Nursing education in Belgium

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Nursing education in Belgium

• Hilde Boucqué
• Berte De Cnijf

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Belgium, at the heart of Europe
http//www.visitflanders.us/discover/flanders
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Educational system structure
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Educational system structure
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Educational system structure
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Associations in Higher Education in Flanders
12 university colleges 80,000 students
(40 market share)
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(No Transcript)
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HUB - KAHO
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HUB- KAHO
Brussels
Aalst
Ghent
Sint-Niklaas
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HUB- KAHO
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Types of nurses in Belgium

• Different categories of nurse in Belgium
• Qualified nurses
• Bachelors in nursing
• Masters in nursing

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Nursing education in Flanders

• The education of BACHELORS IN NURSING is
  organized by 15 high schools
• The education of QUALIFIED NURSES is organized by
  the 4th grade of the secondary schools

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Qualified nurses

• undertakes practical nurse training in the fourth
  grade of secondary school after completing the
  normal three grades (3x2 years) secondary school
  studies
• the training is largely based on practice
• this type of nurse students are not specialist
  nurses but can in their third year of training
  follow either a hospital route or psychiatric
  nurse or geriatric nurse

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Bachelors in nursing

• graduates from the high schools
• their education is at a higher level (higher
  education)
• these nurses have undertaken professional nursing
  education which is a three year course resulting
  in a diploma and are considered to be general
  nurses.
• admission criteria are similar to those for entry
  into university

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Bachelors in nursing (1)

• the split into these two main types of nurses is
  not reflected in the rules defining the scope of
  activity of nursing, which makes no distinctions
  between types of nurses and the functions that
  they can perform.
• all nurses can undertake specialized and
  complementary training as for example
• surgery, imaging and radiotherapy, operating
  room, palliative care, care for elderly,
• functions executive, administrative, management,
  health promotion,

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Nurse choise options

• The Belgian Federal law offers some options for
  basic nursing in Belgium
• hospital nurse
• pediatric nurse
• mental health and psychiatry nurse
• public health nurse
• geriatric nurse

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Post-basic specialized nurse

• The only legally recognized post-basic
  specialized nurse currently in action are
• the intensive care and emergency care nurses
• the nurses with geriatric postgraduate diploma
• the nurses with oncology postgraduate diploma
• Pediatric nurse
• Palliative nurse

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Registration requirements

• Once nurses have finished their studies they must
  register in order to be able to practice as a
  nurse
• For this purpose Belgium is divided into ten
  provinces all applying the same rules
• In order to register the nurses must present
  their diploma or certificate and pay a small fee
• Foreign nurses who wish to practice in Belgium
  must apply to the Ministry of Public Health in
  order for their qualifications to be recognized

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Trajectories for bachelor students

• Students can choose from 2 study trajectories
• MODEL STUDY TRAJECTORY
• 60 credits
• 2 semesters
• normal situation
• INDIVIDUAL STUDY TRAJECTORY
• combining studying with
• specific problems or learning difficulties
• early acquired competences or early acquired
  qualifications
• study time can be more or less than usual

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Nursing education in HUB KAHOBasic

• competence based
• Evidence based
• a central place skills learning
• Optional choises
• hospital nurse (WAAS CDM)
• paediatric nurse (WAAS CDM)
• mental health and psychiatry nurse (WAAS)
• public health nurse (WAAS)
• geriatric nurse (CDM)
• General (HUB)
• Multi-professional education

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Nursing education in HUB KAHOPost-basic
specialized nurse

• the intensive care and emergency care nurses
  (CDM)
• Palliative nurse (HUB)

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Competence Profile of Bachelor of Nursing

• The nurse as a Person
• The nurse as Clinical Judge and Care Taker
• The nurse as Organizer and Coordinator
• The nurse as Professional
• The nurse as a Member of a Team
• The nurse as Member of society

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Academic Calendar

• The academic year consists of two semesters
• the first semester runs from the second half of
  September to the end of January
• the second semester runs from the beginning of
  February to the end of June
• Each semester 13 weeks of courses, followed by
  an examination session

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Curriculum

• 3 years education 180 credits (1 credit 26
  hours)
• 2 basic years
• 1 orientation year
• 50 theory 50 practical training
• Practical training
• 9 weeks in the first year
• 14 weeks in the second year
• 16 weeks in the final year
• Following the European Guideline of 4600 h (2300
  theory-2300 practical training)

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Curriculum

• Conceptual educational plan
• Human sciences
• Biomedical sciences
• Organization of Health Care
• Scientific sciences
• Domain related sciences
• Integrated skills education
• Professional development
• Nursing Practice work placement
• Personal Development

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Number of colleges / week

• total study time 1600 hours / year
• ca. 24 hours/week
• colleges (theory)
• seminars (exercises, decision making and
  reasoning skills)
• nursing skills (teaching of technical and social
  skills)
• Nursing Practice work placement

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Some goals

• Making theory concrete
• integrated skills education
• more and more emphasis on complex nursing care
• theoretical education through case based learning
• attention for personal development
• Innovative educational methods

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Skillslab training

• Theory demonstration
• Technical nursing skills and communication
  through practice