Study Guide

Description

The paramedic is an emergency care and paramedicine specialist who approaches their work with a focus on customers and patients. They possess extensive technical skills and competencies that span various stages of a multiprofessional care pathway. The professional expertise of a paramedic is grounded in nursing and medical sciences, applying the principles of these disciplines, and incorporating insights from fields such as social and behavioral sciences. Paramedics and equipped with strong collaborative skills, encompassing interpersonal, leadership, and communication abilities. The value foundation of the paramedic degree program is built upon the principles of respecting human dignity and individual rights, maintaining confidentiality, demonstrating responsibility, and upholding high standards of professional conduct.

The bachelor’s degree in Paramedicineis 240 credits and the duration is 4 years. The multiform education takes into account the student's previous degree. For those who have completed a bachelor's degree (nurse, midwife, public health nurse), the studies to be completed are 60 credits. The multiform education training is 1 year. The studies in the training consist of theoretical studies and practical training that promotes professional skills.

The bachelor’s degree in Paramedicine encompasses the Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, and individuals completing the Nursing degree are legalized by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) under the Health Care Professionals Act (559/94). Paramedics attain legal recognition as healthcare professionals with the registered nurse status. The Emergency Nursing program aligns with the European Union Directive (2013/55/EU) requirements for the recognition of professional qualifications. The Paramedicine degree is classified as a professionally oriented bachelor-level higher education degree.

The Paramedicine degree incorporates national competency requirements, focusing on core competencies in emergency care. These include acute care-focused nursing, providing care for patients requiring urgent treatment, assessing the care needs of non-urgent patients, collaboration with authorities and operational leadership, evidence-based practice and decision-making, ethics, professionalism, and the delivery of social and healthcare services to homes.

The Paramedicine education curriculum considers future competencies, emphasizing work-life-based generic skills, individualized care competencies, the utilization of digital solutions and well-being technology in both prehospital emergency care and clinical nursing, effective communication, genomic knowledge, and principles of service professions. Students are expected to recognize and apply sustainable development principles in their profession. The curriculum encompasses a broad spectrum of both nursing and emergency care, enabling paramedics to assist suddenly ill or critically injured patients in hospitals and various non-hospital settings. Paramedics are equipped to support the health of individuals, conduct comprehensive examinations, provide treatment and guidance to the sick and their families as well as transport and guide clients to further care.
The Paramedicine program incorporates supervised practical training totaling 24 credits, involving authentic client/patient contacts in various environments. The training periods are designed to be diverse, covering different areas of nursing and prehospital emergency care.

The Paramedicine program actively engages in collaboration with the working world. Ongoing dialogue with the working world enables the program to respond comprehensively to the changing and evolving competence needs within the professional sphere. This collaboration ensures that the program remains attuned to the dynamic requirements of the working world.

Objectives

Paramedic act in the best interest of the patient. As a professional paramedic assess patients’ care needs independently and work as part of a multidisciplinary team. Paramedics provide care to patients of different ages and in various environments.

Student has a strong professional identity, ethical competence and can reflect on own actions and evaluate them.

Student follow individual responsibilities of nursing while taking care of patient and the family during whole care process. Student is also able to use a variety of guidance methods in paramedicine and emergency care.

Curriculum development and working life cooperation

The Paramedicine program actively engages in collaboration with the working world. Ongoing dialogue with the working world enables the program to respond comprehensively to the changing and evolving competence needs within the professional sphere. This collaboration ensures that the program remains attuned to the dynamic requirements of the working world.

The conversion training involves close cooperation with SEAMK and The Wellbeing Services County of South Ostrobothnia.

Further information

The curriculum considers Finland’s health policy programs, future challenges, and TAMK’s strategy. It aligns with the Health Care Professionals Act (559/1994) and the regulation (564/1994). The curriculum is developed considering the national definition of nursing professional competence, competence classifications of the Council of Rectors of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences, Tampere Higher Education Community’s common competencies, and the national framework for qualifications (NQF).The curriculum also considers reports on the development of social and healthcare, including those from the competence for social and healthcare project by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The program follows the European Union Directive (2013/55/EU) for the recognition of professional qualifications. Paramedicine students possess extensive and evidence-based knowledge across various domains, reinforcing the program’s commitment to providing a well-rounded education in areas crucial to emergency care and healthcare in general.