MINT5100 Intensive and Critical Care Nursing Course description

In this course, the students are expected to acquire advanced knowledge of intensive care nursing in relation to acutely and/or critically ill patients in a vulnerable, critical and life-threatening phase. The students should acquire in-depth knowledge of intensive care patients' psychosocial and existential needs and methods for reducing stress and suffering.

Moreover, students are expected to develop in-depth knowledge of relevant research and quality-related work (quality improvement and quality control work) in the field of intensive care nursing, and thereby understand the importance of research and quality-related work in clinical intensive and critical care nursing. This is intended to enable the students to document, develop the quality of and quality-assure intensive care nursing.

The students are expected to develop an awareness of hoe organisational, financial and legal factors influence nursing and the specialist health service and be able to see this in relation to their responsibility to practise intensive care nursing, be a leader in their field and work in a team. This course also covers knowledge of the working environment in a specialist unit and how stress factors in a working environment can be prevented and reduced.

In this course, the students are expected to acquire in-depth knowledge of pathophysiology and intensive and critical care treatment of serious failure of vital functions related to different medical and surgical conditions and relevant anaesthesiology among other things. This knowledge forms the basis for their ability to administer, monitor and evaluate advanced medical treatment.

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 intensive care nurse's functions and areas of responsibility
• has in-depth knowledge of the experiences, reactions and needs of patients and next of kin in connection with acute and/or critical illness in an age-related and multicultural perspective
• has in-depth knowledge of quality work, including methods for quality improvement and quality control
• has in-depth knowledge of nursing ethics and different ethical guidelines
• is capable of analysing intensive care nursing problems on the basis of the discipline's history, traditions, distinctive nature and place in society

Skills

The student

• is capable of analysing and taking a critical approach to different sources of information and of using them to structure and formulate intensive care nursing argumentation
• is capable of analysing and taking a critical approach to existing theories and methods in intensive care nursing
• is capable of using relevant methods for research and quality-related work in an independent manner in the field of intensive care nursing

Competence

The student

• is capable of analysing relevant ethical issues in intensive care nursing based on discipline knowledge, research, experience and patient knowledge
• is capable of contributing to new ideas and innovation processes in clinical practice

All answer papers are assessed by two examiners, one of whom must be external.

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 theories and methods in intensive and critical care medicine
• has in-depth knowledge of different types of anaesthesia and their after-effects
• has in-depth knowledge of the surgical stress response
• has in-depth knowledge of principles for administration of advanced medical equipment used in intensive and critical care medicine treatment

Skills:

The student

• is capable of analysing and taking a critical approach to existing theories and methods in intensive and critical care treatment
• is capable of independent work on theoretical problem-solving relating to prescribed intensive and critical care treatment delegated to him/her by a doctor

Competence:

The student

• is capable of analysing relevant academic, professional and research ethical issues in intensive care nursing based on discipline knowledge, research, experience and patient knowledge

• is capable of applying knowledge of intensive and critical care medicine to administer intensive and critical care treatment prescribed by a doctor

Lectures and self-study.

None.

Individuell skriftlig eksamen under tilsyn, 6 timer.

None.

Grade scale A-F.

• Intensive and critical care treatment for serious failure of different organs and organ systems
• Cardiology
• Expansive processes in the central nervous system, neurosurgery and neurology
• Infectious diseases
• Types of anaesthesia and their after-effects