Study Guide

Descriptions

A Bachelor of Nursing is a nursing expert. The objective of the studies is to provide the competence that a nurse needs in his or her work. The task of a nurse who has completed these studies is 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. Another objective of the studies is to respond to the increasing complexity of health issues, to challenges brought along by technological development and to internationalization. In addition, the service structure’s shift towards outpatient care requires high-quality, comprehensive and multiprofessional competence and cooperation from future health care professionals. To work in the profession, you need a solid faculty for ethical, critical and professional thought and decision-making. Expertise encompasses the ability to develop and revise operations based on research results, follow evidence-based nursing practices, work as an entrepreneur, handle international duties, influence social issues and engage in life-long learning. Nurses work in various private and public social and health care services, in the third sector or as an entrepreneur. Nurses carry out independent nursing expert work in cooperation with various professional groups.

The curriculum of the Degree Programme in Nursing is based on:
- International agreements and recommendations, especially EU directives 2005/36/EC and 2013/55/EU https://www.google.fi/search?q=2013%2F55%2Feu+directive&rlz=1C1GGRV_enFI752FI752&oq=2013%2F55%2FEY&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l5.2805j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
- Legislation on the practice of the profession http://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/1994/en19940559.pdf
- The European Qualifications Framework (EQF), level 6 https://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/search/site?f%5B0%5D=im_field_entity_type%3A97
- The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (www.minedu.fi/OPM), level 6
- The publication Sairaanhoitajan ammatillinen osaaminen (“A nurse’s professional competence”, 2013) https://www.epressi.com/media/userfiles/15014/1442254031/loppuraportti-sairaanhoitajan-ammatillinen-osaaminen.pdf



The studies comprise:

CORE COMPETENCE
• Basic studies, 24 ECTS
• Professional studies, 81 ECTS, including 15 ECTS of optional studies
• Practical training, 75 ECTS, including 20 ECTS of optional studies
COMPLEMENTARY COMPETENCE
• Bachelor’s thesis, 15 ECTS
• Elective studies, 15 ECTS
The pedagogic cornerstone at Turku University of Applied Sciences is innovation pedagogy that aims at the development of innovation competences (critical thinking, initiative, creativity, team work and networking). In nursing studies, innovation pedagogy and its targets intersect with / are integrated into all studies.

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

The objective of professional studies is for students to internalize the principles of ethically high-quality procedures and health promotion. Students will 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 the profession and as an entrepreneur in the field. Professional studies build on nursing knowledge, which students can link to the core knowledge and emerging electronic equipment from other disciplines essential to their profession.

Practical training is an integral part of nursing studies (75 ECTS, 2,025 hours (EU Directive 2013/55/EU). Students carry out part of their training in classroom and simulation exercises at their own institution. This will strengthen and develop their basic competence and enable them to continue their studies in various care and operating environments. During practical training, students systematically develop their understanding of and competence in care and treatment, working towards their objectives from course to course. Practical training is supervised by qualified staff and a teacher of the university of applied sciences. It is carried out under the supervision of qualified health care personnel in units equipped with a sufficient number of qualified nursing staff and appropriate equipment for patient care. The university of applied sciences is responsible for integrating theoretical and clinical teaching throughout the studies. Practical training meets the requirement of training promoting professional competence. The student may apply for work carried out in an employment relationship to be recognized as the practical training defined in the curriculum, provided that the work corresponds with the degree programme pursued by the student.

In the Bachelor’s thesis (15 ECTS), students demonstrate their capacity for independent work and their ability to use research-based information with a critical perspective. Bachelor’s theses are linked to R&D and entrepreneurial studies. In the maturity test, written in the field of the Bachelor’s thesis, 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 (15 ECTS) deepen and broaden the students’ professional nursing competence.


COMPETENCE TRACKS, SPECIALIZED FIELDS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Only a licensed professional, who has completed a degree in nursing, may work as a nurse (Health Care Professionals Act 559/1994). 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). The professional title is “nurse”.

Nurses graduating from Turku University of Applied Sciences can deepen their competence in different aspects of Southwest Finland’s strong area, that is: specialized health care, such as intensive care, emergency room care, mental health care and paediatric nursing. In addition, a special strength is the opportunity to concentrate on health care services for the people living in sparsely populated areas, such as the archipelago, and services for the Swedish-speaking population.


FEEDBACK SYSTEM

Students participate in the planning of teaching and its implementation in different working groups. They assess their learning and provide feedback on the planning and implementation of teaching regarding individual courses, modules, semesters and, towards the end of their studies, the entire degree programme. Student feedback is taken into account when developing education.


CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER EDUCATION

The Bachelor’s degree in nursing offers versatile career opportunities both in Finland and abroad. The degree opens the door to further education in the form of a Master’s degree or a second-cycle degree in a higher education institution in Finland or abroad. The student’s career development is supported throughout the studies.

Objective

The innovation competences defined by Turku University of Applied Sciences are integrated with the competences of the nursing studies. 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.

In the Degree Programme in Nursing, the competence goals are based on the European Union’s jointly defined Directive, national legislation and nationally defined competence areas.

The formal qualifications of nurses responsible for general care defined in the Directive 2013/55/EU:
a) The competence to independently diagnose the nursing care required using current theoretical and clinical knowledge and to plan, organize and implement nursing care when treating patients
b) The competence to work effectively with other actors in the health sector, including participation in the practical training of health personnel
c) The competence to encourage individuals, families and groups towards healthy lifestyles and self-care
d) The competence to independently initiate life-preserving immediate measures and to carry out measures in crises and disaster situations
e) The competence to independently give advice to, instruct and support persons needing care and their attachment figures
f) The competence to independently assure the quality of, and to evaluate, nursing care
g) The competence to comprehensively communicate professionally and to cooperate with members of other professions in the health sector
h) The competence to analyse the care quality to improve one’s own professional practice as a nurse responsible for general care

Nationally defined competence areas in the Degree Programme in Nursing
Customer-driven approach
Ethical and professional standards in nursing
Leadership and entrepreneurship
Clinical nursing practice
Evidence-based work and decision-making
Guidance and teaching skills
Promotion of health and functional capacity
Social and health care operating environment
Quality and safety of social and health services

The professional nursing competence develops through the following learning phases:
1 Expert in the fundamentals of nursing
The student will learn the basic information and skills required of a Bachelor of Health Care in nursing that are needed in studies and in working life. The student will establish a foundation for his or her professional identity as a nurse.

2 Expert in the different fields of nursing
The student will learn the basics of the different fields of nursing and become proficient in nursing practice.
The student will continue to grow professionally and his/her professional identity will become clearer.

3 Expert in special questions related to nursing
The student will learn about and becomes proficient in special questions related to nursing and will be introduced to the basics of nursing development. The student’s professional identity will strengthen, and the student will become more dedicated to the profession.

4 Expert in nursing
The student will deepen his or her professional competence and learn to work independently. The student will find his or her professional identity as a nurse and will be able to develop as a professional.

Development

The studies are based on the innovation pedagogy adopted by Turku University of Applied Sciences, which emphasizes multidisciplinarity, research and development, flexible curricula, entrepreneurship in the service industry, as well as internationality. The innovation pedagogy is based on experimental learning, the sharing of information and competence and the combination of 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 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.

Studies in the degree programme are based on modules. A module refers to units with a scope larger than a single course or a field of competence that helps students deal with comprehensive materials. To ensure competence development, studies progress according to the principles agreed upon in the degree programme. Students can also take summer courses at the digital eAMK service, for instance. As part of their basic studies, students complete entrepreneurial studies, in addition to which students may, if they wish to, broaden their entrepreneurial skills through their own study choices. Furthermore, students may utilize their entrepreneurial activities in their studies and receive support for their entrepreneurship (e.g. mentoring, entrepreneurial studies and the succession school).

Learning methods consist of a wide range of activity-enhancing contact teaching, online, project and simulation methods as well as practical training. Professional operations are learnt in multiprofessional teams and in multidisciplinary (technology, culture, business) teams of Turku University of Applied Sciences, by practising care-related basic and special situations safely and responsibly. This can be carried out in cooperation with medical students, for instance. Learning is supported with new, versatile digital online learning environments and modern learning facilities and equipment (Salo IoT Campus, ICT-City’s and Medisiina D’s simulation facilities in Turku and other environments made possible by Health Campus Turku). Growing into a nursing expert is a process that is supported with different forms of tutoring. Tutoring is personal or group-specific and linked to all studies.

The overarching goal of study counselling and support for learning is for students to progress in their studies in accordance with the curriculum. Students draw up an individual study plan (e-ISP) to guide their study progress 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 recognition of equivalent competence acquired in another way.

The goal of international activities is for students to broaden their world view, understand different cultures and learn to work in multicultural environments. International activities include taking courses taught in foreign languages, internationalization at home (e.g. tutoring exchange students), participation in the international semester studies, studying abroad, practical training abroad and participating in various seminars and international research and development projects. Separately agreed upon, 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 guides and develops learning and addresses both the learning process and the 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 nursing studies 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 development areas.

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. Students will build a personal competence portfolio from the very beginning of their studies. They can use the portfolio to demonstrate their own fields of expertise, both during their studies and after completing the degree. The student’s adherence to the individual study plan (e-ISP) will be monitored throughout their studies, and the e-ISP will be updated along the way 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.