Study Guide

Descriptions

The Degree Programme in Nursing is a flexible and familiar program with many international students. We educate culturally competent registered nurses in a multicultural environment. The nursing profession is a people-oriented work in a variety of social and healthcare environments and is based on evidence-based nursing. In addition to nursing science, students study public health sciences, medical subjects, behavioral and natural sciences such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and drug administration. Other important key topics are interprofessional learning and communication and preventive and resource-enhancing approaches to promote patient health. The Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030 has been implemented in the curriculum as competencies. Patient safety is crucial in nursing care and our curriculum is based on the World Health Organization Patient Safety Curriculum (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241501958)

The focus lies on international cooperation and we encourage our students to do parts of their studies at our partner universities or as free mover students. Traditional lectures on-site and online, together with project-, individual- and group works, simulations, case studies, practical exercises, and clinical examinations are well-established teaching methods within the program

The examination language is English and all literature used is in English. However, a prerequisite for participating in the clinical study module Clinical Nursing Practice is basic knowledge of Finnish or Swedish, taught during the first year of study. Gradually, during study time, the students need to use Swedish and/or Finnish during lectures and internships in order to be prepared for the working environment in Finland. The language used in the internships in Finland is Swedish and Finnish and the students are expected to use Swedish or Finnish during the internships. To get the Finnish nursing registration the Swedish or Finnish language must be on a sufficient level https://www.valvira.fi/web/en/healthcare/professional_practice_rights/language_proficiency.

The studies consist of Core Studies, Professional Studies, Practice and a Bachelor’s Thesis.
The Core Studies are basic studies such as languages while the Professional Studies focus on Clinical Competence, Professional development and Nursing Research. The practice consists of internships in patient-centered care in a clinical environment, in hospitals, or in community care.
Practice is conducted from the second semester with 4–10-week periods in social and health care in health centers, hospitals, nursing homes, counseling and other health care facilities. Clinical studies may be partly located outside the hometown and the place of study. It is not guaranteed the practice is located to the city.
The main focus is on nursing care in a global perspective and cultural competence. The students can, through their Thesis and last clinical study module, focus on their special field within nursing.

Objective

Formal qualifications (DIRECTIVE 2013/55/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL) as a nurse responsible for general care shall provide evidence that the professional in question is able to apply at least the following competences:
- competence to independently diagnose the nursing care required using current theoretical and clinical knowledge and to plan, organize and implement nursing care
- competence to work together effectively with other actors in the health sector, including participation in the practical training of health personnel
- competence to empower individuals, families and groups towards healthy lifestyles and self-care
- competence to independently initiate life- preserving immediate measures and to carry out measures in crises and disaster situations
- competence to independently give advice to, instruct and support persons needing care and their attachment figures
- competence to independently assure the quality of and to evaluate nursing care
- competence to comprehensively communicate professionally and to cooperate with members of other professions in the health sector
- competence to analyze the care quality to improve her own professional practice as a nurse responsible for general care