Professional English for Nurses (3 cr)

Objectives (course unit)

The student
-is capable of asking, when conducting a patient interview, relevant questions relating to the patient’s previous health;
-can inform patients about the most common nursing practices, procedures and ward routines;
-can communicate in English as part of a multi-professional care team;
-understands and can use articles and texts in the field;
-can further develop his/her English skills in the field by effectively using dictionaries and other language learning tools.

Content (course unit)

-patient interview
-guidance and instruction sessions prior to and during examinations
-relevant terminology in the field
-relevant terminology in anatomy
-research reports
-medical terminology

Prerequisites (course unit)

Level: Upper secondary school studies or equivalent skills
Common European Framework for Languages Level B2.1

Exam schedules

Tentin ajankohta ilmoitetaan orientaatiotunnilla opintojakson alussa.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Written exam
Oral presentation / performance
Submitted written assignments
Participation in the small group activities
Self-study between the contact lessons
Self-assessment
Following the schedule and meeting the deadlines

Assignments:
- Moodle activitites: (discussion forum tasks, Flinga, H5P, GoogleDocs etc.)
- The written assignment submitted at the end of the course (evaluated on a scale of T1-K5)
- Oral (video) presentation at the end of the course (evaluated on a scale of T1-K5)
- written final exam

- self assessment, peer evaluation

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Online teaching/studying (Moodle, Zoom)
Independent and collaborative studying (participating in activities together with student colleagues)
Zoom -sessions

Learning materials

Activities in TuniMoodle (e.g., H5P -exercises, Quizlet)
Study book: Karhumäki, M., Metsäportti, M. & Tuohimäki. Dear Patient - English for Nursing. SanomaPro 2017.

Student workload

Distance learning (Zoom-sessions). The main theme and subthemes of the course (communication in nursing) are presented in the orientation lesson, along with an introduction to the applied study methods, and the criteria and deadlines of the written assignments. Throughout the course, students are expected to work on the forthcoming themes as instructed.
A student's contribution:
- preparing for the lessons
- written assignments (searching, choosing and working on appropriate study material)
- oral skills (participating in small group activities, oral exam at the end of the course)
- final test (written)

Completion alternatives

Valinnaisesta suoritustavasta (itsenäinen opiskelu ja laajempi tutkimusartikkelitehtävä) kerrotaan orientaatiotunnilla.

Further information

The main theme and subthemes of the course (communication in nursing) are presented in the orientation lesson, along with an introduction to the applied study methods, and the criteria and deadlines of the written assignments. Throughout the course, students are expected to work on the forthcoming themes as instructed.
A student's contribution:
- preparing for the lessons
- written assignments (searching, choosing and working on appropriate study material)
- oral skills (participating in small group activities, oral exam at the end of the course)
- final test (written)

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Reasons for failing the course:
Written / Oral exam is failed if
- the student has considerable problems in linguistic structures and grammar
- one's nursing terminology is very limited, or almost non-existent
- one fails to convey the relevant message across to a listener or a reader.
Negligence or delays in submitting the assignments.
Non-compliance to attendance requirements.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student
- can communicate in familiar, simple and routine situations in a manner that is mostly understandable
Guidance Skills:
The student
- can provide patients/clients with simple oral and written instructions
- can ask patients/clients basic questions regarding their lifestyle, as well as previous and current health status
- can employ basic nursing and health care terminology as required by the situation (e.g. obtaining a consent, giving treatment, giving instructions, referring to further care)
Professional Data Acquisition:
- can search for information in scientific publications and other professional sources but has problems in interpreting and utilizing it
- understands the main points in relatively easy nursing-related texts when consulting a dictionary
Linguistic Skills:
- can communicate in English but has problems with grammar and style
- manages simple conversations provided that the other person talks slowly and clearly, and sometimes repeats the information
- responds to questions in discussions, but pauses, mistakes and reformulations occur
Additional Information:
- understands the significance of knowing professional English, and works purposefully to gain linguistic competence in one’s special field
- is aware of some ways to further develop one’s professional language skills and language learning skills by utilizing different tools and strategies
- makes progress in the course, based on one’s individual level and linguistic needs

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student
- communicates clearly in multi-professional and multi-cultural interaction situations (verbal and written reports, documentation)
Guidance Skills:
The student
- can provide patients/clients with individual instructions in the most common patient guidance situations (e.g. home care instructions)
- can conduct a detailed health interview, asking further questions when needed
- can appropriately document the information obtained, as required by the situation (providing treatment, service, or further care)
- can successfully respond to the questions asked by patients/clients
- can employ and utilize relevant nursing and health care terminology
Professional Data Acquisition:
The student
- can search information in scientific publications and other professional sources to promote one’s professional growth
- can critically assess the references
- can apply and utilize most of the information obtained
Linguistic Skills:
The student
- almost invariably communicates fairly effortlessly, and in a way appropriate to the situation
- discusses field-specific topics fairly fluently
- responds to questions in discussions fairly successfully
- can pronounce fairly clearly and effortlessly
- employs grammatical structures fairly successfully, and self-corrects potential errors if causing misunderstandings
- can re-formulate one’s sentences if and when needed
- understands and employs field-specific terminology fairly accurately
- can utilize various resources and dictionaries
- expresses oneself and conveys the message to the reader/listener fairly idiomatically without misunderstandings (H4)
- conveys the information to the reader/listener understandably without misunderstandings, but somewhat non-idiomatically, at times with features from the mother tongue (H3)
Additional Information:
- works in an active and self-directed manner to improve one’s special field English, based on one’s level, linguistic needs and personal interests

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student
- communicates successfully even in demanding multi-professional and multi-cultural interaction situations (e.g. oral and written reports, documentation, potential extra-curricular activities, such as projects or international collaboration)
Guidance Skills:
The student
- interviews and instructs patients/clients successfully adapting to the interaction situation, challenging and unexpected situations included
- employs and utilizes specific terminology and field-specific concepts
- speaks fluently and idiomatically
Professional Data Acquisition:
The student
- can search for information in scientific publications and other professional sources, interprets it, and utilizes it with ease to promote one’s professional growth
- can critically assess the references
- can apply and utilize the information obtained
Linguistic Skills:
The student
- communicates effortlessly, almost flawlessly, and in a way appropriate to the situation
- discusses field-specific topics fluently
- responds to questions in discussions appropriately and without delay
- can pronounce clearly and effortlessly
- employs grammatical structures almost flawlessly, and self-corrects potential errors
- re-formulates one’s sentences if and when needed
- understands and employs field-specific terminology accurately
- can utilize a vast variety of resources and dictionaries
- expresses oneself fluently and conveys the message to the reader/listener idiomatically without misunderstandings
Additional Information:
- works in an active and self-directed manner to further improve and maintain one’s special field English, based on one’s level, linguistic needs and personal interests