Study Guide

Objectives (course unit)

The Student:
- is able to ask relevant questions relating to sampling and examinations when conducting a patient interview
- can instruct various patients in most common patient situations and laboratory examinations
- can communicate in English as part of a multiprofessional care team in the typical duties of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists
- understands and utilizes articles and texts in the field of Biomedical Laboratory Science
- can further develop one’s English skills in the field of Biomedical Laboratory Science by fluently utilizing dictionaries and other language learning tools

Content (course unit)

Sampling situations
Instructing patients prior to sampling and examinations
Instructing patients during sampling and examinations
Relevant terminology in the field of Biomedical Laboratory Science
Research report
Medical terminology

Prerequisites (course unit)

Level: Upper Secondary School studies or equivalent skills
Common European Framework for Languages Level B2.1

Further information (course unit)

This course can be attended also by overseas exchange students.

Written exam
Oral presentation / performance
Submitted written assignments
Participation throughout the course
Independent study throughout the course
Self-assessment
Following the schedule and meeting the deadlines

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2) (course unit)

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 relevant to professional procedures (e.g. obtaining samples)
- can employ basic professional terminology as required by the situation (e.g. obtaining a consent, 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 biomedical laboratory science-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) (course unit)

The student
- communicates clearly in multi-professional and multi-cultural interaction situations
Guidance skills:
The student
- can provide patients/clients with individual instructions in the most common patient guidance situations (e.g. MSU, ECG, blood tests)
- can successfully respond to the questions asked by patients/clients
- can employ relevant biomedical laboratory science 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) (course unit)

The student
- communicates successfully even in demanding multi-professional and multi-cultural interaction situations (e.g. potential extra-curricular activities, such as projects or international collaboration)
Guidance skills::
The student
- interviews and instructs patients/clients successfully and adapts to the interaction situation, also in challenging and unexpected situations
- employs 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 uses 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

Assessment criteria, pass/fail (course unit)

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

Location and time

Tamk

A+B
Wed 23 Aug 12.30-14.00 Orientation to the Course
Thu 24 Aug 10.15-11.45
Wed 30 Aug 12.30-14
Thu 31 Aug 13.30-15

Group A
Wed 6 Sept 12.30-14
Tu 12 Sept 10.15-11.45
Tu 19 Sept 14.15-15.45
Fri 22 Sept 10.15-11.45
Wed 27 Sept 8.30-10

Group B
Wed 6 Sept 10.15-11.45
Thu 14 Sept 10.15-11.45
Fri 22 Sept 12.30-14
Tue 26 Sept 14.15-15.45
Wed 27.Sept 12.30-14

Assessment methods and criteria

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 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

Contact lessons (& Moodle) and/or online teaching/studying
Independent and collaborative studying (participating in activities together with student colleagues)

Learning materials

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

Student workload

3 ECTS credits = 3 x 27h = 81h student work. (This is an estimation as the time spent on completing the course depends on the student's current level on English.)

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 presentation at the end of the course (evaluated on a scale of T1-K5)
- Final exam

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 biomedical laboratory science and health care terminology as required by the situation (e.g. when taking samples)
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 biomedical laboratory science-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. when taking samples)
- can conduct a detailed health interview, asking further questions when needed
- can appropriately document the information obtained, as required by the situation
- can successfully respond to the questions asked by patients/clients
- can employ and utilize relevant biomedical laboratory science 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