Study plan - Master of Clinical Nursing - Cardiac Nursing

The academic profile of the Master's program in Clinical Nursing is clinical leadership. This means that the program aims to educate nurses who combine clinical expertise and analytical skills, enabling them to make independent, research-based assessments and decisions in complex situations. The program focuses on improving the professional standards of clinical practice and includes the facilitation of patient care to meet patient needs. The key areas of focus are nursing competence, evidence-based practice, and patient-centered clinical research and professional development. The integration of research activities with clinical expertise is essential for providing high-quality nursing services.

The program's goal is to supply the healthcare sector with competent specialized nurses who can initiate and actively engage in professional development and research as demanded by the healthcare industry. The Master's program is designed to address the challenges in the healthcare sector, offering a combination of clinical specialist expertise and the ability to lead clinically based on research-based knowledge acquisition and problem-solving. Research is one of the healthcare sector's four tasks, and it is necessary for nurses to actively participate in this field. A Master's degree is a crucial step in developing research skills.

The Master's program in Clinical Nursing educates nurses with specialized expertise, primarily for direct clinical work but also for teaching, healthcare leadership, professional development, and research. Nurses constitute the largest group of professionals in specialized healthcare services and play a critical role in the healthcare system as a whole. With increased competence in systematically documenting factors that provide the best care and treatment or the effectiveness of preventive measures, as well as developing new knowledge in their field, they can contribute to raising the quality of healthcare in society.

A Master's in Clinical Nursing qualifies for admission to a doctoral program. The program also qualifies graduates to work as specialized nurses with specific responsibilities for advanced clinical nursing and clinical leadership. Graduates will be particularly well-qualified for combined positions that encompass both clinical work and practice-oriented research and development. Below is a more specific description of the various specializations and their qualifications.

The program meets the requirements of the curriculum and regulations for health nursing education, further education in pediatric nursing, anesthesia nursing, intensive care nursing, or operating room nursing, as specified in the curriculum and regulations of the Ministry of Education and Research on December 1, 2005, as well as the regulations for Master's degrees, Section 3, by the Ministry of Education and Research on December 1, 2005. Regulations on admission, studies, and examinations are governed by the "Act relating to Universities and University Colleges" of April 1, 2005. Other key documents underlying the study plan include Report No. 27 (2000-2001) "Perform Your Duty - Demand Your Right" - Quality Reform of Higher Education, Report No. 47 (2008-09) The Coordination Reform, and Report No. 10 (2012-13), High Quality-Safe Services.

Cardiology Nursing
More than 60% of the population is affected by cardiovascular disease during their lifetime. Cardiovascular disorders are thus predominant in the population's disease profile. The field of cardiology is broad, the patient group is large, and complex health problems in various age groups reflect the need for qualified nursing care. There is rapid development in the field of cardiology. Technological innovations provide a basis for new treatment options for large patient groups. The possibilities for treatment challenge healthcare professionals in various specialized fields to collaborate and coordinate to achieve comprehensive and continuous care in meeting patient needs. This requires a high level of competence among nurses.

Graduates of the completed Master's program in Clinical Nursing with a specialization in cardiology nursing acquire the competence to combine clinical experience and expertise with the best available knowledge from research to provide high-quality care and treatment. Reflection and exchange of experiences related to clinical practice contribute to translating theoretical knowledge into practical action.

Cardiology specialist nurses work with all types of heart patients in hospitals, both in medical and surgical departments, in primary healthcare, and within other relevant healthcare services.

Admission Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in nursing
• Norwegian nursing authorization
• At least 1 year of professional nursing experience after authorization.

Learning outcomes

A candidate who has completed the qualification should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge:
The candidate...

• possesses specialized insight and action competence to master complex situations within their specialty.
• contributes to insight and competence in interdisciplinary and interagency collaboration to ensure that the patient/user's follow-up and treatment services are coherent across service levels.
• analyzes and evaluates clinical and scientific issues

Skills:
The candidate...

• collaborates with patients/users, their relatives, and other professional groups in planning, organizing, and implementing measures in healthcare
• utilizes comprehensive knowledge search related to specific clinical questions and gathers appropriate and relevant knowledge from various sources
• critically examines existing theories, methods, and practices within the field
• plans and conducts a defined research or development project in accordance with current research ethical standards
• works based on evidence, meaning they plan and practice nursing based on critically assessed research, experiential knowledge, and the preferences and needs of the patient/user
• applies their knowledge in clinical audits to assess results and develop improved procedures in healthcare and to ensure the quality of nursing services

General Competence:
The candidate...

• applies their professional knowledge critically and reflects on their own clinical practice
• explains ethical limitations, exhibits critical judgments, and demonstrates well-considered insight into ethical dilemmas in healthcare work
• teaches and conveys their expertise in clinical practice, educational institutions, and professional journals
• engages in public debates about their own field, both nationally and internationally

A candidate with a specialization in cardiac nursing should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence after completing 60 ECTS credits:

Knowledge:
The candidate...

• possesses specialized insight and knowledge to master complex situations in cardiac nursing

Skills:
The candidate...

• applies knowledge of various heart diseases to implement prevention, diagnosis, and treatment measures, including lifestyle interventions
• works based on evidence, meaning they plan and practice nursing based on critically assessed research, experiential knowledge, and the preferences and needs of the patient/user within the framework of the current workplace
• plans and conducts a defined research or development project in accordance with current research ethical standards
• identifies, critically evaluates, and applies research results in a reflective manner

General Competence:
The candidate...

• collaborates with patients/users, their relatives, and other professional groups in planning, organizing, and implementing measures in healthcare
• contributes to insight and competence in interdisciplinary and interagency collaboration to ensure that the patient/user's follow-up and treatment services are coherent across service levels
• makes independent clinical assessments and decisions regarding nursing measures that can promote health, coping, and quality of life
• has pedagogical competence, allowing them to guide individuals with heart disease, their relatives, and other professional groups
• communicates specialized expertise to collaborators in healthcare
• critically evaluates professional knowledge and reflects on their own practice

Practice

The term "clinical studies" applies to full-time studies where practical training is assessed as pass/fail. For the diabetes nursing and cardiac nursing specializations, practical training (150 hours) is a mandatory requirement approved by the course instructor. The clinical studies are entirely discipline-specific and are designed to ensure progression in knowledge, skills, and general competence. The majority, or 90%, of the clinical studies should be related to patient-centered situations.

Teaching

The teaching methods in the program reflect the learning outcomes descriptions and the assessment methods used in each subject. Through various teaching methods, students are expected to acquire the learning outcomes.

The teaching methods employed include lectures, skills training, simulations, seminars, group work, clinical studies/practical training, online learning activities, and self-study. Through student-active learning methods, students are expected to take responsibility for their own and their peers' academic development and learning to achieve the learning outcomes. The instruction emphasizes discussions, arguments, and oral presentations. Critical reflection on the relationships between theoretical perspectives and professional practice is emphasized, and it is expected that students will apply their experiences and reflections from practical studies.

The program is designed for students to work both individually and in groups. Itslearning is used as the study support system.

Some parts of the instruction are common to several specializations and are detailed in the timetables. Scheduled common instruction sessions are organized as gatherings that largely combine resource lectures with student-active learning methods.

Assessment

Based on the expected learning outcomes, academic content, pedagogical methods, and teaching formats, students will encounter various forms of assessment throughout the program. These assessment methods serve a dual purpose: to promote learning and to document that the student has achieved the learning outcomes.

Course Requirements
Course requirements encompass all forms of mandatory assignments and activities that are prerequisites for taking the final examination. In this program, course requirements include:

• Written assignments
• Clinical studies
• Presentation of individual work in a group setting
• Participation in online learning activities and tests
• Participation in skills training and simulation
• Mandatory guidance on assignments and participation in assignment seminars
• Mandatory guidance on the master's thesis and participation in master's thesis seminars

Students receive written and/or oral feedback from instructors and/or fellow students on their written submissions, both in terms of format and content. All course requirements must be approved before students are eligible to take the final examination in the subject.

Examination
Students are assessed based on the learning outcomes of the course. The examination methods used in the program include:

• Group examinations
• Oral group examinations
• Written examinations under supervision
• Individual home examinations
• Practical assessments
• Master's thesis

These assessments are designed to evaluate students' knowledge, skills, and competencies in line with the learning outcomes of the course.

Required progression

All mandatory course requirements must be approved before students are eligible to take the final examination in the subject. The content and scope of mandatory instruction are outlined in the course description. Some courses may have prerequisite requirements.

Clinical studies/practice studies are mandatory, and each practice period must be successfully completed before students can begin the next practice period.

To submit the master's thesis, all preceding courses must have been passed. For more specific information, please refer to the individual course descriptions.

Internationalization

The university has a strong focus on internationalization through student and faculty exchanges and research collaborations. In connection with the master's thesis, students may be included in the faculty's research projects and international partnerships. If a student is affiliated with an international research collaboration, it may be relevant to have a co-supervisor from the respective partner institution for their master's thesis.

The program has exchange agreements with Nordplus and Erasmus and maintains collaboration agreements with institutions in Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Lithuania, Belgium, and Canada.

Information about exchange opportunities related to each specialization is available on the university's website.

Organization

The Master's program in Clinical Nursing with specializations in Cardiac Nursing is offered at the Bergen Campus.

As a general rule, students complete their studies in Bergen. However, clinical practice, simulation training, and master's thesis seminars may take place outside the student's local region.

The specialization in Cardiac Nursing is conducted on a part-time basis over a total of 6 semesters. Students who choose to complete the program after 60 credits (2 or 3 semesters) will qualify as Cardiac Nurses.

A full-time study workload corresponds to 40 student work hours per week, 1600 hours per year, or 27 hours per credit.