MAKREPRA10 Clinical Studies in Specialist Health Service Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian

This course aims to help the students to develop action competence in cancer nursing in the specialist health service. Through practical training, the students will acquire clinical experience needed to develop an immediate understanding of patient situations and what knowledge and action they require. A key aspect of the course is nursing aimed at the consequences of treatment, particularly the alleviation of symptoms that can arise.

In general, the practical training is taken at specialist departments where cancer patients receive treatment and follow-up or end of life care. The students will primarily take practical training at an oncological department (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy), paediatric oncology department, and oncology and radiotherapy outpatient clinics. The course comprises six weeks of supervised practical training with adapted learning situations, as well as self-study.

Students should have completed the course MAKRE4100 Theoretical Studies in Cancer Nursing 1, 10 ECTS credits.

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Degree Programme in Health Sciences - Specialisation in Cancer Nursing. 

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 assess the consequences of cancer, advanced cancer treatment and cancer nursing

• can assess how cancer treatment complications can be prevented and alleviated 

Skills

The student

• can care for patients who are undergoing treatment

• can work independently on practical and theoretical problem-solving relating to the cancer nurse’s functions and areas of responsibility:

  • can observe, assess, identify and evaluate a cancer patient's general and special needs, resources and problems through communication and cooperation with the patient and their next of kin from an age and multicultural perspective

  • can help patients and their families to cope with cancer and the expected and potential outcomes of the disease

  • can identify and act competently in acute and problematic situations

  • can administer cytostatic medication in accordance with the applicable rules and handle cytostatic waste in accordance with regulations

  • can contribute to the prevention of late effects following cancer treatment

  • can observe, assess, identify, intervene in and evaluate troublesome symptoms experienced by patients in connection with cancer and cancer treatment

  • can safeguard cancer patients’ autonomy and co-determination

  • can administer and evaluate medication that alleviates symptoms and non-pharmaceutical treatment

  • can administer advanced oncological treatment delegated by a doctor and observe side effects

  • can help the patient to acquire new patterns of behaviour to compensate for illness, negative consequences of cancer treatment or late effects of cancer treatment

  • can analyse and take a critical approach to theories and methods in cancer nursing

  • can use relevant medical technology equipment used in the treatment of cancer patients

• can prevent and relieve crises in cancer patients and next of kin through communication and information and by promoting a secure and therapeutic environment

 General competence

The student

• can analyse relevant academic and professional ethics issues in cancer nursing based on relevant discipline, research, experience and patient knowledge

• can communicate about relevant problems, analyses and conclusions in cancer nursing with specialists

• can actively participate in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary cooperation on patient treatment in accordance with their own competence and applicable ethical principles and legal guidelines

• can take a critical approach to the possibilities, limitations and consequences of cancer treatment

• can quality assure cancer nursing by means of written and oral documentation

Supervised practical training with adapted learning situations. Teaching methods such as written and oral assignments, group work and self-study are also used.

 Shifts

Practical training normally requires 30 hours’ attendance at the practical training establishment and one study day per week. A normal practical training day lasts for 7.5 hours. The students must plan their attendance, and the schedule must be approved by the lecturer and practical training supervisor. The students should, as far as possible, follow the shifts of the nurse supervising them in order to experience good learning situations.

The following coursework requirements must be met before a student can receive an assessment for the course:

• Specification of learning outcomes for the course
• Written individual assignment with oral presentation in the practical training arena. Scope: up to 2,000 words. The syllabus selected by the student must be used

The students receive written feedback from their fellow students on this assignment.

Assessment of practical training. 

The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, the student's specification of the learning outcomes and the formative assessment made of the student during the course.

Students’ practical training can only be assessed if their attendance is sufficiently high.

• Less than 10% absence: The student can complete the practical training course as normal.

• 10-20% absence: If possible, the student can make up for the practical training missed. This must be agreed with the practical training supervisor and the supervisor at the university.

• More than 20% absence: The student must retake the whole practical training course.

Not relevant.

Pass/fail.

Summative assessment by one representative from the practical training establishment. The final decision on whether to award a pass or fail grade is made by the university.

The course overlaps 100% with KREFTPRA1 Clinical Studies in Cancer Nursing 1.