Study Guide

Descriptions

The Master School of Turku University of Applied Sciences prepares the students to work as experts and leaders in advanced expert roles and as reformers of the working life. The Master’s degree opens the doors to new career development and provides Finland with more competitive knowledge. Master School education is divided into two paths: the Leadership Excellence path develops students to become superiors or leaders and the Professional Excellence path focuses on expert level tasks that require advanced knowledge. The Master's Degree Programme in Advanced Practice – Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Diseases is part of the Professional path. The School of Professional Excellence focuses on developing the skills and competences needed as a specialist in the selected discipline. During the studies, students can focus on the challenges in their own field and on the future environments. After graduation, the student has developed and reformed working life, has created new networks and is prepared to operate in demanding expert and development tasks. The education creates abilities to act independently in advanced expert tasks that require specific competence and to renew and develop patient-centred and evidence based services for patients with non-communicable diseases or their close relatives. The demanding specific level competence will be extended during the education. The competence achieved corresponds to the competence objectives of an international advanced expert (Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Nurse, Advanced Clinical Practitioner). Characteristic features in the role of an advanced practitioner are a more independent role at work than earlier, co-ordinating and consulting tasks and development of evidence based practice in one’s own work and in the work community. An essential point is to recognise the needs and services of the patients with non-communicable diseases and to master service counselling for them and for their close relatives.

The main tuition language is Finnish. The studies are also conducted in English and English learning materials are used. The student has an opportunity to participate in the international research, development and innovation projects (RDI) in which the working language is English.

The Master’s degree composes of core competences, complementary competences and Master’s thesis. Part of the mandatory core competence studies are common for all Professional programmes and part are specific for the Advanced Practice – Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Diseases . Complementary competence studies include elective studies that can be taken freely from the other TUAS Master’s programmes or from the Master’s programmes of other universities. In most cases, the thesis is done as a working life development project. The main contents of the advanced professional studies in Advanced Practice – Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Diseases are clinical expertise and decision making in the prevention and care of non-communicable diseases, client counselling, digital services, utilisation of technology and competence development of work communities. Prevention of non-communicable diseases through different methods at the individual, the community and the population levels is the core of an advanced practice nurse’s work. Other core competencies of an advanced practice nurse are the comprehensive assessment and clinical examination of the client’s health and both medical and non-medical treatments. Medication of non-communicable diseases is studied also from the point of view of clinical pharmacology. Promotion of adherence to care, supporting self-care and rehabilitation as well as patient-/client counselling with different methods and dialogic communication are emphasised. Collaboration with the third sector and people with experiential knowledge is emphasised as well. Technology, data systems and digital services that support the care are explored from different points of view and at different levels; they are also connected to knowledge management. Additionally, strategy-based development of the staff’s competence and work community dynamics are included in the contents of the education.

The extent of the study programme is 90 ECTS.

The studies are composed of:
· Compulsory core competences 40 ECTS
· Elective complementary competences 20 ECTS
· Master’s thesis 30 ECTS.

The studies include e-learning, independent work and contact sessions. The contact sessions are arranged once a month during one or two days on average. However, there can be more contact days due to the individual course selections. The contact sessions consist of counselling, expert lectures and seminar work. The planned length of the studies is two (2) years. The advanced professional studies (30 ECTS) in Advanced Practice – Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Diseases -education are implemented in collaboration with a national network, mainly as online studies. In addition to TUAS, the network consists of Tampere and SAVONIA University of Applied Sciences. Each university is responsible for two 5 ECTS study modules. These studies may require the student to travel to other cities and cover the travel costs him/herself.

The thesis is a development project which is done in co-operation with working life and projects and in which the student acts as the project manager. The thesis can be carried out in TUAS research projects, development projects and innovation projects or in the working life environment. Other studies can be connected to the development project where applicable. The thesis is implemented according to the tripartite model. This means collaboration between the student, the teacher tutor and the working life coach throughout the process. The financier also co-operates when necessary. A steering and project team representing a wide range of expertise will be established for the development project to support its implementation.

A graduated student can work/act in different national or international expert tasks, development and management tasks as well as teaching tasks.

Job titles can be e.g. Designer, Expert, Project Manager, Development manager, Service Manager, Case manager, Team Leader, Co-ordinator of Care, Head of Department, Teacher

A Master’s degree awarded by a university of applied sciences provides the same eligibility for public posts as a university degree. The education provide general competences in management and development tasks. In the social and health sector, besides the general eligibility conditions, there are also sector-specific regulations for eligibility for management positions. Extensive development and expertise in the field makes national and international mobility possible. The education follows the European Qualification Framework (EQF) proficiency level descriptions and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) proficiency descriptions. The level corresponding to the university of applied sciences Master’s degree is 7.

Students have the opportunity to complete part of their studies outside Finland at higher education institutions with which Turku University of Applied Sciences has signed a co-operation agreement. Students can also engage in internationalisation by participating in intensive events organised by international networks, as well as in international conferences and projects. Our Master School international seminar, organised once a year, is part of the Master studies. Part of the studies can be implemented in English.

The cooperation with the working life organisations and networking are a part of the studies. In the RDI projects, the cooperation can also be extended to international universities and to the international working life partners. It is possible for the student to apply for the right to complete JOO-studies (JOO-opinto) at the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi, Diakonia, Yrkeshögskolan Novia and Humak-University of Applied Sciences. In Advanced Practice – Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Diseases -education TUAS works in close cooperation with Tampere and SAVONIA University of Applied Sciences. Also patient organisations and service user educators are involved in the cooperation.

The aim of the research group in the Social Services and Health Care Master School is to promote leadership, the evaluation and development of the social welfare and health care systems through multidisciplinary expertise. The focus areas are knowledge-based management, customer-focused operational models and new solutions at interfaces, high-quality care and services for the senior citizens, competence and expertise in the renewing and increasingly multicultural operational environment and, additionally, higher education, employment and career paths.

A Master’s degree awarded by a university of applied sciences provides eligibility for further academic studies as well as for applying for professional teacher education. Universities may set conditions on granting rights for further studies in the form of e.g. supplementary studies. The degree gives the competency to apply into the vocational teacher training.

Objective

After completing the programme, the student is able to:

· practise as an advanced practitioner in the care and prevention of non-communicable diseases in

accordance with the legislation demonstrating accountability, professional integrity and ethical conduct

· identify the needs and services of patients with non-communicable diseases and master the principles of case management / service counselling in addressing the patient’s and his/her close relatives’ needs

· strengthen the involvement of a patient in planning and carrying out self-care

· renew and develop person-centred and evidence-based services in order to support the care, self-care and rehabilitation of the patients with non-communicable diseases

· utilise widely versatile digital services, technology and electronic systems as a support in patient care and counselling

· develop organisational modes of action that support multi-professional co-operation and well-being and professional development of the employees

· enhance dissemination and exploitation of evidence-base

Development

From a pedagogical perspective, teaching is based on a socio-cultural learning concept and on innovation-boosting learning and development practices by using innovation pedagogy. The students are encouraged to engage in active, critical thinking, to deepen their field-specific competence and to systematically build their fundamental knowledge of development. It is possible to complete the studies while working full-time. On average, there are two contact days per month. Teaching is carried out utilising innovative teaching and learning methods (Innopeda). The studies contain both contact and distance learning. Part of the studies are conducted online and in multidisciplinary environments. The studies include independent work and working in multidisciplinary teams. The development tasks from the working life are utilised.

The advanced professional studies (30 credits) in Advanced Practice – Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Diseases education are implemented in co-operation with a network, mainly as online studies in collaboration with Tampere and SAVONIA University of Applied Sciences. Each university is responsible for two 5 ECTS study units. The studies may require travelling to different cities. Travelling expenses must be paid by the student herself/himself.

Further information

The objectives for the skills levels in a Master’s degree are based on the legislation on universities of applied sciences and the European Qualification Framework (EQF). The level corresponding to a Master’s degree is level 7. Assessment focuses on competence and its development. The assessment criteria for each course are described in its implementation plan. The course assessment methods vary according to the objectives of the study module. Assessment may focus on the outcome (for instance, a report or a seminar presentation), on the process (the student’s own activity and actions during the course) or on both. Students receive regular feedback on their performance from their teachers. Peer- and self-assessment as well as client organisation feedback on performance are also utilised. The degree assessment framework is used as the basis for the assessment.

The prerequisite for the approval of the study module is completing the parts which belong to it according to the curriculum. The studies that have been passed are graded on a scale of 1 to 5 or accepted or completed.