INTENPRA3 Clinical Studies in Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, Level 3 Course description

The students will undergo practical training at intensive care units where ventilator treatment is performed, medical intensive care units, anaesthesia departments and/or accident and emergency departments. The students will independently attend to the functions and areas of responsibility of an intensive care nurse and have action competence in intensive care nursing. The students are expected to demonstrate clear progress, take responsibility and, to an increasing extent, demonstrate the ability to make independent assessments in intensive care nursing practice.

Students must have passed INTENPRA20/MINTPRA20 Clinical Studies in Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, Level 2 in order to start this 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 intensive care nursing and specialist insight into wholly compensatory care in the event of serious failure of a patient's vital functions
• has advanced knowledge of complications in connection with acute and/or critical illness, advanced medical treatment and intensive care nursing
• has advanced knowledge of how to maintain and restore vital functions if they are threatened
• is capable of analysing intensive care nursing problems on the basis of the discipline’s history, traditions, distinctive nature and place in society
• is capable of applying knowledge to new areas of intensive care nursing

Skills:

The student

• is capable of analysing and taking a critical approach to existing theories and methods in advanced medical treatment and intensive care nursing
• is capable of observing, assessing and identifying a patient's general and special needs, resources and problems through communication and cooperation with the patient and his/her next of kin
• is capable of preventing complications in connection with acute and/or critical illness, advanced medical treatment and intensive care nursing
• is capable of reducing stress, pain and discomfort in connection with advanced medical treatment and intensive care nursing
• is capable of maintaining and restoring vital functions if they are threatened
• is capable of applying knowledge of nutrition in connection with acute and/or critical illness
• is capable of independent work on practical and theoretical problem-solving relating to the functions and areas of responsibility of an intensive care nurse

• is capable of carrying out wholly or partly compensatory intensive care nursing in the event of serious failure of patients’ organs or organ systems, including assisted respiration, circulation and nutrition and renal replacement therapy
• is capable of independently identifying and assessing acute situations and prioritising and taking quick and adequate action to maintain/restore vital functions
• is capable of taking the initiative to weaning patients off wholly or partly compensatory nursing in the event of serious self-care deficits in relation to a patient's fundamental needs
• is capable of administering and evaluating pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain relief to intensive care patients
• is capable of administering and evaluating sedation of intensive care patients
• is capable of checking and using medical equipment and has a reflective attitude to the possibilities and limitations of technology
• is capable of practising intensive care nursing with respect for patients’ autonomy, integrity and dignity
• is capable of cooperating with patients’ next of kin, showing respect and care, and safeguarding their rights
• is capable of facilitating dying with dignity when treatment is unsuccessful
• is capable of critical reflection when making choices and acting in an ethically and legally satisfactory manner
• is capable of ensuring continuity in patient treatment through written and oral documentation
• is capable of documenting, evaluating and quality assuring his/her own work

• is capable of applying pedagogical and subject didactics principles when informing, teaching and providing guidance to patients and caregivers from different cultures, as well as to colleagues and other members of the healthcare team
• 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

Competence:

The student

• has action competence in the field of intensive care nursing
• is capable of analysing relevant ethical issues in intensive care nursing based on discipline knowledge, research, experience and patient knowledge

• is capable of carrying out wholly or partly compensatory intensive care nursing in the event of serious self-care deficits in relation to a patient's fundamental needs
• is capable of communicating about issues, analyses and conclusions in intensive care nursing, both with specialists and with the general public
• is capable of cooperating with members of his/her own profession and across professions in patient treatment
• is capable of contributing to new ideas and innovation processes in clinical practice

Simulation and supervised practical training.

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

• Specification of learning outcomes for the course
• The student must submit at least one written assessment per month
• Teaching/providing guidance to patients
• Teaching/providing guidance to fellow students
• Completed two advanced CPR simulations

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 practical training period.

An attendance requirement applies to practical training. In order to pass a practical training course, the student must have attended at least 90% of the planned activities in each course. Students must make up for absence exceeding 10% by agreement with the lecturer and the practical training establishment. If a student’s absence exceeds 20%, he/she will fail the course. Students who fail a period of practical training must retake the whole training period.

Not relevant.

Pass/Fail.

The summative assessment is carried out by a representative of the practical training establishment and a representative of the university. The final decision on whether to award a pass or fail grade is made by the university.

INTENPRA3 and MINTPRA3 overlap 100%.