050 Nursing, bachelor
Introduction
The curriculum for the Bachelor's degree programme in Nursing 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 on 25th January 2008 in relation to § 46 no. 2 in the Act no. 22 of 12th May 1995 relating to Universities and University Colleges.
The curriculum 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 in relation to § 46 no. 2 in the Act no. 22 of 12th May 1995 relating to Universities and University Colleges.
- Act relating to Universities and University Colleges no. 15 of 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 February 2005.
- The curriculum for Nursing Education at Telemark University College, 20th May 2005.
-
Regulations for Suitability Assessment for health and social studies, which came into force on 1st June 2006.
This revised edition of the curriculum is applicable to the new full time study programme which starts in 2009.
Target Group and Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the nursing programme, students 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 in accordance with the relevant deadlines for special accommodations at the beginning of their studies, during the course of their studies or in connection with examinations.
The programme is intended for persons who are motivated to work with people who are ill, who have the ability and desire to provide care and treatment and who will be able to meet the challenges and possibilities offered by the health services. Independence, a sense of responsibility, flexibility and a conscious, reflective approach to nursing practices are characteristics which are stressed in the programme.
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; and, in addition, nursing competence is developed through the interplay of theoretical and clinical studies.
It is a requirement today that nurses base their actions on the best available knowledge. Knowledge-based or research-based practice (“best practice”) is understood in this context as combining clinical experience and expertise with the best available knowledge from research.
From the 1st to the 3rd year, a gradual development of expertise in knowledge-based and systematic methodological approaches to problems is emphasised, particularly in nursing. 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
Further Education opportunities
The Bachelor study programme in Nursing provides the necessary requirements for admission to post-Bachelor studies such as: public health nurse; midwife; intensive, anaesthesia and surgery nursing; children’s nursing and mental health work. The programme also provides the basis for Master’s and PhD studies in Nursing Science. Telemark University College offers a Master’s degree in Multicultural Preventative Care with Children and Adolescents.
Curriculum and structure
The study programme in Nursing comprises 180 ECTS credits and consists of the following four major course units: The Professional and Scientific Foundation of Nursing; The Discipline of Nursing and the Foundation of the Nursing; Medical and Natural Science Subjects; and Social Science Subjects; cf. the national curriculum for nursing education, January 25th, 2008.
At Telemark University College, the Bachelor programme in Nursing is organised into 15 courses. A course is defined as the smallest unit for which ECTS credits are awarded that can be included in a study programme or degree. A course is assessed separately and the final grade is recorded on the diploma. Each academic year consists of 5 courses within one of the main areas of focus in the nursing programme. The courses are aimed at various target groups and professional functions through the three years as the table below illustrates.
Each academic year begins with an introductory course and is concluded with a synthesis course.
An optional English language module is also available.
Overview of the study units’ main focus, courses, target groups and nursing’s functions
|
Focus and courses |
Target group |
Nursing’s functions 1) |
|
|
Year 1 |
Basic Nursing
Course 4
Course 5 |
Healthy and vulnerable groups |
Health-promoting and preventative Instruction, Administration and Professional development |
|
Year 2 |
Nursing in the Special Health Services
Course 10 |
Acute, critical and chronically somatically ill |
Health-promoting and preventative
Habilitation and rehabilitation
Administration |
|
Year 3 |
Nursing in the Municipal Health Services
Course 14
Course 15
Course 16 |
Chronically ill and people with long-term loss of functions |
Health-promoting and preventative Treatment and relief of suffering
Habilitation and rehabilitation Administration Professional development |
1) Every academic year some of nursing’s functions are emphasised. This does not exclude the other functions.
Studies progression
The student must have passed the individual skills test in practical nursing skills (course unit 5A), before starting on clinical studies in the first year.
The student must have completed and passed all the year 1 courses (clinical studies, assignments, skills’ tests, exercises and examinations) before starting on assignments, skills’ tests, exercises and examinations for year 2.
The medication calculation test must be passed before the student can start on clinical studies in the special health services in year 2.
Students who have not passed the theoretical requirements for year 1 must suspend their studies before the clinical studies begin in the 3rd semester. The student may attempt to take the examination again when the next regular examination is held.
The student must have completed and passed all the year 2 courses (clinical studies, assignments, skills’ tests, exercises and examinations) before starting on assignments, skills’ tests, exercises and examinations for year 3.
Students who have not passed the theoretical requirements for year 2 must suspend their studies before October 1st in the fifth semester and sit a new examination when the next regular examination is held.
Programme assignments in connection with the clinical studies must be completed within the actual period of practical experience in order to gain a pass mark for the period.
Course assignments must be submitted and approved in order to take the course examination.
Teaching and Learning Methods
In the resource lectures and classroom teaching theoretical subject material will be presented and discussed. Relevant topics will be examined, analysed and problematised in the light of related research or development work.
Students will engage actively with the programme material through self-study and work on programme assignments and project work, both individually and in groups. Students participate in learning-groups with appointed supervisors. The learning-group will regularly submit notes to the supervisor who will provide comments on the learning process and outcome. Work may also be presented to the other students and teachers in the seminars.
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 in which the focus will be to reflect on, actively engage in and analyse clinical experiences, and integrate theoretical knowledge, further develop understanding and their own attitudes.
Through written work in theoretical and clinical studies students will develop the ability to describe and justify their actions, which is vital for the development of professional competence in nursing.
Use of ICT will be an important tool in the studies. The web-based platform Fronter will be used to distribute teaching material, submit course assignments and assessment assignments / examination answers.
Students will have access to a PC in the college’s computer lab.
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 organisational conditions and effective working structures. Other important factors are: clear agreements between the college and the practical experience institutions; an open and inclusive working environment; an environment which perceives the students 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 with the will and ability to treat the student as an individual.
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 nursing programme has a comprehensive programme for international activities.
Apart from teacher exchanges, research work and cooperation with regard to the development of modules and curricula, the Department has established exchange agreements for students who wish to take parts of their regular Bachelor degree abroad. 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, as well as Socrates-Erasmus via networks and bilateral agreements. The students in the Bachelor programme in Nursing may sign agreements with foreign universities for periods of between 4 – 12 weeks.
In addition, students may participate in a 14-day “Intensive Programme”, which is financed by Socrates and Nordplus. Furthermore, the Department also has agreements of intention with nursing programmes in the USA regarding an alternative nursing module (4 weeks), as well as contacts with voluntary organisations in Africa and Asia regarding the opportunity of participating in 4-week visiting-student programmes. As a rule these are completed during the 3rd year.
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 cross-cultural nursing and cross-cultural communication. The parts of the programme that are open for optional study periods abroad are described in the curriculum. During the 3rd year students also have the option of taking an English language course in nursing (4 ECTS); this is offered to the Department’s own students and to exchange students visiting the college.
Theory and Practical Training
Practical studies (clinical studies) and preparatory studies for practical training comprise 90 ECTS.
Overview of the periods of practical training:
Clinical studies in a nursing home (focus on basic nursing): 3 weeks in the 2nd semester.
Clinical studies in health-promoting and preventative nursing: 3 weeks in the 2nd semester.
Clinical studies in the medical ward: 10 weeks in the 3rd or 4th semester.
Clinical studies in the surgery ward: 10 weeks in the surgery ward in the 3rd or 4th semester.
Clinical studies in mental health: 8 weeks in the 5th or 6th semester.
Clinical studies in home nursing: 8 weeks in the 5th or 6th semester.
Clinical studies in a nursing home (focus on research-based nursing of the elderly) 4 weeks in 5th or 6th semester.
Optional clinical specialisation or period of practical training abroad (related to Bachelor’s thesis (4 weeks in 5th or 6th semester.
Assessment Methods
Telemark University College examination regulations, adopted by the board December 15th, 2005, are applicable for all the examinations and comprise all the assessments that form the basis of a grade (cf. regulation § 1). 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.
Final 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.
Assignment: The term is a collective term that refers to forms of assessment other than examinations, cf. §8 in the regulations.
Various forms of assessment are used in the Bachelor programme, such as: examinations, assessment assignments, skills’ test, assessment of clinical studies, home assignments and project work etc. The term “assessment assignment” is used for course assignments that are assessed as pass/fail or with a graded mark. Before a “fail” mark is given, at least two of the department’s teachers will have evaluated the assignment.
Examinations, tests, assessment assignments and skills’ tests may be re-taken three times during the course of studies. As a general guideline, there will be an opportunity to retake examinations, and assignments 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 test or examination is held. The course plans for clinical studies provide detailed descriptions of the assessment arrangements and criteria.
The term programme requirement is used to refer to various types of course 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 course.
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.
Attendance
Students are required to participate (attend) skills instruction, resource lectures, work in learning-groups, work with assessment assignments, project work in groups as well as other parts of the study programme, as described in the course descriptions and lesson plans. The student must have an attendance rate of at least 75%.
Students are required to attend examinations and assessment assignments in groups. This attendance requirement is mandatory with no exceptions. An attendance list must be kept for assessment assignments in groups / group examinations; the duration of each student’s attendance must be noted, which students must sign. The supervisor will check the attendance list. If a student’s requirement for attendance of a group examination is not approved, the mark “fail” will be given. However, the student will be given the opportunity to retake this examination.
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.
If the student does not fulfil the attendance requirement with regard to teaching or a group programme requirement, then the teacher/supervisor as a rule will provide the student with a new individual assignment (“absence assignment”), which the student must submit within the stipulated deadline. If the student does not complete this individual assignment, then he/she will not be permitted to take the course examination.
If the student does not meet the attendance requirement in skills instruction in KFS (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. An attendance list will be kept for each student, which will indicate the time each session started and its duration; the contact person at the practical training institution will sign the list. The attendance lists will be checked by the supervisor, and any absence will be noted on the assessment form.
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 along lines agreed on by the Head of Department.
The course descriptions provide a detailed description of the assessment arrangements and criteria.
The programme emphasises a gradual development of competence from the first to the third years in scientific theoretical and methodological approaches especially within the field of nursing. With regards to forms of assessment it is required that research literature is used in the guidelines for assessment of student presentations.
External candidates
Individual assessment is only available for external candidates in the course 050E03-1 AF Examination in anatomy and physiology.
The following grading system is used:
|
A |
Excellent |
An excellent performance, clearly outstanding. The candidate demonstrates excellent judgement and a high degree of independent thinking. |
|
B |
Very good |
A very good performance, which is above average. Shows independent thinking. |
|
C |
Good |
An average performance, which is satisfactory in the most important areas. |
|
D |
Satisfactory |
Below-average performance, with significant shortcomings. |
|
E |
Sufficient |
A performance that meets the minimum criteria, but no more. |
|
F |
Fail |
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.
Assessment of clinical studies
Assessment is a continuous and obligatory part of clinical studies. The assessments are made in relation to the year’s general aims and the specific aims of the student. In 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 (“contact-nurse”) will have submitted an evaluation report; the report will be written by the teacher and supervisor in consultation with the 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. This meeting may be held in conjunction with the mid-term assessment. 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 department 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. The decision to fail a student’s period of practical training cannot be challenged, unless a procedural error has occurred. This means that it is not possible to submit a complaint regarding the assessment that serves as the basis for the decision to fail a student.
The University College’s regulations concerning cheating stipulate:
§ 15. Annulment of an examination or assignment, exclusion from the examination.
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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
Publisert av / forfatter Live Kaasa <Live.KaasaSPAMFILTER@hit.no>, last modified Elin Nordbø - 19/03/2013