Study Guide

Descriptions

A Public Health Nurse is an expert in nursing whose tasks particularly focus in health promotion, preventive health care and activities for public health. The task of a public health nurseis to promote and maintain the health and well-being of the population, prevent and treat illnesses and reduce the adverse effects caused by health issues. The ability to make independent decisions in nursing, customer-oriented approach and multiprofessional roles are emphasized in the work of a public health nurse.To work in a nursing profession, you need a top-quality faculty for ethical, critical and professional thought and evidence-based decision-making. The expertise furthermore incorporates the ability for life-long learning, to develop your own activities and those of the work community, to foresee and renew the health care sector and to work in multicultural and international circumstances. Expertise furthermore encompasses the ability to engage in internal entrepreneurship and influencing in society. Work in public health nursing contributes to the achievement and formulation of society’s health policy objectives and to the advancement of sustainable development.

Graduates from the public health nursing programme are licensed as health care professionals
who are entitled to work as public health nurses and registered nurses.

The curriculum of the Degree Programme in Public Health Nursing is based on:
- The targets and future prospects of Finnish health policies that emphasize health promotion and the importance of responding to the population’s health issues
- Legislation on the practice of the profession and on universities of applied sciences
- International agreements and recommendations, especially the EU directives 2005/36/EC and 2013/55/EU
- The European Qualifications Framework (EQF), level 6 and National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (www.minedu.fi/OPM), level 6
- National nurse’s core competence requirements and evaluations (yleSHarviointi project)
- The Strategy of Turku University of Applied Sciences and other documents that govern education (such as the degree regulations).

Competence tracks, specialized fields and qualifications

Only a licensed professional, who has completed a degree in public health nursing, may work as a public health nurse.
The Degree Programme is governed by the EU directives 2005/36/EC and 2013/55/EU. Graduates from the public health nursing programme are entitled to practice the profession of a nurse and public health nurse as licensed health care professionals. Only a licensed professional, who has completed a degree in nursing, may work as a public health nurse and/or a nurse. After completing the degree, the students can
submit an application for the right to practice as a licensed health care professional to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). “Public health nurse” is a typical professional title of persons who have graduated with a degree in public health nursing, as is “nurse”.
Having completed the degree, a public health nurse may work in maternity clinics, schools, work places, private health care clinics, health centres, hospitals and other health care institutions, various types of organizations and as entrepreneurs.
Typical professional titles include: Public health nurse (and nurse)

The studies comprise:

CORE COMPETENCE
- Basic studies, 18 ECTS
- Professional studies, 100 ECTS
- Practical training, 107 ECTS

COMPLEMENTARY COMPETENCE
- Elective studies, 15 ECTS

The objective of basic studies is for students to adopt health promotion and an evidence-based, exploratory approach to work as the framework of their studies and as nursing professionals. An additional objective is for students to develop their communication skills and acquire the language skills referred to in the applicable Decree (A1120/2014).

The objective of professional studies is for students to internalize the principles of ethically high-quality, research-based procedures and health promotion. Students will learn to respond to the health problems of different age groups and become acquainted with the key issues and applications of the profession, as well as their scientific foundation, so that they are capable of working independently in expert duties and research & development work or as an entrepreneur in the field. Professional studies build on nursing knowledge, which students can link to the core knowledge from other disciplines essential to their profession.

Practical training promoting professional competence is an integral part of nursing studies. Students undergo practical training that promotes professional competence in various operating environments where they develop their understanding and competence of nursing, working towards their objectives as their studies advance. Practical training is supervised by a teacher of the university of applied sciences and it is carried out under the supervision of qualified health care personnel. The educational institution is responsible for integrating theoretical and clinical teaching throughout the studies. The environments in which practical training is carried out include different types of social welfare and health care environments.

The Bachelor’s thesis forms a part of the practical training that promotes professional skills and it is completed in close cooperation with the working life in various environments in the social services and health care. The goal of the Bachelor’s thesis is that students demonstrate their capacity for independent work and their ability to apply research-based information in nursing of a customer of health care services, at the patient or population-level and the development of nursing with a critical perspective.A maturity test is a part of the Bachelor’s thesis, and this is a written test in the field of the Bachelor’s thesis where students demonstrate their competence in the field and their skills in the Finnish language or the language in which they received their secondary education.


Elective studies deepen and broaden the students’ professional nursing competence.

Field-specific studies in public health nursing include professional studies and practical training that promotes professional competence in various health care work environments. The purpose of the field-specific studies is to gain a more in-depth expertise in public health nursing in health promotion, in the public health nursing of individuals, families, groups or communities, the promotion of environmental health and public health care work in society.

Feedback system

Students participate in the planning and performance of teaching in various working groups. They assess their learning and provide feedback on the planning and performance of teaching regarding individual courses, academic years and, towards the end of their studies, the entire degree programme. Student feedback is taken into account when developing the degree programme.

Career and further education opportunities

The Bachelor’s degree in public health nursing offers versatile career opportunities both in Finland and abroad. The degree allows for further education in the form of a Master’s degree or a second-cycle degree in a Finnish or foreign university. The student’s career development is supported throughout the studies.

Objective

The competence goals of the Degree Programme in Public Health Nursing are based on the European Union’s jointly defined directive, national legislation and nationally defined competence areas.

The degree in public health nursing encompasses the qualification to work as a licensed nurse responsible for general care. The formal qualifications of nurses responsible for general care are defined in the Directive 2013/55/EU and the competence goals have been defined at the national level. Based on the aforementioned, the nurse responsible for general care should meet the following requirements:
Expertise:
- To independently diagnose the nursing care required using current theoretical and clinical knowledge and to plan, organize and implement nursing care when treating patients
- To work effectively with other actors in the health sector, including participation in the practical training of health personnel
- To encourage individuals, families and groups towards healthy lifestyles and self-care
- To independently initiate immediate life-preserving measures and to carry out measures in crises and disaster situations.
- To independently give advice to, instruct and support persons needing care and their attachment figures
- To independently assure the quality of, and to evaluate, nursing care
- To comprehensively communicate professionally and to cooperate with members of other professions in the health sector
- To analyse the quality of care to improve one’s own professional practice as a nurse responsible for general care

Competence in:
- Professionalism, ethical behaviour, customer-oriented approach, communication and multiprofessional roles
- Health promotion
- Information technology, documentation and data management
- Manager and employee skills
- Guidance and training and supporting self-care
- Clinical nursing (basic clinical nursing skills, internal medicine nursing skills, surgical and perioperative nursing skills, child, adolescent and family nursing skills, mental health and substance abuse nursing skills, geriatric nursing skills, nursing skills in various service environments, skills in nursing patients who require special support, pharmacotherapy)
- Evidence-based activities, entrepreneurship and development
- Quality assurance and customer and patient safety
- The service system in social and health care services

In addition to the aforementioned, the following are determined as competence areas of public health nurses: Health promotion skills, Public health nursing of individuals, families, groups and communities, Environmental health promotion skills and Public health nursing skills in society.

The innovation competences defined by Turku University of Applied Sciences are integrated with the competences and expertise of the degree of public health nursing. The innovation competences comprise competences at individual, community and network levels and cover the following five competence dimensions: critical thinking, initiative, creativity, team work and networking.

The professional growth process proceeds according to the curriculum. Professional growth is supported throughout the studies. In the course of their studies, students carry out self-assessments with respect to the degree programme’s competence goals.

Development

The studies are based on the innovation pedagogy adopted by Turku University of Applied Sciences. Innovation pedagogy emphasizes multidisciplinary activities, research and development, flexible curricula, entrepreneurship in the service industry, as well as internationality. The innovation pedagogy is based on experimental learning, sharing information and competences and combining various perspectives. The goal is to develop the professional competence and innovation competences of students. Students are considered to be active, independent and responsible learners. Teachers establish ideal conditions for learning, support, encourage and guide as well as provide feedback on the student’s learning performance.

In the Degree Programme in Public Health Nursing, studying takes place at the higher education institution and social and health care units. Studies are planned, carried out and assessed in joint teams consisting of professionals from working life, students and teachers, by applying information, taking concrete actions and experimenting. Working life-oriented projects offer an opportunity to be involved in multidisciplinary and multiprofessional cooperation with companies from different sectors and other professionals.

Students have the opportunity to complete study units at any time of the year, but the majority of teaching is arranged in the autumn and spring semesters. Learning methods consist of a wide range of activity-enhancing contact teaching, online, project and simulation methods as well as practical training. Learning is supported with new, versatile digital online learning environments and modern learning facilities and equipment in the various environments offered by TUAS, the social and health services systems, Health Campus Turku and so on.

The overarching goal of study counselling and learning support is for students to progress in their studies in accordance with the curriculum. Developing expertise in nursing is a process in which students are supported by different forms of tutoring. Students will receive guidance from the very beginning of their studies, and a tutor teacher will be assigned to each student group. In addition, support from other teachers, study counsellors and other support personnel is available. Tutoring may be personal or designed for an entire group.

Students create individual study plans (ISP) to guide the progress of their studies in terms of schedules, content and methods. Under certain conditions, students can build their competence profile with studies completed at other Finnish or international higher education institutions or other educational institutions, provided that they are equivalent to the competence goals. Students may also apply for accreditation of equivalent competence acquired in another way. The student’s competence will be assessed on the basis of certificates or other proof. Students have the obligation to provide proof of their studies and competence.

Internationality is one dimension in the studies with the goal of promoting a wider perspective for the students, understanding different cultures and the ability to work in multicultural operating environments. International activities include taking courses taught in foreign languages, internationalization at home (e.g. tutoring exchange students), participation in International Semester studies, studying abroad, practical training abroad and participating in various seminars and international research and development projects. Subject to a separate agreement, studies abroad can be included in the degree completed in Finland without extending the duration of studies. The public health nursing degree includes 30 ECTS credits of studies in English.

Further information

The assessment of learning focuses on the development of and prerequisites for expertise. The assessment guides and develops learning and addresses both the learning process and learning results. The completion of the degree requires that the competence achieved corresponds with the competence goals set for general working life skills and the competence goals specific to public health nursing as well as with assessment criteria derived from these competence goals. The assessment criteria for each course are described at a general level in the curriculum and in more detail in the course implementation plan. Various methods are used in the assessment. Course are graded on a scale from 0 to 5 or with a Pass/Fail. For practical training to be approved, it must achieve the objectives and correspond with the ECTS scope defined in the curriculum. In addition, students receive oral or written feedback that helps them to recognize their own strengths and areas for development. In competence assessment, both the assessment criteria of general nursing are used as well as criteria that are specific to the university of applied sciences.

Continuous assessment supports students in setting and achieving targets. In addition to teachers’ assessments and self-assessment, performance can also be assessed by other students (peer assessment), working life instructors and other cooperation partners. The students’ adherence to the individual study plan (ISP) is monitored throughout their studies, and the plan is updated as the studies advance in development discussions with the tutor teacher and based on a self-assessment of innovation competences. Students are responsible for their study progress and for seeking guidance, if required.