Study Guide

Descriptions

GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND PROGRAMME PROFILE OF THE BACHELOR OF HEALTH CARE, NURSING (UAS) DEGREE
Those who have completed the Bachelor of Health Care (UAS) degree are experts in nursing, tasked to care for, help and support the health of individuals and communities, providing people affected by illness, disability or death with power and strength to cope. The work of a nurse is independent and responsible, carried out in line with the values, professional ethics and legislation concerning the vocation. Nurses work in various environments, such as the client’s or patient’s home, different services within the social and health care and third sector as well as digital service environments in both in Finland and abroad. Nurses are responsible for the process and decision-making in the nursing process.

The degree programme in nursing at Lapland University of Applied Sciences (UAS) focuses on the special competence needed in remote and digital services and case management. These focus areas reflect the strategic choices in line with the Lapland University Consortium’s profile, of which Future Services And Reachability, in particular, guides the learning objectives, content and methods supporting the learning of the nursing programme students.

Overarching themes in the curriculum include remote services, digitalisation, nature-based Green Care methods and internationality. The training also provides capabilities for business and entrepreneurship.

CONTENT OF THE DEGREE

The structure of the studies is laid down in the Government Decree on the University of Applied Sciences (1129/2014), and the structure of the degree programme in nursing (210 credits) is as follows:
1) Basic and professional studies 115 credits, including research, development and innovation methods 5 credits
2) Free-choice electives 5 credits
3) Practical training 90 credits, including a thesis 15 credits

The purpose of the basic and professional studies is to provide an extensive range of practically-oriented basic knowledge and skills, along with the theoretical foundation for working in health care specialist positions or as an entrepreneur and also to gain the capabilities for professional development and continuous learning. The aim of free-choice electives is to deepen and complement professional competence and strengthen Finnish language skills. The objective of practical training is to provide a guided orientation into the practical work tasks that are central for professional studies, in particular, and the application of knowledge and skills in working life. Places of practical training may include hospitals, health centres, the private sector, hospital wards, outpatient clinics, organisations and home care services.

The curriculum is based on courses provided over seven semesters, with the focus on the nurse’s core competence, profiling competence and research and development competence. Core competence refers to the competence included in the competence requirements and content for general nurses
(https://blogi.savonia.fi/ylesharviointi/2020/01/15/competence-requirements-and-contents-180-ects-credits-for-general-nurse-education/). Within the scope of the curriculum, Finnish language studies are studied for 15 credits and the last semester of studies is conducted in Finnish. Finnish language studies are integrated into several courses that develop professional Finnish language skills and assess oral and written language skills.
Swedish-language studies are similarly integrated into a single core competency course. English and Finnish-language communication skills will be developed for the entire duration of the studies, and they will be evaluated annually under various courses.

During the final semester, students can achieve profiling competence through specific nursing studies (30 credits) of their choosing, including remote and digital services and case management. Profiling competence can also be supplemented by free-choice elective studies (5 credits) from other fields of study, from the offering of the University of Lapland and other universities or by participating in Lapland University of Applied Sciences’ projects and innovation activities.

Research and development competence includes 5 credits of research and development studies and a thesis worth 15 credits. The extent of the practical training is 90 credits consisting of core competence, profiling competence and a thesis. The thesis is a practical and genuine working-life development task.

The curriculum is based on the competence areas required in working life, i.e. competencies that are divided into nationally defined nursing training competencies and the shared UAS degree competences of Lapland UAS. Nurse training competencies include the following:
- professionalism and ethics
- client-centred care
- communication and multi-professionalism
- health promotion
- leadership and professional co-operation skills of the employee
- information technology and documentation
- guidance and education competence and supporting self-care
- clinical nursing
- evidence-based practice, utilisation of research knowledge and decision-making
- entrepreneurship and development
- quality management
- service system of health care and social welfare services, and
- patient and client safety.

The shared competencies of Lapland UAS, i.e. Learning skills, Ethical competence and responsibility and Work community competence are integrated into the nursing training competencies and evaluated in conjunction with the evaluation of programme-specific competencies. Professional growth of the nursing students is supported throughout the studies. The student progresses from becoming familiar with nursing in the 1st academic year to gaining experience in nursing in the 2nd academic year, applying competence in nursing care in the 3rd academic year and developing nursing in care in the 4th academic year, after which the student has gained competence in the areas of working life and nurse training.


IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF THE STUDIES
The curriculum is competence-based, and working life and branches of industry are present in learning. Studying and guidance are provided flexibly on campus, in various network and simulation environments and practical training. Competences acquired through previous studies or work experience can be identified by various proof of competence. The pedagogisation of work is an alternative way to study, in which the competence required for a degree is acquired through working and can be included in the studies as a credit transfer. Internationalisation is implemented in many forms, such as the utilisation of foreign-language source materials, internationalisation at home, studies and practical training abroad as well as various seminars and international research and development projects.

Learning is guided by methods of constructive assessment involving students, teachers and working life. Constructive assessment entails the assessment of the learning process and competence. Essential methods in the assessment of the learning process are self-assessment and feedback. The assessment is based on the learning goals of the course in question. The competence assessment will utilise the assessment methods for the clinical core competence of nurses and the national examination developed and tested within the yleSHarviointi project in accordance with the national guidelines.

Nurse training studies, or parts thereof, can be utilised in personal study pathways, competence development of those in working life as well as various path and route studies. With two years of work experience, UAS Bachelor’s degree provides eligibility for completing a Master’s degree through further studies. Studies can also be continued at a Master’s degree programme at a university in Finland or abroad.