Study plan - Master's programme in nursing with clinical specialisation

Master's in Nursing – Clinical Specialties offers master's level expertise for nurses who seek specialization in:

Gastroenterology Nursing

Infection Nursing and Infection Control

Pulmonary Nursing

Neurological Nursing

Stoma and Continence Nursing

Urotherapy

Forensic Nursing

The master's program aims to address the healthcare sector's need for specialist competence in these areas. The education's goal is to provide the healthcare system with competent specialist nurses who can initiate and actively participate in professional development and research as demanded by the healthcare sector. The master's degree program trains nurses with specialized expertise primarily for direct clinical work, but also for health leadership, patient safety work, quality improvement, healthcare development, teaching, professional development, and research. The master's program qualifies for admission to doctoral programs. Graduates will be particularly well-equipped for combined roles that encompass both clinical work and practice-oriented research and development.

Nurses with a Master's degree in Nursing – Clinical Specialties have acquired expert-level knowledge in their specialization, in addition to decision-making and clinical competence for an expanded role as specialist nurses. Nursing is to be practiced based on health promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care. The extended role of a specialist nurse is characterized by the candidate's specialized insight and in-depth knowledge within the specialty, with the ability to handle the follow-up of patient groups covered by the specialty.

The master's program is built on an extensive knowledge foundation. Nurses with advanced clinical competence should address patients' acute and long-term health needs both in hospitals and in community healthcare services. This requires knowledge of anatomy and physiology, medical knowledge, psychology, communication, ethics, coping theories, and learning theories. Clinical leadership involves improving the professional standard in clinical practice in line with evidence-based guidelines, standards, and consensus to meet patient needs. The term "clinical leadership" is used to emphasize that theories and methods for leadership practice must be grounded in specialist knowledge.

During the program, students will acquire specialized knowledge and clinical skills to offer nursing services of high professional quality within their specialty, ensuring patient safety, holistic patient pathways, and seamless transitions between service levels. Furthermore, students will acquire competence in using tools for quality improvement and evidence-based practice, as well as extended competence in health pedagogy. Health service development and innovative solutions will ensure better patient follow-up. Combining research activity with clinical competence is essential to provide high-quality nursing care. Students should enhance their ability to integrate available research-based knowledge with experiential knowledge and user-based knowledge to strengthen the quality of nursing care and treatment and ensure patient safety.

The master's program requires 150 hours of clinical studies within the specialty. Reflection and exchange of experiences related to practice will aid in translating theoretical knowledge into practical action. This also involves providing tailored information, support, and guidance to patients and their families to prevent illness and complications and to promote health, coping, and quality of life. The master's education provides students with the necessary depth in scientific methodology to engage in continuous professional development and quality work in healthcare and participate in research projects.

The education qualifies individuals to work as specialist nurses and/or advisors in specialized healthcare services, primary healthcare services, and other relevant healthcare offerings.

Specialization in Gastroenterology Nursing
The program qualifies individuals to practice specialized nursing for patients with gastrointestinal disorders. The specialized competence contributes significantly to better coping and quality of life for this patient group. Gastrointestinal nurses work within a broad field that encompasses several specialties. Constantly evolving treatment methods and technological innovations necessitate specialization at various levels within the healthcare system. The program aims to further develop practical competence in gastrointestinal nursing. Many patients experience changes in their life situations due to gastrointestinal illnesses. This may involve surgical procedures or medical conditions that require adjustments to accommodate the illness. Colorectal cancer is the second most common form of cancer in Norway for both men and women combined. Patients need an understanding of the psychological aspects of living with chronic and serious illnesses. Gastrointestinal nurses must possess a wide range of skills and specialized, up-to-date knowledge required for acute situations, palliative care, and rehabilitation. Nurses must be able to guide, educate, and provide advice regarding acute and chronic illnesses, the use of equipment and medications, and ensuring fluid and nutritional needs are met. Nurses are responsible for helping patients and their families best adapt their situation to social life

Specialization in Infection Nursing and Infection Control
The program facilitates the development of expertise in infection control at a systemic level and in clinical nursing for individual-level infection patients. This competence significantly contributes to actively participating in the treatment of infection patients and providing guidance to patients, their families, and colleagues about infectious diseases, with or without the risk of transmission. Patients treated in hospitals and nursing homes always carry a risk of acquiring healthcare-associated infections and/or becoming colonized with resistant bacteria during their stay. From a societal perspective, severe outbreaks of infectious agents or outbreaks of resistant bacteria within the healthcare system emphasize the need for strong infection control preparedness. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem both inside and outside institutions, and efforts to reduce antibiotic usage include preventing conditions that necessitate antibiotic treatment and preventing misuse of antibiotics. Nurses play a crucial role in developing and maintaining infection control programs, antibiotic management programs, and ensuring that antibiotic prescriptions are based on accurate information about the patient's condition and relevant microbiological data.

Specialization in Pulmonary Nursing
The program qualifies individuals to practice specialized nursing for patients with lung diseases and respiratory problems caused by other illnesses or injuries. The health status of the population is changing, and the number of individuals with chronic lung diseases is increasing. The incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer is projected to rise by 2030. COPD alone is expected to become the fifth leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost in 2020. Constantly evolving treatment methods and technological innovations necessitate specialization at various levels within the healthcare system. This presents significant challenges and requires knowledge, collaboration, and coordination to achieve quality, safety, and accessibility in healthcare services. Effective professional practice requires the ability to integrate available research-based knowledge with experiential knowledge, combined with user knowledge. The program aims to further develop practical competence in pulmonary nursing. Many patients experience changes in their life situations due to lung diseases. Patients require an understanding of the psychological aspects of living with chronic and serious illnesses. Pulmonary nurses must possess a wide range of skills and updated knowledge required for acute situations, palliative care, and rehabilitation. Nurses must be able to guide, educate, and provide advice regarding acute and chronic illnesses, the use of equipment and medications, and ensuring fluid and nutritional needs are maintained. Nurses are responsible for helping patients and their families best adapt their situation to social life.

Specialization in Neurological Nursing
New treatment possibilities and advanced examinations bring significant challenges to neurological nursing and require collaboration and coordination to achieve quality, safety, and accessibility in healthcare services. Patients and users in need of nursing related to neurological diseases or injuries to the brain and nervous system are found both inside and outside hospitals. Some have acute illnesses or injuries, while others have congenital or acquired chronic diseases. Within the field of neurological nursing, treatment is offered to patients and users of all age groups and backgrounds. A neurological nurse must possess a wide range of skills and updated knowledge required for acute life-threatening situations, rehabilitation, and lifelong palliative care. The specialized competence of a neurological nurse is a significant contribution to better coping and quality of life for this patient group.

Specialization in Stoma and Continence Nursing
Stoma and continence nursing is a specialization that focuses on nursing care for individuals who are affected by diseases or conditions in the gastrointestinal tract, urinary system, genitalia, or nervous system, and as a result, must live with a stoma, reservoir, fistula/drains, fecal incontinence/constipation/pelvic pain, or a percutaneous nutrition tube. This will require a high degree of adaptation and often permanent changes in life, necessitating specialized knowledge for nurses who will care for these patients. Through the specialization in stoma and continence nursing, one will gain specialized knowledge about the mentioned patient groups in order to prepare, care for, treat, support, and guide them in relation to physical, psychological, social, sexual, and cultural challenges.

This specialized competence is a significant contribution to better coping and quality of life for this patient group.

Specialization in Urotherapy
Diseases and functional disorders of the urinary tract can affect both women and men, from newborns to the most frail elderly. Many have to adapt to a changed life situation for a long period of time. Congenital conditions, medical conditions, or surgical interventions can be the cause of the disease or functional disorder. Patients require an understanding of the psychological aspects of living with chronic and/or serious illnesses. The urotherapist must be able to guide, educate, and provide advice in relation to acute and chronic illnesses and functional disorders, the use of equipment and medications, and ensure that elimination needs are met. The urotherapist should be familiar with techniques to reduce physical and psychological pain and discomfort related to the elimination process and contribute to enabling patients and their families to function as well as possible in social life. The program aims to further develop practical competence in urotherapy.

Specialization in Clinical Forensic Nursing
The purpose of forensic nursing is to offer a comprehensive support service to individuals who have been subjected to various types of violence and sexual abuse. The education will contribute to increasing the legal protection for victims by documenting criminal acts such as violence and abuse and securing evidence, making it possible to bring such cases to the judicial system. The program is closely related to human rights violations and Norwegian law.

The education aims to train nurses with specialized competence who can provide safe and effective assistance to all victims of violence and abuse, ensuring consistent quality of care regardless of location within the country. Students will gain advanced insight and skills related to interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure the best possible assistance and future safety for victims.

Suitability assessment
The education has a suitability assessment. The purpose is to determine whether students pose a possible danger to the vulnerable groups they come into contact with during their education or in future professional practice. Ongoing assessment of all students takes place throughout the course. A separate customs assessment must take place if there is reason to doubt whether a student is customs. A student who is not in good standing can be banned from education for up to five years, and cannot receive a diploma. Etiquette assessment is regulated by the Universities and Colleges Act § 12-3, and the Etiquette Regulations (regulations on etiquette in higher education).

Admission Requirements

Bachelor's degree in nursing.

Norwegian nursing authorization.

Minimum of 2 years of professional experience as a nurse after completing the education.

For supplementation: Completed further education in clinical nursing (60 ECTS credits) in the specialization you apply for are either: gastro nursing, infection nursing and infection control, lung nursing, neuro nursing, stoma and continence nursing, urotherapy, or forensic nursing.

Learning outcomes

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

Knowledge:
The candidate…

• has advanced knowledge of nursing for patient groups within their specialization.
• has in-depth knowledge of pathology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology as the basis for nursing within their specialization.
• has in-depth knowledge of health educational theories and digital tools for use in patient education and assessing patients' health status.
• has in-depth knowledge of theories about patient safety and quality improvement, and about the steps in evidence-based practice.
• has advanced knowledge of key scientific traditions, research designs, research methods, data collection and analysis methods, and research ethics.
• has in-depth knowledge of professional and scientific issues within their clinical specialty.
• can analyze and critically evaluate research findings within their clinical specialty.

Skills:
The candidate…

• can independently provide advanced clinical nursing care to patients who are acutely ill, chronically ill, cancer patients, or patients with functional disorders in their clinical specialty.
• can independently prioritize and act responsibly by maintaining quality and patient safety in the practice of nursing.
• can identify, assess, and analyze signs and symptoms of various disease conditions to initiate prevention, investigation, and treatment measures, including lifestyle interventions within their specialty.
• can make independent clinical assessments and decisions about nursing interventions that can promote health, coping, and quality of life.
• can apply relevant health educational approaches to support patient participation.
• can practice nursing based on critical evaluation of research knowledge, experiential knowledge, and patient/user preferences and needs.
• can conduct a limited development, improvement, or research project under supervision and in accordance with current research ethical norms.

General Competence:
The candidate…

• can interact with patients/users, their relatives, and other professional groups in the planning, organization, and execution of nursing care in the healthcare system.
• can apply their competence in interdisciplinary and inter-agency collaboration to ensure that the patient/user's follow-up and treatment are continuous across service levels.
• can provide guidance to patients, their relatives, and other professional groups.
• can communicate professional issues in clinical practice, educational institutions, and professional journals/scientific journals.
• can critically apply professional knowledge and reflect on their own clinical practice.
• can work independently with practical and theoretical problem-solving and apply their competence in new areas to contribute to professional development.

Content

The study is organized flexibly, allowing the student to choose a) further education (60 ECTS credits) part-time, b) full master's (120 ECTS credits) part-time, or c) supplementary admission to complete the last 60 ECTS credits part-time.

The Master's program offers 120 ECTS credits and is organized as a part-time study over eight semesters. Completion of the first 60 ECTS credits qualifies for further education in clinical specialties. The master's degree program educates nurses with specialized competence primarily for direct clinical work, but also for health leadership, patient safety work, quality improvement, healthcare development, teaching, professional development, and research. The candidates will be particularly well qualified for combined positions that involve both clinical work and practice-oriented research and development.

The study is organized with in-person gatherings, with 2-3 gatherings per semester. The workload corresponds to 27 hours per ECTS credit.

As the study is organized as a part-time program, the student will have the opportunity to contribute practical experience to the education and integrate new knowledge into their own work practice.

The Master's program consists of six modules:

Health Education, Healthcare Development, and Innovation (15 ECTS credits)
Clinical Specialty, General Part (15 ECTS credits)
Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, and Evidence-Based Practice (15 ECTS credits)
Clinical Leadership and Specialization Focus (15 ECTS credits)
Theory of Science, Research Ethics, and Methodology (15 ECTS credits) - online-based
Master's Thesis (45 ECTS credits)

Practice

Throughout the program, students are required to complete 150 hours of clinical studies to gain a deeper understanding within their specialization. The clinical studies are not guided, meaning they are not subject to assessment. Preferably, clinical studies should be conducted at a location other than the student's own workplace. Practice sites are chosen in consultation with the responsible course coordinator. Students contact practice sites where they wish to conduct their clinical studies. This does not apply to stomal and continence nursing and urotherapy, where the course coordinator will organize clinical studies.

For the specialization in forensic nursing, the following applies: Clinical practice should preferably be carried out at an emergency room, acute care unit, or a center for victims of abuse, preferably at a location other than where the student is employed.

Clinical practice includes participation in court cases related to violence and/or abuse, for a minimum of 15 hours. Additionally, visits to collaborating partners such as Crisis Centers, Competence Centers for Sexual Abuse (Nok.), Child Advocacy Centers, Alternatives to Violence (ATV), Center for Crisis Psychology, Regional Centers for Violence (RVTS), police, victim advocates, etc., totaling 15 hours.

Clinical studies are mandatory learning activities that are approved by the responsible course coordinator within each specialization. 90% of the clinical studies should be related to patient-related situations. Clinical studies are obligatory, and absences beyond 10% must be made up by agreement for the clinical studies to be approved

Teaching

The teaching methods in the program reflect the learning outcome descriptions and the assessment methods used in each module.

The instruction is designed with varied student-active teaching and learning methods. The methods used include lectures, skill training, simulation, seminars, presentations and opposition, group work, clinical studies, online work forms, and self-study. The program includes both mandatory and self-selected literature.

Students are expected to take shared responsibility for their own and their fellow students' professional development and learning in order to achieve the learning outcomes. Discussions, arguments, and oral presentations are emphasized in the instruction. Critical reflection on the connections between theoretical perspectives and professional practice is emphasized, and students are expected to apply experiences and reflections from their own workplaces and from the clinical studies. The program is designed for students to work both individually and in groups.

An 80% attendance rate is required for student-active and experience-based instruction. Canvas is used as a study support system.

Mandatory Learning Activities
Mandatory learning activities encompass all required assignments and tasks that are prerequisites for taking exams. In this program, mandatory learning activities consist of:

• Written assignments
• Oral presentations and opposition
• Clinical studies
• Presentation of individual work in plenum
• Participation in online learning forms and tests
• Participation in skill training and simulation
• Participation in solving patient case scenarios/cases
• Mandatory guidance on assignments
• Participation in assignment seminars
• Peer feedback

Students receive written and/or oral feedback from instructors and/or peers on written assignments regarding both form and content.

Assessment

Throughout the program, students encounter various assessment methods. These assessment methods are designed to maintain a continuous process with a dual purpose: promote learning and document that the student has achieved the intended learning outcomes. Students are assessed based on the learning outcomes of the respective modules. Assessment is conducted in accordance with the University College's regulations on studies and examinations at HVL.

The assessment methods used in the program include:

• Home exams – individual and in groups (time-restricted)
• In-class exams
• Assignments
• Practical theoretical exams (forensic nursing)
• Master's thesis

The grading scale is either a graded scale A-E for pass and F for fail, or pass/fail.

Required progression

The first two semesters must be passed to proceed to the 4rd semester.

The fourth semester must be passed before a student can enter the 5th semester. To submit the master's thesis, all preceding modules must be passed.

Internationalization

The University College has a broad focus on internationalization through student and faculty exchanges and research collaborations. It is possible to arrange for parts of clinical studies to be conducted abroad. In connection with the master's thesis, students can be included in faculty research projects and international collaborative relationships. If a student is involved in an international research collaboration, a co-supervisor from the relevant partner institution might be involved in the master's thesis work.

The program has exchange agreements associated with Nordplus and Erasmus. Information about exchange opportunities related to each specialization can be found on the University College's website.