General information

Department of Nursing

The Department carries out an undergraduate study of “Nursing” that lasts for three years and upon the completion of which the student acquires 180 ECTS credits and the academic title ‘Bachelor of Nursing’ (bacc.med.techn). The study program has been carried out at the institution since 2009. For all the courses covered by the study plan and program, the syllabi with learning outcomes have been made; units and chapters analyzed during the duration of the courses have been defined, along with the student obligations, exam procedures and the criteria on the basis of which the final grade is given. The expected learning outcomes and all other information on the courses are publicly available to students on the website (http://www.unin.hr/sestrinstvo/kolegiji/).

The aim of this study is to contribute to the development of the nursing profession and the development of health protection and health care in a global context. Recognizing the needs for an integrated and comprehensive approach to education in a variety of professions, the key feature of the study of Nursing is its interdisciplinary character. Due to that same reason, along with the basic knowledge and skills in the field of nursing, the program offers a large number of courses from different areas of science and the profession in the form of basic knowledge through means of compulsory courses and additional knowledge and skills through means of elective courses. In the processes of medical treatment and health care, higher technology standards are introduced on a daily basis, for which professional personnel is required, and whose education must be compatible with the current trends in the health care in the European Union. Accordingly, the health care system in the Republic of Croatia requires a new profile of medical nurses who will, beside the mastery of health care medical skills, be trained to use modern technologies in the processes of public health care. The program of education at University North meets these requirements and enables the acquisition of a high level of integrated knowledge from both theory and practice. An important segment of education is the preparation of students to responsibly conduct health care on ethical principles. In the region of north-western Croatia there are about ten health care institutions of different types that require our personnel, who act as our partners in teaching and securing additional scientific and professional and material resources. Upon the completion of the study, students acquire the competencies needed to work in accordance with the principles of unified nursing care, appreciate the individuality of people in their care by applying a holistic approach and building a partnership-like relationship, organize and deliver nursing care, assess the need for health care provision, set goals and priorities, plan and implement appropriate procedures, evaluate and modify nursing care plans, keep nursing documentation, undertake activities in order to improve health sustainability, protect the individual, the family and the community as a whole, establish appropriate communication with people in their care, the families, their team members and others, maintain a healthy and safe environment, prevent health risks, have the knowledge and skills necessary in monitoring patients’ condition, including the condition of critical patients, and to act according to their licensing and privileges, take part in the planning and execution of the common diagnostic and treatment procedures prescribed and supervised by a physician, lead health care teams, organize and run nursing services at any level of medical care.

Following the recommendations of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, since the academic year 2014/2015 University North has been carrying out a modified study plan of “Nursing” in compliance with the EC Directive 2005/36/EC. On the basis of the mentioned Directive (2005/36/EC) it has been prescribed that the nursing education takes at least three years or 4,600 hours of theoretical and clinical training, that the theoretical part of the education amounts to 1/3 of the total duration of the study program and that the clinical practice amounts to 1/2 of the total duration of the study program. The Directive also prescribes the compulsory courses of the nursing study program.