organised and obligatory learning-groups are an important element throughout the course of studies.
• Care of the elderly is focused on from the first year of study, and also in the form of supervised practical training in a nursing home for a period of 8 weeks.

Target Group and Admission Requirements

The study programme is aimed at people with the will and the abilities to develop their knowledge, attitudes and skills with regard to working with sick people, providing care and continual nursing, and taking care of people’s dignity, needs, resources and opportunities.

For admission to the nursing programme, the student must meet general admission requirements. Applicants who do not meet these requirements but who will be 25 years of age during the year they apply may seek admission on the basis of prior experiential learning.

Students whose first language is not Norwegian and students with special needs or functional disabilities may apply for special accommodations at the beginning of their studies, during the course of their studies or in connection with examinations before the relevant deadlines.

Aim of the Programme

The study programme is designed to train informed and reflective nurses for national and international duties. Nursing requires engagement and curiosity, the courage to be creative and the ability to think critically and systematically. We wish to train nurses with a high level of ethical awareness who will take responsibility for their actions and respect the opinions of others.

System of values

Values are decisive in all human activities. Respect for the life and values of the individual is a fundamental value in nursing. Other crucial values are care, compassion, solidarity with the weak, respect for personal integrity and the right to be consulted.

Views on nursing

Nursing as a subject and profession is concerned with the individuals and groups in society who are in need of care, nursing or treatment relating to failing health or illness. Nursing involves health promotion, disease prevention, rehabilitation and contributing to a peaceful death.

Views on society

Social changes also influence health problems. The challenges in the health and nursing services are increasing, both with respect to the extent of and the demands for competence. Illness and health-related problems can be related to both local and global social developments. Life-style diseases and advanced age will pose professional challenges to the nursing services.

The programme will stimulate students to follow social developments with a critical and reflective attitude in order to become more aware of circumstances in society which influence the lives, health and welfare of individuals and groups.

Views on knowledge, education and learning

In nursing, understanding is cultivated through a mutual dialogue between science and clinical experience. Nursing builds upon a scientific understanding of nursing, and also on knowledge from other areas such as medical/natural sciences and humanistic/social-sciences. In this programme, students acquire scientific knowledge of the healthy and the sick individual, reactions to illness, the consequences of illness and the clinical methods of the nurse.

It is a requirement today that nurses base their actions on the best available knowledge. Knowledge-based practice is understood in this context as combining clinical experience and expertise with the best available research. From the 1st to 4th year, a gradual development of expertise in knowledge-based and systematic methodological approaches to problems is emphasised. Students learn to seek, evaluate and apply research literature in their work.

Throughout the study period, students will learn a variety of job-specific skills and methods, and they will continue to develop the attitudes and personal traits which are required when cooperating with patients, relatives and interdisciplinary teams.

Competence

The nursing education will provide professional and personal competence which will form a basis for seeking certification as a nurse. The national curriculum for professional nursing of 25th January 2008 promotes competence on two levels: decision-making competence and planning competence. By decision-making competence, we mean adequacy with respect to qualifications, competence and independent action. By planning competence, we mean preparing in advance for exercising professional duties based on knowledge, skills and attitudes. This requires further development and specialised training for independent practice. The newly trained nurse will have gained decision-making and planning competence in the following fields:

• Health-education and preventative tasks
• Nursing, care and treatment
• Informing and counselling patients and relatives
• Professional ethical attitudes and actions
• Professional development, quality assurance and research
• Organisation and leadership, policies and laws

Curriculum and structure

Overview of the major course units Code Course title Credits O/V *) Credits pr. semester   S1(A) S2(V) S3(A) S4(V) S5(A) S6(V) S7(A) S8(V) 051-E2 Natural Sciences 1 15.00 O 15               Total: 15 30 25 20 18 27 27 18 *) O - Mandatory course, V - Optional course

The part-time Bachelor’s degree in Nursing comprises 180 ECTS, and comprises 4 years of study, each year equivalent to 45 ECTS.

The study programme consists of 4 major course units (one for each year), which include 20 course units distributed between. The subject areas and distribution of ECTS credits are determined by the national curriculum, and this is reflected in the major course units and course units of the programme curriculum. Students have to submit assessment assignments and/or documentation assignments for each course unit; these contribute to the grades for the major course units; receiving passing grades in the major course units is a requirement for being allowed to continue on the programme.

Overview of the major course units and course units in the Nursing Bachelor’s Degree, part-time

The number of ECTS credits corresponds to the amount of work required for each course unit.

Course code 051HOEM1 Major course unit 1 – Knowledge-based Nursing Throughout the Life Cycle, 45 ECTS

1st year of study

• Course unit 1: Nursing’s Theoretical Foundation - 18 ECTS
• Course unit 2: Health and Sickness - 2 ECTS
• Course unit 3: Methods for Education and Profession - 4 ECTS
• Course unit 4: Clinical Nursing - 12 ECTS
• Course unit 5: The Reflective Nurse in Care of the Elderly - 9 ECTS

Course code 051HOEM2 Major course unit 2 – Nursing in Relation to Health, Living Conditions and Coping with Life, 45 ECTS

2nd year of study

• Course unit 6: Nursing, Science, Theory and Methods - 10 ECTS
• Course unit 7: Health, Living Conditions and Coping with Life – fieldwork - 12 ECTS
• Course unit 8: Educational Methods and Practice - 4 ECTS
• Course unit 9: Clinical Nursing, Cultural Understanding and Preventative Health Work - 6 ECTS
• Course unit 10: The Reflective Nurse in Health-Promoting Work - 13 ECTS

Course code: 051HOEM3 Major course unit 3 – Understanding Illness and Nursing as Planned Activity and Situational Control 45 ECTS

3rd year of study

• Course unit 11: Nursing as Planned Activity - 4 ECTS
• Course unit 12: Understanding Illness and Methods of Treatment - 7 ECTS
• Course unit 13: Advanced Methods in Practice and Education - 4 ECTS
• Course unit 14: Clinical Nursing and Situational Control - 27 ECTS
• Course unit 15: The Reflective Nurse and the Rights of the Patient - 3 ECTS

Course code 051HOEM4 Major course unit 4 – Interaction, Reflection and Professional Development in the Nursing Services 45 ECTS

4th year of study

• Course unit 16: Nursing Theories, Models and Phenomena - 2 ECTS
• Course unit 17: Health Challenges in Globalised Modern Society - 2 ECTS
• Course unit 18: Action Competency and Nursing - 2 ECTS
• Course unit 19: Clinical Nursing in Mental Health Work and Home-Based Services - 24 ECTS
• Course unit 20: The Reflective Nurse, Professional Development and Research - 15 ECTS

Teaching and Learning Methods

Learning in the Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, part-time, takes as its point of departure a socio-cultural learning approach in which learning takes place not only as individual learning, but in the relationship between the learner and the context in which the learning takes place. In other words, there is an emphasis on the contextual and social aspects of learning and thinking in such a way that acquirement of knowledge is consolidated in the interaction with others.

One-week workshops will be held 3 – 4 times per semester, and will include lectures and discussion in seminars. Topics will be examined, analysed and problematised in relation to relevant research or development work.

In the university college’s practical experience department students develop their clinical skills and train in simulated situations by, amongst other things, using ICT-supported learning methods.

An important part of the studies takes place in the clinical field where students further develop their knowledge, practical skills and attitudes in conjunction with the nurse’s professional activity in real situations with patients and clients.

In the practice periods, students will be given supervision individually and in groups; the focus will be to reflect on, actively engage in and analyse clinical experiences, and integrate theoretical knowledge. Reflection Groups will contribute to the development of understanding and awareness of students’ attitudes.

Students will engage actively with the programme material through self-study, in learning groups and in work on portfolio assignments. On the basis of this learning approach, learning-groups are established at the beginning of the studies, which will remain fixed throughout the whole course of studies. The learning-groups will maintain an overall perspective of the study programme in which focus on learning, learning processes and gains are given priority. Learning-groups will be allocated supervisors.

The web-based platform Fronter is used as both a teaching support and communication tool, for instance: supervision between learning-groups and teacher-supervisor, submission of portfolio requirements, completion of multiple-choice tests, assessments and also to provide students with course material through stream-video.

ICT is thus an important teaching and learning tool in the study programme, and the part-time student must therefore have their own PC and access to Internet.

Learning environment

The learning environment influences the students’ learning processes and effectiveness in learning. The learning environment in the theoretical parts of the programme are promoted via the regular teaching programme, access to professional and personal supervision, the college’s user-supported IT systems, accessibility to library services as well as the possibility of participation in the democratic fora of the study programme.

The learning environment in the clinical parts of the programme is influenced by the placement institution’s organisational conditions and working structures, and is made more effective by clear agreements between the college and the institution. An open and inclusive working environment contributes to students being perceived as separate individuals, and includes them in decision-making with regard to their own learning plans; it is also important that students are allocated a supervisor who is personally engaged.

The daily activities of the health services are arranged for duties in relation to nursing and treatment. The nursing students focus in clinical studies concerns both specific duties and learning. The college works systematically with various quality-assurance measures in order to improve the nursing students clinical learning environment and consequently the effectiveness of their learning.

Internationalisation

The nursing profession is an international profession in its form and character. The Department of Health Studies emphasises students’ opportunities for completing parts of their studies abroad and they endeavour to develop professionally relevant and qualitatively effective learning arenas. The exchange agreements are linked to specific education networks in the Nordic Council of Ministers educational programme, Nordplus and to the EU system’s educational programme, Socrates-Erasmus. Furthermore, the Department also has agreements of intention with nursing programmes in the USA, as well as contacts with voluntary organisations in Africa.

Students may sign study agreements for clinical studies with universities or colleges abroad for periods of between 4-12 weeks, preferably in their fourth year of studies. In addition, students may participate in a 14-day “Intensive Programme”, which is financed by Socrates and Nordplus.

Students who wish to complete parts of their studies abroad must exhibit qualitatively good progression in their studies, as well as participate in obligatory courses in connection with studies abroad.

Theory and Practical Training

Practical training studies and preparation comprise 90 ECTS. The part-time students work in clinical studies is equivalent to the work done by the full-time students.

Overview of the periods of practical training:

• Supervised practical training in a nursing home - 8 weeks in the 2nd semester
• Preventative health work – 2 weeks in the 3rd semester
• Field work – 5 weeks in the 3rd semester
• Supervised practical training in a medical department – 100 weeks in the 5th semester
• Supervised practical training in a surgical department – 10 weeks in the 6th semester
• Supervised practical training in mental health work – 8 weeks in the 7th semester
• Supervised practical training in home-based services – 8 weeks in the 8th semester

Assessment Methods

Telemark University College examination regulations (December 15th, 2005) are applicable for all the examinations and assessments that form the basis of a grade.

The regulations provide the following definitions:

Assessment: The term refers to the allocation of grades, such as pass/fail, for a specific course, examination or assignment.

Total assessment: (“Examination”) (Norwegian: “eksamen”) refers to the complete assessment that forms the basis for the grade.

Examination: (Norwegian: “prove”) is used to refer to individual written invigilated examinations and for oral examinations individually or in groups.

Final examination: refers to the final examination which is held in connection with the final setting of grades.

Assignment: The term is a collective term that refers to forms of assessment other than examinations.

Portfolio assessment

In the part-time nursing study programme portfolio assessment is used as a structure for learning and as a basis for assessment. An attempt is made to relate what happens in the learning process to that which is assessed. Various assignments are included in the portfolio for each separate year / each major course unit. The portfolio is developed as a systematic collection of work and other forms of documentation which together will provide an impression of the student’s development and learning within a certain field and over a period of time. The portfolio includes both individual and group assignments, and programme requirements.

Two different types of assignments are specified: documentation assignments and assessment assignments; these are called portfolio requirements and are linked to each major course unit.

The term programme requirement is used to refer to various types of course unit assignments and tasks, such as documentation of attendance, skills training, completed practical training, practical training reports, reflection assignments, notes and tests. A programme requirement must be completed / submitted and approved in order to be allowed to take the examination / be awarded credits for the course. The teacher / supervisor approves the programme requirements. If a programme requirement is not approved, then the student in question is given a new deadline to complete / improve the requirement. If the student does not complete the requirement by the new deadline, the student will not be allowed to take the examination / be awarded a grade for the major course unit. The Head of the Department may, upon application, and in special cases, arrange alternative programme requirements for students who repeat a year, and for students who, because of documented illness, are prevented from fulfilling the requirements. Such alternative programme requirements should be very similar to the actual programme requirement with respect to content and scope.

Assessment assignments form the basis for the course grade. Assessment assignments include: examinations, assessment of clinical studies, larger pieces of written work (individual and group work), and final examinations. Assessment assignments are used as a qualitative evaluation of what the student has learnt.

Portfolio committee

Student representatives, course teachers and external examiners meet twice a year in the portfolio committee in order to discuss and assess portfolio assignments.

Grading system

All the assessment assignments will be assessed as pass / fail and given a grade from A to F. In accordance with the faculty’s guidelines the borderline between pass and fail may be set at a higher level than between E and F, where the grade pass/fail is used rather than the letter-grade system. Below is a description of the grading system:

A - An excellent performance, clearly outstanding. The candidate demonstrates excellent judgement and a high degree of independent thinking.

B - A very good performance, which is above average. Shows independent thinking.

C - An average performance, which is satisfactory in the most important areas.

D - Below-average performance, with significant shortcomings.

E - A performance that meets the minimum criteria, but no more.

F - A performance that does not meet the minimum academic criteria.

Pass / fail In order to achieve a passing grade the candidate should exhibit sufficient knowledge and also to some extent be able to apply that knowledge in a professional manner in specific patient contexts. The candidate should be able to give an account of the main professional ethical challenges and exhibit the relevant understanding for the subject and its corresponding area of responsibility.

The results of the assessment assignments in each course unit form the basis for the major course unit grade. Assessment assignments may be re-taken three times during the course of studies. As a general guideline, assessment assignments may be taken twice during the course of the academic year. Generally, this means if students do not receive a passing grade at their second attempt they will have to leave the programme (cf. regulation §7). Students may make a third attempt when the next regular assessment assignment is set.

In order to progress on the programme students must attain a passing grade for each major course unit. Generally, this means that students who do not receive a passing grade for the assessment assignments of the course units after a second attempt must leave the programme and, if desirable, continue with the programme the following year.

Overview of assessment assignments for the Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, part-time.

Courses	Weighting of the assessment assignments
Course code: 051HOEM1 – Knowledge Based Nursing Throughout the Life Cycle, 45 ECTS
1) Knowledge-based nursing	Grade	30 % of course grade
2) Prevention of communicable diseases and microbiology	Passed
3) Test in practical skills	Passed
4) Clinical studies in a nursing home	Passed
5) Final examination in major course unit 1	Grade	70 % of course grade
Course code: 051HOEM2 - Nursing in Relation to Health, Living Conditions and Coping with Life, 45 ECTS
6) Clinical studies in preventative health work	Passed
7) Examination in anatomy and physiology	Grade	30 % of course grade
8) Field work	Grade	40 % of course grade
9) Examination in medication calculation	Passed
10) Final examination in major course unit 2	Grade	30 % of course grade
Course code: 051HOEM3 - Understanding Illness and Nursing as Planned Activity and Situational Control, 45 ECTS
11) Clinical studies in medical department	Passed
12) Test in advanced practical skills	Passed
13) Examination in pathology and pharmacology	Grade	40 % of course grade
14) Clinical studies in surgical department	Passed
15) Final examination in major course unit 3	Grade	60 % of course grade
Course code: 051HOEM4 - Interaction, Reflection and Professional Development in the Nursing Services, 45 ECTS
16) Clinical studies in mental health work	Passed
17) Final examination	Grade	30 % of the course grade
18) Clinical studies in home-based services	Passed
19) Bachelor’s Thesis	Grade	70 % of course grade

Assessment of clinical studies

Assessment is an ongoing and obligatory part of clinical studies. The assessments are made in relation to the study programme’s general aims and the specific aims of the student. In the assessed clinical studies the student will receive both midway and final assessment. As a general rule, the student assessments are made in meetings between the student, supervisor and teacher. The assessment given is pass / fail and the university college is responsible for the final allocation of the grade. In clinical studies, the student’s should complete an average of at least 30 hours of practical training per week. For more information regarding assessment and evaluation arrangements in clinical studies please refer to § 5 in the National Curriculum for Nursing Education adopted January 25th, 2008.

The assessment of the period of practical training is a decision that is made in accordance with the Public Administration Act. At the end of each period of practical training, the supervisor will have submitted an evaluation report; the report will be written by the teacher and supervisor in consultation with the student. The report will be signed by the supervisor, teacher and student. The supervisor, in agreement with the teacher, assess whether the period of practical training will be given a passing mark. In the case of disagreement it is the teacher who will make the final decision. The practical training assessment report is signed by the supervisor, teacher and student. If there is any doubt whether the student will receive a passing grade for the practical training period, then a meeting will be arranged between the parties in question (student, supervisor and teacher), and any other involved parties. Such a meeting must be held no less than three weeks before the completion of the practical training. If there is the possibility of the student not receiving a passing grade, a written plan should be drafted providing an outline of what needs to be done in order for the student to receive a passing grade. The plan should contain specific details regarding the necessary measures and the delegation of responsibility for applying these. The plan also constitutes a formal letter of warning to the student that he/she is in danger of failing his/her practical training. The parties should agree on a date for an assessment meeting to discuss the effect of any corrective measures. The minutes of this meeting should be recorded, which will include the teacher’s decision whether or not the practical training should be given a passing grade.

A student who has not received a written report with regard to doubt concerning the approval of the period of practical training, may nevertheless have his/her period of practical training assessed as failed. This may be the case if there are special reasons why the student in question during the last 3 weeks exhibits significant shortcomings in his/her skills, for instance, if a patient’s life has been exposed to danger. If this turns out to be the case, the studies leader should be contacted immediately. The head of the department should then summon a meeting between the student, teacher and supervisor. A protocol from the meeting should be kept with reasons given for the assessment made. The student should be given a copy of the protocol.

Each period of practical training must be assessed as passed in order for the student to continue on the study programme. A student who does not pass a period of practical training will not be allowed to continue on the next period of practical training. This student must therefore leave the study programme for the year in which they failed the period of practical training, with the consequence that the whole, or part of, the year in question will have to be re-taken.

Attendance

Students are required to participate (attend) skills instruction, workshop-weeks and the learning groups. The student must have an attendance rate of at least 75%.

Students are required to attend work on assessment assignments in groups. An attendance list must be kept, and the duration of each student’s attendance must be noted, which students must sign. The attendance requirement is absolute with no exceptions.

If the student does not fulfil the attendance requirement with regard to teaching or a group programme requirement, then the student will be given an “absence assignment”, which must be submitted within the stipulated deadline. If the student does not complete this individual assignment, then he/she will not be permitted to complete the next assessment assignment.

If the student does not meet the attendance requirement in skills instruction in the Clinical Skills Centre, he/she will not be permitted to take the practical skills test.

90% attendance of practical training is required with no exceptions. If the practical training is discontinued because of sickness or other justifiable reasons, at least one-half of the period of practical training must have been completed or assessed before the student will be allowed to continue on the programme. The remaining part of the period of practical training must be completed as soon as possible.

Participation in the university college’s official bodies and committees, as well as student organisations locally and nationally, is not counted as absenteeism as long as documentation is submitted.

The student should be familiar with his/her duty of professional confidentiality and must sign a declaration to this effect.

The University College’s regulations concerning cheating stipulate:

§ 15. Annulment of an examination or assignment, exclusion from the examination.

3.

Possession, use, or the attempt to use other aids than allowed by an examination or assignment, to present someone else’s work as their own, refusing to specify sources of quotations from others in the written work or in any way disregarding the conditions stipulated for a specific examination or assignment, when this is done intentionally or by gross negligence will be considered as cheating. Cf. also § 4-7 paragraph no. 1 b of the Act.

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