Study Guide

Descriptions

DESCRIPTION OF STUDIES
A Bachelor of Emergency Nursing is an expert in emergency care. The objective of the studies is to provide the competence that an emergency nurse needs when working as an expert of emergency care and nursing. Emergency nurses carry out independent work as expert nurses in cooperation with various professional groups. The task of an emergency nurse is to address sudden changes in the health of people, identify high-risk patients and treat them in accordance with the agreed guidelines. To be able to work in the profession, you need a top quality faculty for ethical, critical and professional thought and evidence-based decision-making. Expertise in the field incorporates the ability to pursue 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 contexts. One part of the expertise is the ability to engage in entrepreneurship and influencing in society. Work in emergency care contributes to the achievement and formulation of society’s health policy objectives and to the advancement of sustainable development. Once you have graduated as an emergency nurse, you can work in the tasks of an emergency nurse and/or registered nurse. A graduate with a degree in emergency nursing will be entitled to work as a nurse as a licensed health care professional.

The curriculum of the Degree Programme in Emergency Care 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
- The competence descriptions drawn up by the work group for health care education in universities of applied sciences (Terveysalan ammattikorkeakoulutus 2005) appointed by the Ministry of Education (www.minedu.fi/julkaisut/)
- 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)
- National emergency nurse competence descriptions (2017) (Appendix 1)
- 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 nursing, may work as an emergency nurse/nurse (Health Care Professionals Act 559/1994). The Degree Programme in Emergency Nursing/Nursing is governed by the EU directives 2005/36/EC and 2013/55/EU. After graduation, students may submit an application for the right to practice as a licensed health care professional to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). Graduates with a degree in emergency nursing are licensed under the professional title of “nurse”, even though emergency nurses are entitled to work both as emergency nurses and nurses. After completing the degree, an emergency nurse can work in various types of private and public social and health care services, in the third sector or as a self-employed professional (typical titles include: emergency nurse and nurse).

The studies comprise:

CORE COMPETENCE
- Basic studies, 9 ECTS
- Professional studies, 106 ECTS
- Practical training, 90 ECTS
- Advanced competence 20 ECTS

COMPLEMENTARY COMPETENCE
- Elective studies, 15 ECTS


The objective of basic studies is for students to adopt an evidence-based exploratory work approach, as well as to develop their communication skills and acquire the language skills referred to in the Government Decree 1120/2014.

The objective of professional studies is that students internalize the principles of ethically high-quality, research-based procedures and the competence needed in emergency care and nursing. 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 the studies of an emergency nurse. Students undergo practical training that promotes professional competence in various operating environments where they develop their understanding of and competence in 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 service and health care environments.

The goal of advanced studies in emergency care is to provide more in-depth expertise in emergency care at the level of an individual, family, group and community and the society, among other things.

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. The thesis makes up a part of the practical training and it is completed in close cooperation with various environments of social and health care services. 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. They generally deal with topics in the field of advanced studies.

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
A Bachelor’s degree in emergency 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

In the Degree Programme in Emergency Care and Nursing, the competence goals are based on the European Union’s jointly defined Directive, national legislation and nationally defined competence areas. The degree in emergency care 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 family members
- 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 (elements: 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 for emergency nurses:
Assessment of the need for care and decision-making, Advanced-level emergency care that ensures patient safety, Emergency medicine and pharmacology, Use of emergency care technology and Emergency care service system.

The innovation competences defined by Turku University of Applied Sciences are integrated with the competences and expertise of the degree of emergency care 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. The teacher creates conditions for learning, supports, encourages and guides as well as provides feedback on the student’s learning performance.

In the Degree Programme in Emergency Care, 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.

The goal of international activities is for students to broaden their world view and learn to understand different cultures and work in multicultural 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 degree programme 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 the degree in emergency care 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 and advanced level emergency care are used as well as assessment 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 advancing their studies and for seeking guidance whenever necessary.