VERPRA10 Practical Studies in Health Promotion and Health Care Course description

In this course, students are expected to integrate knowledge from previous theoretical courses and apply their knowledge in practice. The students will carry out basic care tasks, administer prescribed medication in cooperation with the practical training supervisor, and acquire a holistic understanding of different care needs. The students are expected to familiarise themselves with the framework for service provision, focusing on user participation and interdisciplinary cooperation.

The course VERPRA10 runs over 11 weeks and includes up to 8 seminar days on campus, as well as a total workload of 9 weeks (270 hours) of user oriented practical training in authentic work situations spread over 10 of the weeks in the course period. The seminars take place before, during and after the practical training period. The focus of the seminars is adapted to where the student is in the practical training. Central elements in the seminars are the student role, guidance, synthesizing knowledge from various subjects earlier in the course, professional challenges the students face in practice, knowledge-based practice and written assignments.

The seminars are included in the number of credits for the course. The seminars will total approx. 10 days.

Approved required coursework in the first-year courses VERB1210 and VERB1510, and passed VERB1100, VERB1600, VERB1300 and VERB1400.

On successful completion of the course, the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can describe the practice placement’s professional basis and how the it describes the purpose of its activities
• can describe the practice placement's quality, notification and non-conformity systems
• can describe case processing procedures used at the practice placement
• can explain the practice placement’s reporting and patient record system
• can explain the content and structure of different types of reports used at the practice placement
• can explain symptoms of illness
• can explain how the most common diseases are treated, as well as rehabilitation measures
• can explain the importance of illness to good health
• can explain how environmental factors can influence behaviour
• can reflect on end-of-life care

Skills

The student

• can apply the social educator work model and other relevant tools and methods in planning and carrying out health care in case of illness and failing health
• can administer prescribed medication under the supervision of authorised health personnel
• can use the Norwegian Pharmaceutical Product Compendium (Felleskatalogen) and The Norwegian Medicines Manual for Health Personnel (Legemiddelhåndboka) when administering medicines, with a particular focus on effects, side effects and drug interactions
• can carry out practical procedures independently within his/her field of competence in accordance with VAR-Healthcare
• can carry out basic infection control measures in his/her practice
• can document health care in accordance with applicable guidelines and legislation
• can use health and welfare technology at the practice placement
• can apply basic communication skills such as active listening, asking questions and providing constructive feedback
• can apply up-to-date knowledge and relevant results from research and development work in his/her practice
• can carry out specified literature searches in Norwegian and English in relevant databases
• can communicate the role of the social educator as authorised health professionals to the practice placement

General competence

The student

• can plan and carry out basic care procedures and day-to-day care in a compassionate and professionally sound manner
• can carry out medicine administration in a professionally sound manner
• can identify the resources and needs of service recipients and address them through holistic care work
• can explain laws and regulations that regulate the provision of services to service recipients
• can obtain informed consent and observe the duty of confidentiality
• can exercise caution, respect and good interaction and communication skills in accordance with the suitability assessment
• can apply suitable relational skills that help to promote multidisciplinary and interprofessional cooperation
• can reflect on his/her own professional practice and adjust it under supervision

The teaching and learning methods include external supervised practical training, lectures, seminars, group work, group and individual supervision, and self-study. The supervised practical training requires active participation in work at the practice placement.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can receive a final assessment:

• minimum 90 % attendance at seminar days
• participation in work at the practice placement, minimum attendance of 90%
• submission of completed and signed practical training documents
• assessment in relation to the suitability criteria cf. the Regulations concerning Suitability Assessment in Higher Education
• Submission of supervision note according to given criteria and 100 per cent attendance at group supervision
• Submission of a supervision note according to given criteria and 100 per cent attendance in individual supervision in connection with the written exam

Combined exam:

Part 1) Assessment of supervised practical training. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course and the continuous assessment made of the student's achievement of the learning outcomes for the practical training course. Students can only be assessed if they meet the minimum attendance requirement of 90% for the practical training. The minimum attendance requirement for the practical training period is 90%.

Part 2) Individual written assignment relating to the practical training, up to 2,000 words.

Both parts have to be assessed as passet to receive a final assessment for the course.

Resit assessment/exam: If a student fails one part of the exam, he/she must retake the part in question. Students who fail part 1) practical training normally have to retake the whole practical training course. Students who fail part 2) project exam are given two (2) opportunities to submit a reworked version, since this assignment is so closely linked to the practical training.

Students can appeal the grade awarded for part 2 (the project exam).

The following applies to all practical training courses in the programme

The supervised practical training is assessed as passed or failed. Three elements must be passed in order for students to pass a period of practical training:

• Compulsory attendance
• Learning outcomes
• Suitability

To pass the supervised practical training, the student must have met the compulsory attendance requirement. A minimum attendance requirement of 90% applies to practical training courses. If the maximum limit for absence is exceeded, the student can make up for the practical training/teaching activities missed if practically possible. If it is not possible to compensate for the absence, the whole period of supervised practical training must be retaken. This will result in delayed progress in the programme.

All material allowed.

Pass/fail

Part 1) The lecturer based on the recommendation of the practical training supervisor

Part 2) written project exam: All answers are assessed by one examiner.

An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.