MAKRE4200 Theoretical Studies in Cancer Nursing 2 Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian

This course aims to give the students in-depth knowledge of what living with cancer is like and on practising responsible nursing of cancer patients. A significant part of the course concerns caring for the patient’s family through the different phases of the illness.

The course deals in particular with theory that forms the basis for the cancer nurse’s work with prevention, rehabilitation and alleviation. Nursing of patients in the last phase of life is also a focus of the course. It also covers ethical reflection and communication with the patient and their family. The course content is primarily aimed at the municipal health service. Students will write an in-depth assignment in the course where they are able to study an area of key importance to cancer nursing.

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Degree Programme in Health Sciences - Specialisation in Cancer Nursing, and passed the course MAKRE4100 Theoretical Studies in Cancer Nursing 1, 10 ECTS credits.

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

Knowledge

The student

• can discuss the cancer nurse’s functions and areas of responsibility
• can assess existential and spiritual needs related to cancer
• can analyse and critically assess current theories on patients and next of kin’s experiences, relations and needs in all phases of cancer from an age and multicultural perspective
• can assess different methods of communication with patients and next of kin in connection with cancer
• can assess the significance of the patient's network for coping with cancer
• can assess how the health and care services for cancer patients are organised
• can critically assess welfare technology and innovation in cancer care
• can discuss the importance of the flow of information between different service levels
• can describe legislation that regulates rights and obligations relating to cancer patients during all phases of their treatment
• can discuss symptom alleviation in the last phase of life and hospice philosophy
• can assess scientific theories and methods as they relate to cancer nursing
• can discuss ethics related to cancer nursing

Skills

The student

• can analyse problems relating to cancer nursing on the basis of the discipline’s history, traditions, distinctive nature and place in society
• can analyse and take a critical approach to different sources of information and use them to structure and formulate cancer nursing argumentation
• can analyse and take a critical approach to existing theories and methods in cancer nursing
• can analyse relevant academic, professional and research ethics issues in cancer nursing based on relevant discipline, research, experience and patient knowledge
• can plan, organise and implement a holistic follow-up plan through the whole course of the illness and treatment
• can contribute to new ideas and innovation processes in clinical practice

The course will use varied, student-active work methods. Work and teaching methods include lectures, group work, seminars and self-study.

The following must have been approved in order for the student to take the examination:

• Written assignment with oral presentation, carried out in groups of up to four students. Scope: up to 3,000 words

The students receive oral feedback from fellow students and the lecturer.

A project examination in the form of a written in-depth assignment in groups of up to three students. The assignment can be used as a basis for a project description that can in turn be used for a master’s thesis.

• A number of weeks are set aside for work on this assignment. 
• Three hours of supervision are provided per assignment, in addition to a supervision seminar.
• Scope: up to 5,000 words.

The title of the assignment will be included in the transcript of grades.

Resit examination: If the student is awarded the grade F (fails the written assignment), he/she will be given one (1) opportunity to submit a reworked version.

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

Grade scale A-F.

All examination papers are assessed by two examiners. At least 20% of themwill be assessed by an external examiner. The internal examiner then continues grading the rest of the papers together with another internal examiner. The external examiner’s assessment should benefit all students.