Advanced Nursing Practice

Development of the nursing sector

The increasing life expectancy of the Austrian population together with the multimorbidity as well as the restructuring of the health care system result in a fast increase of those people who are in need of nursing counselling and support and represent a huge challenge for the nursing practice.

The professional field of nursing practice is experiencing a substantial shift and expansion of focus at the moment. In a long-term and extramural perspective the rising number of elderly people with dementia symptoms are the biggest challenge for the nursing practice. Highest nursing skills in caring as well as the establishment of innovative structures are required to safeguard high-level nursing practice in Austria. The shortening of the residence time at hospitals asks for highly professional management to secure quality in support and care which go along with the patients from their entering the hospital via their being discharged to their medical and nursing aftercare. 
To deal with these sophisticated challenges nursing jobs need – apart from a profound professional training – qualifications in order to work conceptually, to consult and coach in nursing matters and to be versed in applied nursing science. These qualifications need to be acquired within the scope of a university education.

For all those

• who already dispose of three years of specialist professional experience at the senior level in health care and nursing practice
• who wish to extend their nursing skills and their professional know-how
• who wish to execute expert capacities in nursing development and patient education or in mid-management positions 

Objectives and special features

The degree programme Advanced Nursing Practice is geared to nursing science– more than 70% of the topics are dedicated to nursing science. Depending on the focus of their special interest, the graduates will be enabled to execute expert capacities in nursing development and patient education or in mid-management nursing positions. 
What is special about the Bachelor’s programme Advanced Nursing Practice is the higher qualification resting on the basic professional education in healthcare to enhance expertise in nursing and consolidate professional knowledge. This should enable to solve complex problems in nursing practice and healthcare on one’s own, should foster practice, research and training and develop future areas and roles of practice.

By its multiple acknowledgement as further or special education according to the GuKG (Law of Health Care and Nursing Practice) the graduates can avail of a wide range of professional fields.

Core modules

• Advanced Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Development and Patient Education
• Interdisciplinary skills: comprehensive IT application know-how (MS Office), soft skills (e.g. conflict management) 

With the specialisations in Healthcare Management or Trends in Nursing Development and Patient-Education the graduates will be prepared to take on a career in the nursing sector and- above all – will wield authority such as in controlling and hazard control, in counselling patients and in the case management of communities as well as in the healthcare for families.

Job Perspectives

Due to the demographic trends the demand for highly qualified practitioners with elementary university qualifications in the nursing sector is very high. Students reach a higher qualification and thus lay the foundation to embark on a career in nursing practice. Because of the multiple recognition of the degree programme as further or extra (applied for) education within the meaning of the Health Care and Nursing Act (GuKG) the graduates gain access to a wide range of applications.

The graduates are qualified to execute demanding professional duties in the field of nursing of the health care system both at hospitals and nursing institutions and in the extramural sector. They are optimally set up for a career in the nursing management, esp. for new expert capacities such as staff positions like controlling and risk management in nursing, for nursing and patient counselling, for case management in communities as well as for family health care.

Furthermore the graduates possess the basics in the nursing science necessary for continuing a Master’s programme.

Requirements for admission:

higher education entrance qualification and at least 3 years of professional experience as certified nursing staff.

Due to the basic training in health care and the 3 years of professional experience required 30 ECTS points are accredited (this corresponds to 1 semester).

For detailed information about admission please contact our counselling service on:

information@fh-krems.ac.at or call (toll-free within Austria) 0800-808010 or +43(0)2732-802-140, 515 

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