OPERA6100 Theatre Nursing Course description

In this course, the students are expected to acquire advanced knowledge of theatre nursing in relation to acutely and/or critically ill patients in a vulnerable and often acute and life-threatening phase. The students are also expected to acquire advanced knowledge of preventive, therapeutic, pain and stress relief and rehabilitation measures in uncomplicated as well as in complex and acute situations. The students are to acquire advanced knowledge of infection prevention and of how to prepare, check and use medical equipment.

Moreover, they are expected to develop in-depth knowledge of relevant research and quality-related work (professional development, quality assurance or quality control work) in the field of theatre nursing, and thereby understand the importance of research and quality-related work in theatre nursing. This is intended to help to enable the students to document, develop the quality of and quality-assure theatre nursing.

The students are expected to develop an awareness of how 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 theatre nursing, be a leader in their field and coordinate a surgical treatment 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.

Admission to the programme.

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 within a theatre nurse's functions and areas of responsibility
• has in-depth knowledge of how patients and next of kin experience surgical examinations and/or treatment
• is capable of analysing problems relating to theatre nursing 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 using them to structure and formulate theatre nursing argumentation
• is capable of analysing and taking a critical approach to existing theories and methods in theatre nursing
• is capable of using relevant research and development work methods in an independent manner in the field of theatre nursing

Competence

The student

• is capable of analysing relevant ethical issues in theatre nursing based on relevant discipline knowledge, research, experience and patient knowledge
• is capable of contributing to new ideas and innovation processes in his/her own professional practice

• Theatre nursing in a historical perspective.
• Theatre nursing:
  • Prevention.
  • Treatment.
  • Pain and stress relief.
  • Rehabilitation.
  • Teaching and guidance.
  • Administration and management.
  • Research and development.
• Evidence-based theatre nursing.

Lectures, group work, seminars and self-study.

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

First semester

Infection prevention.

• The students prepare their own research questions.
• Individual assignment.
• Scope: 3,000 words (+/- 20%).
• The syllabus selected by the students must be used in the assignment. The students receive written feedback from the lecturer.
• The assignment must be written in accordance with the section Assessment of written work in the Assessment chapter of the programme description.

Second semester

Injury prevention

• The students prepare their own research questions.
• The assignment is written in groups of up to three students.
• Scope: 3,000 words (+/- 20%).
• The syllabus selected by the students must be linked to the assignment.
• The assignment must be written in accordance with the section Assessment of written work in the Assessment chapter of the programme description.
• The students receive written feedback from fellow students and oral feedback from the lecturer.

Attendance in compulsory activities

• Simulation
• Group work
• Seminars

A written in-depth assignment, written individually or in groups of up to three students. The assignment shall consist of a project outline for a piece of research or quality-related work. The project outline shall be based on a literature review and must be written in accordance with the section Assessment of written work in the Assessment chapter of the programme description.

Five weeks are set aside for work on this assignment.

Up to four hours of supervision is provided per assignment. Students who fail the assignment are offered two more hours of supervision.

Scope: 5,000 words (+/- 20%).

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

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

Grade scale A-F. For group exams, all the students in the group are awarded the same grade. Students who are awarded a fail grade (F) are given one opportunity to submit a reworked version of the assignment.

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