The Nurse Profession and Nursing Science, 16.5 credits

Admitted to the Nursing programme. Specific entry requirements: Ma B, Sh A, Nk B (or Fy A, Ke A and Bi A).

The overarching aim of the course is for students to acquire knowledge of basic research methodologies, concepts, and theories within the main field of nursing, as well as to understand their relevance to the nursing profession. Furthermore, students will gain insights into ethical concepts and values and their significance for nursing. Students will also develop an understanding of the evolution of the nursing profession and the importance of a humanistic approach in nursing, in addition to gaining insights into clinical care practices and the role and responsibilities of nurses in today's healthcare system.

Learning outcomes

Module 1: Research methodology

Knowledge and understanding

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

• describe basic scientific concepts and terminology
• identify and explain the steps of the scientific research process
• describe fundamental principles of research ethics

Skills and ability

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

• retrieve information of relevance to nursing from scientific databases

Values and perspectives

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• demonstrate adherence to academic integrity and the fundamental values of Karolinska Institutet

Module 2: Practice integrated learning (PIL) - The nursing profession

Knowledge and understanding

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

• describe the development of the nursing profession
• describe the core competencies within the nursing profession
• account for the meaning of care on equal terms
• describe the basic organisational structure of Swedish healthcare
• explain the significance of interprofessional teamwork

Skills and abilities

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

• through observation, identify and provide examples of the areas of responsibility and tasks of the nursing profession in healthcare activities
• apply basic hygiene routines in clinical healthcare settings

Values and perspectives

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

• explain the relationship between values and attitudes in the nursing profession
• demonstrate a professional attitude in interactions with patients, next of kin, supervisors, and other staff in clinical healthcare settings

Module 3: Nursing science

Knowledge and understanding

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

• describe concepts and theories within nursing science
• account for significant ethical concepts and values
• explain the significance of communication for good nursing care

Skills and abilities

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

• relate concepts within nursing science to various healthcare situations
• engage in ethical reasoning related to various healthcare situations
• demonstrate an ability to write scientifically
• apply reference management according to APA in scientific writing

Values and perspectives

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

• explain the significance of theories within nursing science for the clinical practice of nursing
• explain the significance of a humanistic approach in nursing
• explain the significance of ethics within the context of nursing
• reflect on core values in nursing

The course is divided into three parts modules:

Module 1: Research methodology
Module 2: Practice integrated learning (PIL) - The nursing profession
Module 3: Nursing science

The teaching is grounded in a problem-oriented and collaborative approach to learning, wherein the methods employed enable students to actively take responsibility for their learning. The course's pedagogical framework encompasses various forms of work, including lectures, group work (such as scheduled seminars/webinars and discussions), individual tasks (such as self-study, reading of literature, assignments, peer review, and quizzes), workshops, and practice integrated learning (PIL) in the form of field studies in clinical healthcare settings.

For the campus course, teaching alternates between sessions on campus and digital sessions via a learning platform and video conferencing tool.

For the distance course, the number of physical course meetings at the course location is limited to a maximum of 2 days/7.5 credits, excluding the course introduction week and the field study week. All other teaching is conducted online via a learning platform and video conferencing tool.

To fully participate in all components of the course, whether on-campus or distance, access to a computer with a stable internet connection, a webcam, and a microphone is required. Basic computer skills, such as managing the Word processing program, internet, email, the Canvas learning platform, and the Zoom video conferencing tool, are prerequisites for participation.

The field studies encompass 40 hours of study, of which 32 hours are allocated in clinical healthcare settings within the Stockholm Region. During the field studies, conducted in hospital wards or outpatient clinics, teaching is delivered through observation and shadowing of a registered nurse. The supervising nurse observes the student's adherence to basic hygiene routines and professional conduct, and confirms attendance and the evidence needed for achieving learning outcomes. The schedule during the field study week may include daytime, evening, night, and weekend shifts, including public holidays, if applicable. Students are not entitled to condense the schedule of the practice-integrated learning.

Attendance is mandatory at seminars/webinars, field studies, and the IPL day (interprofessional learning). For activities conducted via video conferencing tools, active participation with both camera and microphone enabled is a requirement for approved attendance. Other mandatory learning activities include group work, assignments, and quizzes. The course examiner determines whether and how absence from these activities can be compensated. Final course results will not be finalised and reported until the student has either participated in all mandatory learning activities or has appropriately compensated for any absences as per the course examiner's guidelines. Failure to complete mandatory activities may require the student to defer the missed component to the next available course offering.

Module 1: Summative assessment through an individual digital written knowledge test
Module 2: Summative assessment through an individual oral examination and a certificate from the field study week
Module 3: Summative assessment through an individual written take-home examination

For successful completion of the course, students must meet the learning outcomes, which include passing the summative assessments in Modules 1, 2, and 3, along with active participation in the mandatory formative learning activities associated with each module. Students not passing after the regular exam session are entitled to participate in up to five additional examination sessions. This does not apply if the course has been discontinued or undergone significant changes.

A student who has not achieved a passing grade after three attempts may be offered to retake the module or the entire course, space permitting. After six failed attempts, no further opportunities to retake the examination will be offered. Submission of a blank examination paper is counted as an examination attempt. A digital examination that has been opened is considered an attempted examination even if it is not submitted. An examination for which the student has registered but not attended is not counted as an attempt.

Late submission of examination assignments will not be considered. Students who have not submitted on time will be referred to the re-examination session. The course examiner will determine if there are exceptional circumstances justifying the delay. The examiner is also granted the authority to decide on supplementing the examination to achieve a passing grade.

If there are special reasons, or if adjustments are needed for a student with disabilities, the course examiner may decide to deviate from the course syllabus regarding the form of examination, number of examination sessions, the opportunity for supplementation, or exemption from mandatory learning activities. The content and learning outcomes, as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge, and abilities, must not be altered, removed, or lowered.

For a course that has been discontinued, undergone significant changes, or where the course literature has significantly changed, an additional opportunity for examination (excluding the regular exam) on the previous content or the previous literature shall be provided for a period of one year from the date of the change.

Course evaluation is conducted in accordance with the guidelines established by the Committee for Higher Education.