Degree Programme in nursing and Health care, Midwifery: 16KL

Description

Midwives are authorised by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health both as midwives and registered nurses according to the Act on Health Care Professionals (559/1994).
The degree is comparable with equivalent degrees in other EU countries. The extent of the midwifery education is 270 credits (cr) and it lasts for 4.5 years. The midwifery studies are based on the nursing studies, which are also included in the given degree certificate. The title of the graduating students of the option of Midwifery is Bachelor of Health Care.

The core values of the Degree Programme in Nursing and Health Care are respect for individuals and human dignity, confidentiality, responsibility and high-quality professional conduct.

The registered nurse/midwife is able to support people in health and wellbeing promotion and maintenance, and care for the ill in a holistic manner. The midwife is an expert who carries out and develops midwifery independently and in multiprofessional teams. Midwives can work in the service of primary health care, special health care, private sector or third sector organisations. Midwives can work in diverse planning and development tasks.
The professional competencies of registered nurses/midwives consist of ethical conduct, health promotion, decision making, guidance and teaching, collaboration, research and development, leadership, multicultural nursing, societal activities, clinical midwifery and nursing, and medication. The competencies are based on evidence based midwifery and nursing, nursing science and other supporting disciplines such as medicine, social and behavioural sciences.

Learning of nursing and midwifery includes reflective, critical and ethical evaluation of prior knowledge and conduct, realisation of new ways of action, and processing of personal attitudes. The starting point of learning is the multidimensional reality and diverse forms of knowledge. The bases for learning rise from the key competence needs of the professional field.
Expertise in midwifery includes sexual and reproductive health of women in all phases of life. This means guidance and nursing of women of different ages. Midwives are able to promote the health and wellbeing of women planning pregnancy, pregnant women, women in labour and women during the postnatal time, newborn babies, and whole families in the changing multicultural society. Gynaecological nursing is a part of midwifery. Expertise in midwifery is based on strong theoretical knowledge and manual skills, which are accomplished during the long periods of clinical training. Midwives work independently with pregnant women, women in labour and after labour during the postnatal period.

Competencies produced by the Degree Programme in Nursing and Health Care and the option of Midwifery throughout the study years:
After the first year of studies the midwifery student knows the basics of caring for ill patients. The student obeys the laws and ethical codes concerning health care. The student can recognise and predict the possible health problems of individuals and communities. The student is able to monitor basic vital signs, recognise nursing needs, and use appropriate nursing methods safely. The student knows how to carry out medication safely and masters medical calculations. The student is able to give first aid in emergency situations. The student is able to consider the meaning of different cultures in nursing.

During the middle phase of the studies the student develops his/her clinical know-how in different areas of nursing and is able to define the nursing needs of patients/clients of different ages, and plan, implement and evaluate nursing in cooperation with patients/clients and their significant others. The student utilises multidisciplinary knowledge as the basis for his/her work. The student is able to guide and support patients/clients in self-care. The student knows how to act in multiprofessional collaboration to the benefit of the patient/client. The student knows how to evaluate his/her own work critically.

After the third year the student can monitor pregnancy with diverse methods, guide expecting families both in physical changes and growth towards parenthood. The student knows the labour progress and procedures theoretically, and can act in normal deliveries under supervision.

After the fourth year the student can independently manage normal deliveries and is able to recognise abnormalities during pregnancy, delivery and postnatal time and can manage them. The student can monitor and take care of the mother and newborn baby after childbirth and support the family in the new phase of life. The student can implement health promotion and gynaecological care of women of different ages.

During the last half a year the student develops her/his competences in all fields of midwifery. The student can predict, plan and implement midwifery. She/he can solve problems, make decisions and has a critical and developmental attitude to midwifery.

Implementation of teaching
The midwifery studies can be completed as full-time studies in Finnish. The midwifery education includes the required amount of clinical training to enhance professional skills.

Progress of studies
The student’s know-how in nursing expands and deepens throughout the studies. In completion of the studies the following principles are followed:
30 ects of initial stage studies need to be completed
in the beginning of the middle phase studies. The first-year supervised orientation to clinical training and pharmacotherapy and medical calculations are to be completed before proceeding to the first clinical training.
By the start of the professional studies the student must have first year and middle phase studies completed, at least 135 credits, including the basic level studies in the field of the professional studies. These studies need to include three supervised practises and anatomy and physiology.
By the start of first clinical training in midwifery studies, the nursing studies have to be completed except for the bachelor’s thesis and language studies.

Development of programme and collaboration with working life:
The Finnish health policies, future challenges and TAMK strategy have been considered in the curriculum. In addition to the Act on Health Care Professionals (559/1994) and the decree (564/1994), the competence descriptions made by the work group appointed by the Ministry of Education in 2005 on health care education in universities of applied sciences, Rectors' Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences’ competence classifications, and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) have been considered in the curriculum.
The education fulfils the EU directive (2013/55/EU) on recognition of professional qualifications.

Internationalisation
Students have the opportunity to deepen their international competence up to 20-30 credits. The studies may consist of English-language theoretical studies in Finland, international student or trainee exchange or other international studies.

Curriculum development and working life cooperation

The curriculum was made in cooperation with working life.