The professional nurse, patient safety and methods to develop nursing, 7.5 credits

Registered nurse certified by the National Board of Health and Welfare. Nurse degree of 180 HE credits or Bachelor's degree in nursing including a minimum of 180 HE credits. English and Swedish language skills equivalent to English A and Swedish B at Swedish upper secondary school are required.

The general aim of the course is that the student should deepen her/his knowledge in nursing of patients in need of medical and surgical care and treatment.

Expected learning outcomes:
After completing the course, the student should be able to:

• lead, prioritise, distribute and coordinate the nursing
• take responsibility for patient safety and patient safety work
• apply nursing informatics with focus in the individual patients need and safety, and to be able to analyse and reflect over information and communication systems supporting nursing care
•
apply evidence-based nursing and relevant research results in patient care
• evaluate and implement theories and models applicable for work in medicine/surgical care and reflect over own ethical attitudes
• analyse and reflect on the role of the specialist nurse in nursing care of patients during different stages of medical/surgical diseases
• with understanding of the own role and for the interprofessional teamwork within medical/surgical care be able to theorize over the professional competence of the specialist nurse

Patient safety
• risk areas in care (e.g. hygiene, drug-related problems, communication between care givers)
• patient participation
• culture of patient safety
• methods for safety work in medical technology

The professional role and responsibility of the specialist nurse
• interprofessional relations
• leadership and communication
• research and development
•
Ethics

Methods for care development
• Quality improvement
• Evidence-based care

Student should independently be able to generalise acquired knowledge and be able to reflect about and plan to implement this in their own working environment

The course is given as campus education using a web-based communication platform.
The working methods in the course aim to integrate theoretical knowledge and nursing science in clinical settings as well as to integrate clinical knowledge in theory.

The student-activating working methods intend to achieve deeper independence and critical attitude. The working methods implicate high activity of the student's own knowledge acquisition, problem-solving as well as critical reflection and analysis. Within the three themes of the course (patient safety, the role and responsibility of the specialist nurse and methods to develop nursing) the student works with a structured web-based log book where interprofessionalism, ethics, gender equality and cultural diversity also are integrated.
In the course, the following working methods can be applied: lectures, literature studies, seminars, web-based activities such as virtual patients, simulation exercises, field studies etc Compulsory parts are stated in the course timetable In case of absence from compulsory parts, the student should, unless otherwise is assigned, contact the course teacher

The course is examined through 1) an individual written examination where the student based on the learning outcomes of the course should design a guideline document for a clinical problem or a clinical situation relevant to the student's workplace (or the equivalent). The guideline should be emanated from evidenced based knowledge and relevant research. The examination also includes to design a plan for implementation, evaluation and follow up in a clinical environment and 2) through a practical examination on Clinical Training Center where the student is assessed at a simulated riskscenario.
To achieve the grade Passed, it is required that the expected learning outcomes are satisfied which implies passed results at all examinations, participation in compulsory parts and that the log book is completely filled-in. Grade is assigned by the course examiner.

For all examinations, the student has the right to participate at a total of six examination occasions. Student lacking passed results after two examination occasions can be offered to participate in the course again.
Dates for examinations are stated at the beginning of the course.