MASYK4300 Suffering, Dignity and Vulnerability Course description

The course provides in-depth knowledge of the phenomena suffering, dignity and vulnerability. Human suffering and dignity are fundamental categories of nursing science and are of help in understanding the patient¿s dignity. The course aims to enable the students to see the relationship between suffering, dignity and vulnerability, as well as the relationship between these three concepts and other scientific nursing concepts. Clarifying the concepts of suffering, dignity and vulnerability, both theoretically and contextually, is a main element of the course. Perspectives on humanity and the health services' duty to provide necessary care and treatment is problematised in relation to suffering, dignity and vulnerability.

Admission to the programme or to the individual course.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge of the idea and different forms of suffering, and its levels and empirical expression, with particular focus on the elderly and next of kin
• has advanced knowledge about the ontology of dignity
• has advanced knowledge about vulnerability
• has knowledge of analysing and interpreting institutional, professional and ethical challenges relating to political decision-making in order to solve practical and theoretical issues

Skills

The student is capable of

• using knowledge of the ontology of dignity in a clinical context
• using knowledge of vulnerability, particularly in relation to the elderly and other vulnerable groups
• using relevant methods to assess, analyse and interpret the elderly and other vulnerable groups¿ health issues/disorders and care needs, with emphasis on a dignified life
• conducting an independent development project focussing on suffering and dignity in vulnerable groups of patients and their next of kin

Competence

The student is capable of

• disseminating an extensive independent work on the way suffering, dignity and vulnerability can be expressed in the elderly and vulnerable groups in different contexts
• identifying relevant issues on the topic and communicating these issues to both specialists and the general public

Lectures, group work, role play, exercises and self-study.

The following must have been approved in order for a student to be permitted to take the exam:

Assignment: Suffering, dignity and vulnerability

• Written assignment in groups of 3-4 students
• Scope: 1,500 words (+/- 10%)
• Oral presentation of the assignment to fellow students and lecturer(s)
• Oral feedback from fellow students
• Oral feedback from lecturer(s)

Documentation of literature selected by the student: 350 pages

Individual written home exam over 3 days.

Scope: 2,500 words (+/- 10%).

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

Pass-Fail

All exam papers are assessed by two examiners. An external examiner will grade 20% of the exam papers. The external examiner¿s assessment shall benefit all students.