Illness in Older People - Diagnostics, Treatment and Care, 7.5 credits

Registered nurse certified by the National Board of Health and Welfare. A Degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing of at least 180 hp. Furthermore, knowledge in Swedish and English is required, corresponding to Svenska B/Svenska 3 and Engelska A/Engelska 6 (with at least the grade Passed/E).
 
Students who fail a clinical placement (or equivalent) as a result of demonstrating such a serious lack of knowledge, skills or attitude that patient safety or the patients' confidence in medical care is at risk, will only be qualified for a new clinical placement once the individual action plan has been carried out.

The general aim of the course is that, based on the area of responsibility of the specialist nurse, the student develops the abilities to independently and in close cooperation with other medical professionals diagnose and treat illness in the elderly and to consider the family around the individual.

The course consists of three modules:
1. Diagnostics and treatment of disease in the elderly, 4 credits
2. Clinical Education, 1,5 credits
3. Scientific theory and methods: Intervention studies, 2 credits

Module 1
Knowledge and understanding
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• explain the aetiology, pathophysiology, symptoms, diagnostics, prevention and treatment of the most common and most serious diseases for the older.
• identify and remedy drug-related problems within the area of responsibility.
• identify and use  IT-based support related to diagnostics and treatment.
• together with other professionals participate in good care of the older person.

Skills and abilities
On completion of the course, the student should:

• be able to collect, analyse and communicate medical information for diagnostics, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment..
• demonstrate the ability to assess and act in sudden disease in the elderly.

Judgement and approach
On completion of the course, the student should:

• demonstrate empathetic ability and be able to reflect on ethical situations in the final stages of life.

Module 2

Module 3
Knowledge and understanding
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• critique and evaluate different designs for interventional studies,
• account for commonly occurring concepts within intervention research.

Skills and abilities
On completion of the course, the student should:

• be familiar with statistical methods and process evaluation commonly occurring in interventional studies in care of the elderly.

Judgement
On completion of the course, the student should:

• be able to evaluate strengths and weaknesses in knowledge compiled through intervention research and be able to evaluate how the knowledge can be used in nursing.
• demonstrate the ability to apply research ethics principles and guidelines and evaluate research ethics principles and guidelines in research and development.

The course consists of three modules:

The education is based on a problem-oriented (examining) and collaborative view on learning. This approach implies that the student is an active participant in the learning process and is encouraged to take responsibility while learning takes place through close cooperation between students, teachers within and between the courses and the programs. Different educational working methods such as individual study assignments, work in groups, discussions and seminars and lectures occur. Field study with study visits is included.

Activity-integrated learning can take place at the student's workplace or at geriatric clinic in Stockholm county.

Study assignments, seminars and timetabled group meetings are compulsory. The examiner decides whether, and if so how, absence from compulsory course elements can be made up. Study results cannot be reported until the student has participated in compulsory course elements or compensated for any absence in accordance with instructions from the examiner. Absence from a compulsory course element could mean that the student can not retake the element until the next time the course is offered.

The course includes three examinations:
Module 1. Individual written examination
Module 2. Clinical examination
Module 3. Individual written examination

Students who do not pass a regular examination are entitled to re-sit the examination on five occasions.more. If the student has failed a total of six examinations/tests, no additional examination is given. Each occasion the student participates in the same test counts as an examination. Submission of a blank exam paper is regarded as an examination.In case a student is registered for an examination but does not attend, this is not regarded as an examination.
Late submissions of examinations are not accepted. Students who have not submitted on time are referred to re-examination. An electronic examination that has been opened via the learning management system counts as an examination session even if the examination is not submitted.

The examiner may, with immediate effect, interrupt a student's clinical placement (or equivalent) if the student demonstrates such serious deficiencies in knowledge, skills or attitude that patient safety or patient confidence in healthcare is at risk. If a clinical placement is interrupted in this way the student is deemed to have failed that element and to have used up one clinical placement opportunity. In such cases, an individual action plan should be set up stating which activities and tests are required before the student is qualified for a new clinical placement on the course.

If there are special grounds, or a need for adaptation for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to deviate from the syllabus's regulations on the examination form, the number of examination opportunities,  the possibility of supplementation or exemptions from the compulsory section/s of the course etc.   Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities may not be changed, removed or reduced.

Course evaluation is carried out according to the established guidelines of the Board of Education.

The course will not be credited in a degree together with another course the student has completed and passed which completely or partly corresponds to the contents f this course.