Nursing education in Belgium
Hilde Boucqué
Berte De Cnijf
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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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 – KAHO
Basic
•
•
•
•
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 – KAHO
Post-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
• The nurse as
Taker
• The nurse as
Coordinator
• The nurse as
• The nurse as
• The nurse as
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a Person
Clinical Judge and Care
Organizer and
Professional
a Member of a Team
Member of society
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
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