Objectives of a transnational curriculum

The transnational curriculum is based on objectives for nurse education which refer to

  • the specific societal task

  • the professional self-understanding

  • the underlying philosophy on education.

The curriculum presented here, is based on the assumption that initial and further education for nursing professions must be seen in the context of a higher understanding of the profession as well as of education in order to lead to professional qualification and to ensure the development of professional characteristics on the level of personality (Hundenborn & Knigge-Demal, 1998). From this perspective, education and learning aim at opening up opportunities for personal development and self-determined life shaping. Also, nursing professions are part of the group of professions, which fulfil a societal task (Robert Bosch Stiftung, 2000). Nursing professionals are expected to offer a service to society by responding to the needs for nursing care of individuals and groups. This is done on the basis, and within the framework, of legislation and the fundamental rights of the individual nations and the European Union. Universal values such as human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity are fundamentals of professional nursing action as well as of vocational education. Their scope lies on the person, and they are linked with responsibilities and duties towards the individual person as well as towards society.

The specific aspects of the profession's societal task as well as the main aspects of the professional self-understanding and the underlying philosophy on education are included in the following objectives. The objectives form the conceptional / philosophical and normative framework of this curriculum (Siebert, 1974). They serve as criteria for the choice of possible learning situations, intended qualifications, main learning outcomes, content and methods.

Following, the objectives are listed and numbered. The numbering exclusively serves the purpose to make it easier to work on them; it does not express any ranking or valuing.

 

The specific societal tasks assigned to the nursing profession leads to the following professional demands:

  • Regard and respect for human dignity and personality
  • Acknowledgement of the right of equality, independent of social or economic status, culture, personal characteristics or the specific kind of health problems
  • Support for independence, self-determination and self-care of those concerned, and preservation of same
  • An attitude of tolerance and empathy towards unfamiliar moral concepts, habits and beliefs
  • A critical analysis of societal and institutional conditions which could endanger the physical and/or mental integrity of individuals or their dignity
  • Creative participation in relevant societal processes which relate to nursing and health care
  • The insuring of health care quality considering the tension between ethical and economical action

 

The professional self-understanding leads to the following objectives for nurse education:

  • Responsible action towards individuals who need and use professional care
  • Respect for, and support of, physical, mental, socio-cultural and spiritual integrity of clients and their relevant others/next of kin
  • Securing of a quality of life for clients and their relevant others/next of kin, also in phases of existential and vital threat
  • Individualised, outcome-orientated and planned nursing care, including the preservation, support and recovery of resources and competencies of the clients concerned and relevant others/next of kin
  • Responsible, autonomous and academically grounded action
  • Efficient and effective action in keeping within ethical principles
  • Initiation and development of professional and caring relationships based on mutual trust, and an understanding-orientated dialogue
  • Support of constructive communication and cooperation among the multi-professional team
  • Taking on tasks and activities in the area of prevention and health support
  • Continuous development and assurance of quality of professional nursing
  • Shaping and structuring of patient- as well as employee-orientated work processes and exploiting the scope of action
  • Responsibility for continuous further development of own skills and competencies as well as for development of the profession

 

The underlying philosophy of education leads to the following objectives for nurse education:

  • Support of socially responsible self-determination
  • Support of self-steered learning and educational processes
  • Support of understanding-orientated dialogue within an intercultural context
  • Reflection and evaluation of own action
  • Teaching of qualifications which are relevant for dealing with professional situations
  • Broadening the scope of action and abilities to act in professional situations
  • Support of a realistic assessment of own competencies and limitations and of a responsible dealing with these
  • Support of participation in processes of professional- and health-politics
  • Support of orientation towards evidence-based professional action