The Public Health Nursing Service and Professional Practices 986HEMN3

Course Objectives

The goals of main course 3 are that the students:

• learn to apply their competence to help promote health and prevent illness in children, adolescents and their families.
  - can apply relevant knowledge of legal regulations and current political/ administrative methods.

are able to use their understanding of communication and pedagogy for promoting good health and preventing illness.

are able to take the initiative and organise a response in cooperation with the users; choosing their solutions in cooperation with, and based on the personal needs of the users.

develop the ability to communicate with children, adolescents and families from various cultures, and learn how to use the services of an interpreter.

will recognise the importance of applying various scientific methods to practical situations.

acquire the understanding and skills which are necessary for administrating and improving the quality of the public health centres and the school health services in accordance with social changes, priorities and research.

acquire skills in how to influence the ultimate decisions of the authorities and media

understand the tasks and responsibilities of other professional groups within the fields of health promotion and the prevention of illness.

learn to use projects as a work-method.

become competent in applying and evaluating research within the fields of prevention and heath-promotion.

Course Description

Course unit 3.1: Individual and Collective Measures in Health Promotion and Prevention of Illness

• Various types of guidance, counselling and teaching; mediating and influencing.
• Public health studies in public health centres and in the school health services.
• User interpretations –contributions from the general population.
• Interdisciplinary and interdepartmental cooperation.
• The prevention of contagious diseases. Vaccinations.
• Charting health statistics and needs.
• Group activities in public health centres and the school health services.
• -Self-help groups, networks and local contributions

Course unit 3.2: The Organisation and Management of the Public Health Nursing Services

• Quality development
• Organisation and leadership theory
• Planning, handling cases, and administrative tasks of public-health service nurses
• Documentation systems
• Defining the premises for the public-health nursing services

Course unit 3.3: Professional Development in One’s Own Field.

• Project work and research
• Research methods, analysis and the practical use of research results
• Ethical perspectives

Assessment Methods

986HEMN3 ST8
Objectives of the training period
The definition of personal objectives for the practical-training period.

986HEMN3 ST9

Real-life situations
Individual reflection notes from each reflection-group meeting during the practical training period. Approximately 300 words.

986HEMN3 ST10
Health information
Planning and executing a plan for instruction or distribution of health information in primary school or lower secondary school at some point during the practice period. Individual response. Presentation: about 45 minutes.

986HEMN3 S11
Mental health
Professional description and critical discussion of the role of the public health nurse in promoting mental health for students at the upper secondary school level. Around 700 words.

986HEMN3 S12
Project plan for the final examination

The project plan, which is a group project, shall contain a justification for the choice of theme, and a proposed approach for attacking the problem, methodical method, reference literature and future plans for the project. The programme requirements will be approved by the supervisor before the project assignment has begun.

986HEMN3 S13
Project examination

Final project assignment with a theme related to the profession of public health nursing.
13,000 words. The document will be presented to the class in plenary.

Pensum