MAHEL4300 The Health of the Family - School Children and Adolescents 6-20 Years Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian

This course focuses on work with children and adolescents in the age group 6-20 years, particularly their physical, mental and social growth and development at the population, group and individual level. Emphasis is placed on protection and risk factors and what contributes to health and coping skills in the different arenas where they grow up. 

Resource and solution-oriented approaches are emphasised. User participation and interdisciplinary cooperation are important aspects of the course. Emphasis is also placed on relevant theories and methods, as well as teaching that is essential in health promotion and prevention work, including pedagogical methods and health communication. Both MAHEL4300 and MAHELPRA10 must be passed to obtain the right to order and administer contraceptives, including long-acting contraceptives.

Passing the exam in MAHEL4100 is a prerequisite for starting MAHEL4300.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can analyse and assess the public health nurse’s function, areas of responsibility and tasks in relation to children, adolescents and their families/caregivers at different levels
• can discuss the significance of children and adolescents’ physical, psychological, sexual and social development and health
• can critically assess appropriate educational methods, health communication and relationship building aimed at children, adolescents and their families/caregivers
• can describe the significance of supporting children and adolescents as next of kin in connection with crises, trauma and stressful circumstances
• can assess knowledge on children and adolescents’ protection and risk factors
• can discuss the importance of inclusion and equality
• can describe the significance of cooperation, and interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration for children, adolescents and their families/caregivers
• can describe guidance of, ordering and administration of contraceptives, including long-acting reversible contraceptives

Skills

The student

• can apply relevant methods of health promotion and preventive work at different levels, with children, adolescents and their families/caregivers
• can use relevant methods to independently assess children and adolescents’ physical and psychological health, identify developmental abnormalities, illness and disabilities and implement measures as needed
• can contribute to preventing, identifying and averting psychosocial stress in children and adolescents’ environments
• can provide guidance on nutrition and growth, and refer to other professionals as needed
• can use knowledge of children and adolescents’ use of digital arenas to be able to implement measures as needed
• can apply different forms of communication and pedagogical methods when interacting with children, adolescents, and their families/caregivers

General competence

• can analyse and apply knowledge-based methods in the school health service and young people’s clinics
• can analyse and apply ethical principles to reflect on dilemmas in professional practice relating to children, adolescents and their families/caregivers
• can analyse professional issues and assess the need for measures, employ interdisciplinary methods and refer to other professionals as needed
• can contribute to a culturally sensitive approach to children, adolescents and their families/caregivers
• can contribute to a sense of security and trust when interacting with children, adolescents and their families/caregivers

The course will use varied, student-active work methods. Work and teaching methods used in the course include lectures, oral and written assignments with presentations (individually and in groups), seminars, skills training and self-study.

In this course, students are expected to integrate knowledge from previous theoretical courses and apply their knowledge in practice. The students will carry out basic care tasks, administer prescribed medication in cooperation with the practical training supervisor, and acquire a holistic understanding of different care needs. The students are expected to familiarise themselves with the framework for service provision, focusing on user participation and interdisciplinary cooperation.

The course VERPRA10 runs over 11 weeks and includes up to 8 seminar days on campus, as well as a total workload of 9 weeks (270 hours) of user oriented practical training in authentic work situations spread over 10 of the weeks in the course period. The seminars take place before, during and after the practical training period. The focus of the seminars is adapted to where the student is in the practical training. Central elements in the seminars are the student role, guidance, synthesizing knowledge from various subjects earlier in the course, professional challenges the students face in practice, knowledge-based practice and written assignments.

The seminars are included in the number of credits for the course. The seminars will total approx. 10 days.

Approved required coursework in the first-year courses VERB1210 and VERB1510, and passed VERB1100, VERB1600, VERB1300 and VERB1400.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

On successful completion of the course, the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can describe the practice placement’s professional basis and how the it describes the purpose of its activities
• can describe the practice placement's quality, notification and non-conformity systems
• can describe case processing procedures used at the practice placement
• can explain the practice placement’s reporting and patient record system
• can explain the content and structure of different types of reports used at the practice placement
• can explain symptoms of illness
• can explain how the most common diseases are treated, as well as rehabilitation measures
• can explain the importance of illness to good health
• can explain how environmental factors can influence behaviour
• can reflect on end-of-life care

Skills

The student

• can apply the social educator work model and other relevant tools and methods in planning and carrying out health care in case of illness and failing health
• can administer prescribed medication under the supervision of authorised health personnel
• can use the Norwegian Pharmaceutical Product Compendium (Felleskatalogen) and The Norwegian Medicines Manual for Health Personnel (Legemiddelhåndboka) when administering medicines, with a particular focus on effects, side effects and drug interactions
• can carry out practical procedures independently within his/her field of competence in accordance with VAR-Healthcare
• can carry out basic infection control measures in his/her practice
• can document health care in accordance with applicable guidelines and legislation
• can use health and welfare technology at the practice placement
• can apply basic communication skills such as active listening, asking questions and providing constructive feedback
• can apply up-to-date knowledge and relevant results from research and development work in his/her practice
• can carry out specified literature searches in Norwegian and English in relevant databases
• can communicate the role of the social educator as authorised health professionals to the practice placement

General competence

The student

• can plan and carry out basic care procedures and day-to-day care in a compassionate and professionally sound manner
• can carry out medicine administration in a professionally sound manner
• can identify the resources and needs of service recipients and address them through holistic care work
• can explain laws and regulations that regulate the provision of services to service recipients
• can obtain informed consent and observe the duty of confidentiality
• can exercise caution, respect and good interaction and communication skills in accordance with the suitability assessment
• can apply suitable relational skills that help to promote multidisciplinary and interprofessional cooperation
• can reflect on his/her own professional practice and adjust it under supervision

The teaching and learning methods include external supervised practical training, lectures, seminars, group work, group and individual supervision, and self-study. The supervised practical training requires active participation in work at the practice placement.

100% overlap with HEL6320 Family health - school children and adolescents (6-20 years) for students graduated in 2016-2020.