Quality assurance and quality development, 7.5 credits

The aim of the course is for the student to gain knowledge about quality assurance and quality development at an advanced level. This means developing a greater ability to analyse the quality of a professional activity based on scientific theories and to work in a structured way with quality assurance and quality development measures in order to increase quality.

After completing the course, the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding:

• demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the values, working methods and tools on which quality work in biomedical laboratory science is based with a national and international perspective

Skills and abilities:

• Analyse and problematize current quality work in the field of health care in relation to relevant scientific literature
• Analyse the quality of a biomedical laboratory based on their own professional competence and in relation to relevant theory and practice
• Propose, plan and evaluate adequate, feasible and sustainable improvements for a biomedical laboratory operation.

Judgement and approach:

• Reflect on and relate to the importance of leadership and interprofessional cooperation in successful quality work
• Reflect on their own need for competence development in relation to the competence needs of biomedical laboratory activities

The content of the course can be summarized in the following points:

• The concept of quality, theory and the development of quality technology
• Process thinking and its connection to quality work
• Systems for evaluation and analysis of quality in biomedical laboratory activities
• Continuous and sustainable improvement work
• Health care as a complex system that includes biomedical laboratory activities
• Need for competence and interprofessional cooperation for quality development
• The importance of leadership for quality work
• Design and planning for the implementation and evaluation of quality projects

The pedagogy is based on student-centered and student-activated learning. The teaching takes place at a distance and the course is partly conducted as self-study with the support of a web-based teacher platform. The emphasis is on student-centered and collaborative learning, for example through group discussions, reading logs, case seminars and peer assessment. Interactive learning takes place with the help of discussion forums on web-based teacher platforms and with the help of digital meetings. The course includes reading and commenting on course literature, national and international reports and scientific articles.

The course is examined through:

To pass, active participation in the course's compulsory teaching sessions, approved assignments, peer review, oral presentation and an approved final examination assignment are required. The final examination assignment consists of two parts. One part consists of analysis of activities and planning for implementation and evaluation of improvement work, which is presented in writing and orally. The second part consists of a meta-reflection on learning in relation to the planned quality work and course literature. The final meta-reflection is graded U/G/VG and forms the basis for the course grade.

Mandatory scheduled days are included. In addition to these occasions, there is time for reading literature and carrying out assignments included in the course individually or in groups. Participants are expected to work via a learning platform.

The examiner assesses if and if so, how absence from compulsory educational elements can be compensated. Until the student has participated in the compulsory study elements or made up for absence in accordance with the examiner's instructions, the study results cannot be reported in full. Absence from a compulsory educational element may mean that the student cannot make up for the opportunity until the next time the course is given.

If there are special reasons, or need for adaptation for students with disabilities, the examiner may decide to deviate from the course syllabus' regulations regarding examination form, number of examinations, possibility of supplementation or exemption from compulsory educational elements, etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities shall not be changed, removed or reduced.

Grade Fail/Pass/Pass All examinations must be approved for a passing grade.

Limitation of the number of examinations

Students who do not pass the regular examination are entitled to participate in five more examinations. If the student has failed six examinations/tests, no further examination is given. Examination occasions include the times the student has participated in the same test. Submission of blank writing counts as an examination. An examination occasion for which the student registered but did not participate is not counted as an examination.

Examination will be provided during a period of two years after a possible closure of the course. Examination can take place according to a previous literature list during a period of one year after the time when a renewal of the literature list has been made.

Course evaluation will be carried out after completion of the course in accordance with guidelines from the Committee for Education at undergraduate and advanced level. Language of instruction: Swedish and English.