The course provides insight into the importance of infectious microorganisms in patient care and in other fields of nursing. The aim is to prepare students for their future role in patient management and in the safety of patients and caregivers. This will enable them to react to known and new pathogens and to limit the transmission of infectious agents, health-care associated infections and antibiotic resistance. The principal characteristics of important pathogens are addressed, including their virulence and the resulting infections and means to combat infections are discussed.

The aim of teaching anatomy and embryology is to provide students with a broad and general knowledge of the basic structure and development of the human body. The course provides lectures detailing the basics of embryology and how anatomical structures are defined by their origins in development. That way, future nurses will be familiar with the structure and relationship between the musculoskeletal systems, general and specialized tissues, organs, and organ systems. These basics provide a basic understanding of the structure and function of the human body, while simultaneously providing the tools needed for further self-study.

After completing this course in cell biology, the student will be able to discuss and utilise knowledge in the following concepts and topivs.

The structure and evolution of eukaryotes. Cellular chemistry and metabolism. Structure and function of macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Structure and function of organelles such as cell membranes, nucleus, mitochondria, golgi system, lysosomes, and peroxisomes. Basics of genetics, heredity, and genetic control. Signaling pathways and signal transduction. Cell-cell interaction, differentiation, and cancer.

In the sociology part: The concepts of health, disease, illness and patient are defined and compared. Functionalist, life-stress, and lifestyle explanations of health problems are reviewed. The relationship between attitude and behavior is explained and attitide-behavior models reviewed. The nature of chronic disorders and their psychological, social and economic consequences are discussed.

In the phsychology part: The understanding of mental functions and behavior of individuals and groups from the perspective of psychology will be considered. Important concepts, theories and research findings will be introduced. The importance of critical thinking skills and scientific methods to the study of psychology will be emphasized. The goal is that students will gain knowledge and understanding of general principles in psychology.

The main objective of this course is for students to gain insight into what being a registered nurse entails as well as insight into the knowledge base for professional nursing. Furthermore, to increase students’ awareness of the great diversity of human beings and the effects of health and illness on their well-being and circumstances. Students will gain knowledge about nursing as a discipline and as a profession with an emphasis placed on critical thinking, scientific thinking, the values ​​and basic concepts of nurses and nursing and the different roles of nurses.

An emphasis will be placed on mental well-being as one of the foundations of nursing care. Concepts related to the purpose of and methods used for the promotion of mental health and well-being will be discussed. The discussion will be linked to evidence-based methods that contribute to the successful managing of life changes, promote perseverance and well-being. Particular attention will be paid to the daily lifestyles of individuals and groups in modern society. Furthermore, violence in societies will be discussed, with an emphasis on the consequences of violence on health and how the risk factors and consequences of violence are shaped by the culture, gender and life span of victims and perpetrators.

The course is especially aimed at students on their first year of studies in disciplines within the field of health sciences. The joint Health science day is for incoming students of all faculties at the School of Health Sciences in January each year. The main topic is interdisciplinary cooperation and its importance. All basic factors of cooperation will be covered such as the common view on the right to good health, communication and ethics. Furthermore, the role and responsibility of health sciences.

The aim of teaching in physiology is providing students with a general and broad knowledge of the fundamentals of human activities. Thus, to gain prospective nurses fundamental understanding of the biological basis of health and causes of diseases and to better assess the situation and the needs of patients. Furthermore, students should find it easier to acquire additional knowledge in this field in the future. Thus Detailed technical knowledge in these subjects essential foundation for learning in general and specialized nursing sectors.
Subject: Muscle, neurological control of movement. Endocrine system and hormones. Cardiovascular disorders. Breathing.

This is an introductory course in applied statistics, focusing on calculation, interpretation, and presentation of results. Topics include measures of central tendency and dispersion, standardization, normal distribution, confidence intervals, z-, t-, and x2-tests of significance, and correlation (likelihood ratio, phi, Spearman's rho, and Pearson's r).

The course teaches basic concepts in general pathology. Topics discussed are cellular injury and repair, acute and chronic inflammation, thromboembolism, cardiovascular diseaes, malignant and benign neoplasm.

This course covers the basics of general nursing and the nursing process, from assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation. Basic concepts and practices of nursing will be taught with the emphasis on patients with self-care and mobility deficit. Key topics are patient assessment, infection prevention, pressure ulcer management, effects of bedrest, work techniques, nutritional status, urinary and fecal elimination, vital signs and medication safety. Students also learn more complex topics related to nursing care of older people including the physical and psychosocial changes that come with aging. For example, the health assessment required for moving to a nursing home, assessment of the health of residents in nursing homes and indicators of quality of service in nursing homes.

In the skill center, students are introduced to and trained in their nursing skills in subjects that have been discussed in theoretical teaching. The student is trained in using scales to assess the self-efficacy and the condition of patients and is introduced to ways to ensure their safety in daily care.

The clinical training in the care facility focuses on training in providing care and other basic nursing, including communication skills, assessment of the condition of the patient, diagnosing nursing needs, planning symptom interventions and the implementation of appropriate nursing care.

The objectives of this course is for students to gain understaning of main methodological concepts as well as knowledge about the mostly used methods in nursing research.

The goal of teaching physiology is to provide students with a general and broad knowledge of the basic function of the human body. Thus, nursing students will obtain basic understanding of the biological basis of health and causes of disease and thus can better assess the condition and needs of patients. Furthermore, students will be able to acquire additional knowledge in this field in the future. Thus, a sustained knowledge in physiology is the necessary ground for learning general and specialized nursing disciplines.

Subject matter: renal function, construction and function of the gastrointestinal system, control of metabolism, energy balance, control of body temperature, physiology of growth, sensory function, consciousness, behavior, physiology of reproduction and fetal development.

The aim of this course is to improve the competence of students in 1) quality communication 2) creating successful therapeutic relationships 3) providing evidence based education to the users of healthcare and to 4) understand how such competence can impact safety within healthcare.

The course addresses communication from different perspectives and students are given several opportunities to practice. Emphasis is on training active listening, coping with difficult communication and developing constructive ways to communicate with the users of healthcare. The concepts of respect and dignity, the responsibility of healthcare professionals, professionalism and therapeutic relationship will be addressed.  

Furthermore the course focuses on the purpose of health/patient education and how education can affect treatment outcomes. Common theories related to patient teaching and adult education are introduced as well as the concept of health literacy. The teaching process, including different methods and media in teaching, will be introduced and students will practice organising and providing education to clients.  Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes and competence in the role of the educator will be explored and discussed.

In this course discussions on concepts in nursing continue and students will have the opportunity to increase their skills in more complex activities, e.g. sterility, intramuscular medications, fluids, wound management. The emphasis here is on nurses‘ responsibility in assessing patients, how to react to signs and symptoms in patients and give appropriate nursing care. Application of the nursing process will be practiced in clinical wards in hospitals.

In the course the main theories about cognitive-, moral- and psychosocial development is introduced. Normal growth and development of the child and adolescent is emphasized. The physical changes as well as the cognitive- and psychosocial development of children and adolescents are covered as well as methods to evaluate their physical and developmental abilities.

The aim of the course is to provide students a comprehensive knowledge and skills of physical assessment. Emphasis is on acquiring skills in the application of key aspects of physical assessment and on the other hand on students' understanding of specialized physical assessment methods. The main focus is holistic physical assessment based on adults, as well as patient safety. The course will also cover key aspects of first aid, where the main goal is to prepare students to perform first aid in demanding situations and in an independent manner.
In the skills lab, methods for performing a head to toe physical assessment are reviewed in a clinical context. There is a emphasis on linking physical assessment to other courses, for example anatomy and physiology.

Pharmacokinetics: Dosage forms, absorption, distribution, excretion, biotransformation of drugs, assay of drugs in the blood, side effects of drugs, drug interactions, receptors of drugs, drug effects and efficacy, geriatric pharmacology.Pharmacodynamics: Pharmacology of endocrine glands, nonsteroidal antinflammatory drugs, pharmacology of the peripheral nervous system, pharmacology of the CNS, antihypertensive drugs, cardiovascular drugs, anticoagulation drugs, toxicology.

Lectures in HJÚ410G, surgery will be held from January to March. Students need to have good knowledge in physiology, biochemistry and pathology for the course. Textbooks shown below are used as well as articles from the teachers. Students can also read review articles from scientific magazines to read about the different contents. Lectures are divided into general, which are useful in all the subspecialties and more specialized contents where different diseases and operations in surgical subspecialties are delft with. Students are at the end of the course supposed to have knowledge about the most common diseases in surgery, symptoms, clinical examination, diagnostic tools and treatment as well as operative management and complications. The contents of the lectures will be a support in knowledge and work with surgical patients. The lectures are 40 minutes and not all the content can be covered during that time, so students need to use the textbooks and in some cases articles to gain deeper knowledge about the contents. Examination will be at two occasions. Firstly; a written paper (30%) where a student choose one out of two themes given. The students are allowed to use references. Secondly, an examination will be held with multiple choice questions (70%) where wrong answers will not give minus points. Date will be given later for these exams.  
Lectures will be grouped in Ugla into general (Alm), Ear nose and throat (HNE), Urology (Uro), Gastrointestinal surgery (Gastro), Neurosurgery (HT), orthopedic surgery (Bæklun), thoracic and vascular surgery (Hjarta/æða), Breast surgery (brjósta), plastic surgery (lýta) and gynecology (kvenna).      

The interactions between diet, nutrients and health are reviewed. The basic ideas and terms in nutritional sciences, e.g., essential nutrients, bioavailability, requirements and recommended daily allowances are discussed. The Icelandic diet, dietary allowances and common nutrition problems in different groups are discussed. The aim is also to introduce team work between nurses and dieticians in the primary health care and in hospitals.

In this course, students should gain an overview of the main problems that are dealt with in medical science. The most common diseases of the following disease categories are taught:  cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, renal and urology, respiratory diseases, diseases of the nervous system, blood disorders, endocrine disorders, arthritis, infectious diseases, cancer diseases and clinical immunology.

In this course the focus is on more advanced nursing care, where students will learn how to assess nursing care needs of patients, and provide appropriate care. Emphasis is placed on the responsibility of nurses to assess the condition of patients and to provide appropriate nursing care. Students will learn about pain, symptom assessment, intravenous fluid administration and blood transfusion, fluid, electrolyte- and acidbase balance. Interpretation of research results, sampling and treatment will be reviewed. Safe medicine administration and medicine calculation will continue to be taught, as well as safety culture practices. Quality improvement, evidence based practice, patient participation, information technology, and teamwork, are the foundations of the course. 

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

In the course different aspects of the concept of mental health are presented and discussed. Common mental diseases and disorders in adults and children, their incidence, diagnosis and treatment are introduced. Theories and basic concepts of psychiatric nursing and mental health are presented and different approaches to the health care of the mentally ill are addressed. Special focus is on the role of psychiatric nurses in acute care and rehabilitation of people with mental health disorders.

This course will cover changes that occur in individuals with increasing age and the main topics of geriatric nursing. Common symptoms, diseases and nursing care applied to them will be reported. Particular emphasis will be placed on symptoms associated with cognitive impairment as well as nursing care of patients with dementia and / or delirium.

The main purpose of the course is to enhance knowledge and skills of the student to take care of patients with chronic diseases both in long-term care and in acute situations. Students need to be able to assess physical, psyhological, sociological, spiritual and cultural needs and how they are connected to the patient illness and can work hoistically to ease their suffering and increase their wellbeing. Important aspects are the connection between the patient, assessment and responce to symptoms, and use of nursing skills.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care and application of nursing care management are key issues. Safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork is also addressed in relation with the patients postoperative recovery.

This course focuses on familiarising students with the roles of nurses within health clinics, i.e. infant and young child care and general patient reception. Particular emphasis is placed on the care and monitoring of newborns, postpartum mothers and families, nursing for young families, the principles of family nursing and the implementation of these principles for patients at the health clinic.  The course introduces students to the way new parents adjust to the role, including for example bonding in families.  It also addresses variations, such as the impact of the pregnancy and birth on the health of the mother and child and postpartum depression. Students will acquire basic knowledge and training in the evaluation of the health and individual needs of mothers, newborns and families in the postpartum period, both through clinical training and problem solving exercises.  Emphasis will be placed on training students in patient communication and preventative and health promoting nursing.

The main objective of the course is to deepen students' understanding of the healthcare services provided at a health clinic, as well as increasing their understanding of the role of nurses in general and specialised patient reception at health clinics.  The main focus is on health protection as well as education and support for families who are patients at the health clinic.  There will be discussion of terminology and theories connected to family nursing, health protection and methods for developing family interviews and education and support initiatives. The course will also address how nurses can apply evidence-based working practices in a clinical setting and the principles of health clinic nursing in practice and research. Government healthcare policy will be key.  The course is intended to give students an opportunity to develop their skills in helping individuals and families look after their own health.  Students will have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with certain specialisations within nursing. 

The aim of the course is to discuss the healthcare services that nurses provide within health clinics and in wider society outside healthcare institutions.  The course covers the role of health clinic nurses in infant and young child care, healthcare in compulsory and upper secondary schools and patient reception at health clinics.  Particular emphasis is placed on the care of newborns, parents and young families.  The course introduces students to the process of having a child, variations such as the impact of the pregnancy and birth on the health of the mother and child, parents' adjustment to their new roles, bonding and postpartum depression. Students will acquire basic knowledge and training in the evaluation of the health and individual needs of mothers, newborns and families in the postpartum period, both through clinical training and problem solving exercises.  Emphasis will be placed on training students in patient communication and preventative and health promoting nursing. Emphasis will also be placed on preventative measures and health promotion for individuals and groups in society within and outside healthcare institutions. The course will address strategies for preventing health problems and improving the health of groups within society, in consideration of knowledge about lifestyle choices and theories on preventative measures and health promotion, including discussion of occupational and environmental health.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge they gained in the theoretical course "Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing". The clinical training takes place in the Primary Health Care of the Reykjavik Capital Area, Reykjalundur and the National University Hospital. Special emphasis will be on mental health status examination, clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive mental health care.

The students will gain basic knowledge and training in assessing needs and general health of their patients, both with clinical training and clinical assignments. Also, students will be trained in personal interactions with patients and their families. Emphasis will be laid on preventive and health promoting nursing interventions. The students will interact with patients, their families and health care professionals and pay special attention to the role of nurses in health care interventions and multidisciplinary collaboration. They endeavor to relate their theoretical knowledge to their clinical tasks by searching the academic and research literature. The students take part in the day to day nursing activates, make use of their learning opportunities and work on clinical assignments under the supervision of clinical teachers and preceptors.

The students will gain basic knowledge and training in assessing needs and general health of their patients, both with clinical training and clinical assignments. Also, students will be trained in personal interactions with patients and their families. Emphasis will be laid on preventive and health promoting nursing interventions. The students will interact with patients, their families and health care professionals and pay special attention to the role of nurses in health care interventions and multidisciplinary collaboration. They endeavor to relate their theoretical knowledge to their clinical tasks by searching the academic and research literature. The students take part in the day to day nursing activates, make use of their learning opportunities and work on clinical assignments under the supervision of clinical teachers.  

In this course, the student will learn about the specific needs and nursing care of old people and the changes that will occur to the individual with increasing age. The emphasis is on how treatment and assessment of old people must take into account their specific needs so that the best results can be achieved in treatment and rehabilitation. Taking this into account can ensure quality of life and shorten the length of stay in hospitals. Tasks and assessment tools that are being used can overlap with other courses, but the purpose is to train the student in using the assessment tools as well as to interpret the results with regard to age related changes.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care, application of nursing care management, safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork are key issues in the clinical trainins and in relation with the patients postoperative recovery and management of symptoms and health care problems.

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge that they gained in the theoretical course HJÚ529G Clinical competence in Family Nursing.  Special emphasis will be on clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive care within the health care sector. Students work together with a specialist teacher to find clients and their families to work with in the clinic

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge they gained in the theoretical course “Public and Family Health.The clinical training takes place in the Primary Health Care of the Reykjavik Capital Area, the National University Hospital, and in the community. Special emphasis will be on clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive neonatal and puerperal care.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care, application of nursing care management, safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork are key issues in the clinical trainins and in relation with the patients postoperative recovery and management of symptoms and health care problems.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The main aim of the course is for students to gain knowledge and skills in emergency and critical care nursing. The course covers patient care in the field of emergency and intensive care units.

In the course, emphasis is based on the terms assessment, surveillance and prevention in an emergency context. The course cover for examples the ideology of emergency and intensive care nursing, first aid/field emergency, assessment, monitoring, surveillance, prevention, transport of injured/acutely ill, support for relatives of acutely and critically ill patients. The course also covers advanced life support, based on the standards of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC).

In a simulation center emphasize is based on systematic assessment, initial treatment and communication in emergency situations.

Teaching methods: Lectures (16F), simulation (6U), clinical training (32V).

An overview of basic concepts, theory and methods applicable to the nursing care of children and their families að hand provides knowledge and understanding of basic concepts and medical and surgical treatments of children in relation to the most relevant pediatric diagnosis. The course emphasizes the following contents: basic needs of children and their families; the assessment of children's health; children's response to and perception of illness and hospitalization; how to communicate with children; parent-child interactions; the role of parents; and the role of the nurse in the care of children with various health deviation and alterations and their families. Students have the opportunity to experience the responsibilities of the professional nurse in a children’s hospital setting. During the clinical studies, the student adapts and integrates theory to practice with the use of the nursing process as a guide in the care of the child and his parents.

The course (2 ECTS) is especially aimed at students who have completed at least three years of undergraduate studies in clinical disciplines within the field of health sciences. It is a prerequisite for the clinical course Interdisciplinary clinical cooperation: The HealthSquare (2 ECTS) (health care service for university students). The course is based on the theories of interprofessional education and various teaching strategies will be used in order to encourage active participation of students. Students will work together in interdisciplinary groups. The course is mainly focused on interdisciplinary theories, professionalism, interdisciplinary cooperation, team work and ethical decisions in health care.

Assessment (pass / fail) is based on  project work, activity in project work and exams that take place in electronic form in the teaching cycle. 

Teaching arrangements:
Students are divided into interdisciplinary study groups at the beginning of the semester that plan and execute their own meeting times and hand in their final assignments before the end of October. 

The focus of this course is the home as a place of health care. The meaning and value of the home for people will be addressed as well as the impact of increased use of technology in the organization and provision of care and treatment. The course will explore the relationship between the environment of the home and health and well being of the members of the household. Furthermore, it will address a number of issues related to being a carer and their collaboration with the formal health- and social care system. The organization of different services will be described and discussed.

The course is designed to develop students‘ knowledge in the basic consepts and theories of nursing administration and how to apply them in clinical nursing. Emphasis is placed on understanding the structure of health care organization. Emphasis is also placed on the leadership role of nurses within in the health care organization and their role in teamwork. Clinical studies are planned within health care organizations and it will give the students opportunity to learn how to utilize theory in nursing administration in the planning and distribution of nursing care. Students are required to do clinical projects and participate in discussion groups.

In the first part the focus is on the Icelandic health care system in international context, illness behavior, explanations of health services utilization, characteristics of users of health services,and quality assessment in health care. In the second part the emphasis is on concepts, characteristics and phenomena related to chronic illness as well as on nursing care for the chronically ill and their families. Ethical dilemmas related to health care of chronically ill people and their families are identified and analyzed. Services of welfare institutions are introduced as well as patient organizations.

The ethical aspect of nursing and nursing work is discussed in particular, with the aim of preparing students to analyze and deal with ethical issues in the work of the health professions, for example related to violence and complex situations at work. Various ethical solutions that arise in the work of health professions and the prerequisites for solutions to them will be taken into consideration.
• Consequences of violence and gender-based trauma on health. Manifestations of violence and gender-based violence at different stages of life. Manifestations of violence among different social groups, e.g. violence in intimate relationships and families; violence towards vulnerable and marginalized groups; bullying; of violence in health and social services. Epidemiology of violence, resources for victims and methods of prevention.
• The difficult conversation and challenges in communication. Self-harm and suicide risk. Methods for screening for violence and providing support to victims. Nursing care after violence

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

Knowledge of theories and evidence-based health promotion interventions is covered in the course. The course will introduce ways that nurses can use to support their clients to take responsibility for their own health. Diet, exercise, outdoor life, common herbal remedies and natural products used by the general public and patients will be discussed, as well as their potential benefits and harms. Special attention will be paid to the use of complementary therapies for the elderly, cancer patients, rheumatoid arthritis patients, pregnant women and at the end of life. Additional therapies for certain symptoms such as pain, fatigue, anxiety and nausea will be used. The course will also focus on factors that affect job well-being. Practical exercises will be provided. In the course, students consider implementing treatment in a clinic setting.

Coming soon

Nursing and cultural diversity

This course provides students with an overview of basic intensive care. The main focus is on assessment and treatment related to airway, breathing and consciousness.  It is recommended that students take the HJÚ823G elective course in clinical nursing on ICU´s

In the course the students get to know the conceptual framework of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and explore important issues pertaining to the individual, the couple and how the society can influence SRH of people. Also, the students will get insight into many influential factors on SRH such as birth, infertility, diseases and their treatment which can disturb normal bodily function and influence well-being. The course is supposed to empower students to deal with SRH matters by providing them good knowledge, provide them with opportunities to express themselves about sexual matters and to get practical experience in providing sexual health information to others.

This course is about women, health and society and examines physical, psycho-social and environmental concepts and influence on women's health. Political policiy making and concepts about health are explored in relation to gender issues. The focus is on lífe events from a holistic life course perspective and bio-medical approach. Specific knowledge about women’s anatomy and physiology in the context of childbirth are explored. Gynecology and basic concepts in genetics and chromosomal diagnostics in relation to pregnancy are introduced.

Student will choose the clinical placement. It has to be a clinical placement where patients /people are provided nursing and where student can enhance his/her clinical skills and knowledge. Specific conditions include that student has not been working there before and that a nurse is practicing there.

The course From theory to practice in nursing is a 10 credit course that prepares students to present new clinical nursing knowledge. Students work under the guidance of a member of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery and clinical nurse with a MS degree.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The course provides insight into the importance of infectious microorganisms in patient care and in other fields of nursing. The aim is to prepare students for their future role in patient management and in the safety of patients and caregivers. This will enable them to react to known and new pathogens and to limit the transmission of infectious agents, health-care associated infections and antibiotic resistance. The principal characteristics of important pathogens are addressed, including their virulence and the resulting infections and means to combat infections are discussed.

The aim of teaching anatomy and embryology is to provide students with a broad and general knowledge of the basic structure and development of the human body. The course provides lectures detailing the basics of embryology and how anatomical structures are defined by their origins in development. That way, future nurses will be familiar with the structure and relationship between the musculoskeletal systems, general and specialized tissues, organs, and organ systems. These basics provide a basic understanding of the structure and function of the human body, while simultaneously providing the tools needed for further self-study.

After completing this course in cell biology, the student will be able to discuss and utilise knowledge in the following concepts and topivs.

The structure and evolution of eukaryotes. Cellular chemistry and metabolism. Structure and function of macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Structure and function of organelles such as cell membranes, nucleus, mitochondria, golgi system, lysosomes, and peroxisomes. Basics of genetics, heredity, and genetic control. Signaling pathways and signal transduction. Cell-cell interaction, differentiation, and cancer.

In the sociology part: The concepts of health, disease, illness and patient are defined and compared. Functionalist, life-stress, and lifestyle explanations of health problems are reviewed. The relationship between attitude and behavior is explained and attitide-behavior models reviewed. The nature of chronic disorders and their psychological, social and economic consequences are discussed.

In the phsychology part: The understanding of mental functions and behavior of individuals and groups from the perspective of psychology will be considered. Important concepts, theories and research findings will be introduced. The importance of critical thinking skills and scientific methods to the study of psychology will be emphasized. The goal is that students will gain knowledge and understanding of general principles in psychology.

The main objective of this course is for students to gain insight into what being a registered nurse entails as well as insight into the knowledge base for professional nursing. Furthermore, to increase students’ awareness of the great diversity of human beings and the effects of health and illness on their well-being and circumstances. Students will gain knowledge about nursing as a discipline and as a profession with an emphasis placed on critical thinking, scientific thinking, the values ​​and basic concepts of nurses and nursing and the different roles of nurses.

An emphasis will be placed on mental well-being as one of the foundations of nursing care. Concepts related to the purpose of and methods used for the promotion of mental health and well-being will be discussed. The discussion will be linked to evidence-based methods that contribute to the successful managing of life changes, promote perseverance and well-being. Particular attention will be paid to the daily lifestyles of individuals and groups in modern society. Furthermore, violence in societies will be discussed, with an emphasis on the consequences of violence on health and how the risk factors and consequences of violence are shaped by the culture, gender and life span of victims and perpetrators.

The course is especially aimed at students on their first year of studies in disciplines within the field of health sciences. The joint Health science day is for incoming students of all faculties at the School of Health Sciences in January each year. The main topic is interdisciplinary cooperation and its importance. All basic factors of cooperation will be covered such as the common view on the right to good health, communication and ethics. Furthermore, the role and responsibility of health sciences.

The aim of teaching in physiology is providing students with a general and broad knowledge of the fundamentals of human activities. Thus, to gain prospective nurses fundamental understanding of the biological basis of health and causes of diseases and to better assess the situation and the needs of patients. Furthermore, students should find it easier to acquire additional knowledge in this field in the future. Thus Detailed technical knowledge in these subjects essential foundation for learning in general and specialized nursing sectors.
Subject: Muscle, neurological control of movement. Endocrine system and hormones. Cardiovascular disorders. Breathing.

This is an introductory course in applied statistics, focusing on calculation, interpretation, and presentation of results. Topics include measures of central tendency and dispersion, standardization, normal distribution, confidence intervals, z-, t-, and x2-tests of significance, and correlation (likelihood ratio, phi, Spearman's rho, and Pearson's r).

The course teaches basic concepts in general pathology. Topics discussed are cellular injury and repair, acute and chronic inflammation, thromboembolism, cardiovascular diseaes, malignant and benign neoplasm.

This course covers the basics of general nursing and the nursing process, from assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation. Basic concepts and practices of nursing will be taught with the emphasis on patients with self-care and mobility deficit. Key topics are patient assessment, infection prevention, pressure ulcer management, effects of bedrest, work techniques, nutritional status, urinary and fecal elimination, vital signs and medication safety. Students also learn more complex topics related to nursing care of older people including the physical and psychosocial changes that come with aging. For example, the health assessment required for moving to a nursing home, assessment of the health of residents in nursing homes and indicators of quality of service in nursing homes.

In the skill center, students are introduced to and trained in their nursing skills in subjects that have been discussed in theoretical teaching. The student is trained in using scales to assess the self-efficacy and the condition of patients and is introduced to ways to ensure their safety in daily care.

The clinical training in the care facility focuses on training in providing care and other basic nursing, including communication skills, assessment of the condition of the patient, diagnosing nursing needs, planning symptom interventions and the implementation of appropriate nursing care.

The objectives of this course is for students to gain understaning of main methodological concepts as well as knowledge about the mostly used methods in nursing research.

The goal of teaching physiology is to provide students with a general and broad knowledge of the basic function of the human body. Thus, nursing students will obtain basic understanding of the biological basis of health and causes of disease and thus can better assess the condition and needs of patients. Furthermore, students will be able to acquire additional knowledge in this field in the future. Thus, a sustained knowledge in physiology is the necessary ground for learning general and specialized nursing disciplines.

Subject matter: renal function, construction and function of the gastrointestinal system, control of metabolism, energy balance, control of body temperature, physiology of growth, sensory function, consciousness, behavior, physiology of reproduction and fetal development.

The aim of this course is to improve the competence of students in 1) quality communication 2) creating successful therapeutic relationships 3) providing evidence based education to the users of healthcare and to 4) understand how such competence can impact safety within healthcare.

The course addresses communication from different perspectives and students are given several opportunities to practice. Emphasis is on training active listening, coping with difficult communication and developing constructive ways to communicate with the users of healthcare. The concepts of respect and dignity, the responsibility of healthcare professionals, professionalism and therapeutic relationship will be addressed.  

Furthermore the course focuses on the purpose of health/patient education and how education can affect treatment outcomes. Common theories related to patient teaching and adult education are introduced as well as the concept of health literacy. The teaching process, including different methods and media in teaching, will be introduced and students will practice organising and providing education to clients.  Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes and competence in the role of the educator will be explored and discussed.

In this course discussions on concepts in nursing continue and students will have the opportunity to increase their skills in more complex activities, e.g. sterility, intramuscular medications, fluids, wound management. The emphasis here is on nurses‘ responsibility in assessing patients, how to react to signs and symptoms in patients and give appropriate nursing care. Application of the nursing process will be practiced in clinical wards in hospitals.

In the course the main theories about cognitive-, moral- and psychosocial development is introduced. Normal growth and development of the child and adolescent is emphasized. The physical changes as well as the cognitive- and psychosocial development of children and adolescents are covered as well as methods to evaluate their physical and developmental abilities.

The aim of the course is to provide students a comprehensive knowledge and skills of physical assessment. Emphasis is on acquiring skills in the application of key aspects of physical assessment and on the other hand on students' understanding of specialized physical assessment methods. The main focus is holistic physical assessment based on adults, as well as patient safety. The course will also cover key aspects of first aid, where the main goal is to prepare students to perform first aid in demanding situations and in an independent manner.
In the skills lab, methods for performing a head to toe physical assessment are reviewed in a clinical context. There is a emphasis on linking physical assessment to other courses, for example anatomy and physiology.

Pharmacokinetics: Dosage forms, absorption, distribution, excretion, biotransformation of drugs, assay of drugs in the blood, side effects of drugs, drug interactions, receptors of drugs, drug effects and efficacy, geriatric pharmacology.Pharmacodynamics: Pharmacology of endocrine glands, nonsteroidal antinflammatory drugs, pharmacology of the peripheral nervous system, pharmacology of the CNS, antihypertensive drugs, cardiovascular drugs, anticoagulation drugs, toxicology.

Lectures in HJÚ410G, surgery will be held from January to March. Students need to have good knowledge in physiology, biochemistry and pathology for the course. Textbooks shown below are used as well as articles from the teachers. Students can also read review articles from scientific magazines to read about the different contents. Lectures are divided into general, which are useful in all the subspecialties and more specialized contents where different diseases and operations in surgical subspecialties are delft with. Students are at the end of the course supposed to have knowledge about the most common diseases in surgery, symptoms, clinical examination, diagnostic tools and treatment as well as operative management and complications. The contents of the lectures will be a support in knowledge and work with surgical patients. The lectures are 40 minutes and not all the content can be covered during that time, so students need to use the textbooks and in some cases articles to gain deeper knowledge about the contents. Examination will be at two occasions. Firstly; a written paper (30%) where a student choose one out of two themes given. The students are allowed to use references. Secondly, an examination will be held with multiple choice questions (70%) where wrong answers will not give minus points. Date will be given later for these exams.  
Lectures will be grouped in Ugla into general (Alm), Ear nose and throat (HNE), Urology (Uro), Gastrointestinal surgery (Gastro), Neurosurgery (HT), orthopedic surgery (Bæklun), thoracic and vascular surgery (Hjarta/æða), Breast surgery (brjósta), plastic surgery (lýta) and gynecology (kvenna).      

The interactions between diet, nutrients and health are reviewed. The basic ideas and terms in nutritional sciences, e.g., essential nutrients, bioavailability, requirements and recommended daily allowances are discussed. The Icelandic diet, dietary allowances and common nutrition problems in different groups are discussed. The aim is also to introduce team work between nurses and dieticians in the primary health care and in hospitals.

In this course, students should gain an overview of the main problems that are dealt with in medical science. The most common diseases of the following disease categories are taught:  cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, renal and urology, respiratory diseases, diseases of the nervous system, blood disorders, endocrine disorders, arthritis, infectious diseases, cancer diseases and clinical immunology.

In this course the focus is on more advanced nursing care, where students will learn how to assess nursing care needs of patients, and provide appropriate care. Emphasis is placed on the responsibility of nurses to assess the condition of patients and to provide appropriate nursing care. Students will learn about pain, symptom assessment, intravenous fluid administration and blood transfusion, fluid, electrolyte- and acidbase balance. Interpretation of research results, sampling and treatment will be reviewed. Safe medicine administration and medicine calculation will continue to be taught, as well as safety culture practices. Quality improvement, evidence based practice, patient participation, information technology, and teamwork, are the foundations of the course. 

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

In the course different aspects of the concept of mental health are presented and discussed. Common mental diseases and disorders in adults and children, their incidence, diagnosis and treatment are introduced. Theories and basic concepts of psychiatric nursing and mental health are presented and different approaches to the health care of the mentally ill are addressed. Special focus is on the role of psychiatric nurses in acute care and rehabilitation of people with mental health disorders.

This course will cover changes that occur in individuals with increasing age and the main topics of geriatric nursing. Common symptoms, diseases and nursing care applied to them will be reported. Particular emphasis will be placed on symptoms associated with cognitive impairment as well as nursing care of patients with dementia and / or delirium.

The main purpose of the course is to enhance knowledge and skills of the student to take care of patients with chronic diseases both in long-term care and in acute situations. Students need to be able to assess physical, psyhological, sociological, spiritual and cultural needs and how they are connected to the patient illness and can work hoistically to ease their suffering and increase their wellbeing. Important aspects are the connection between the patient, assessment and responce to symptoms, and use of nursing skills.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care and application of nursing care management are key issues. Safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork is also addressed in relation with the patients postoperative recovery.

This course focuses on familiarising students with the roles of nurses within health clinics, i.e. infant and young child care and general patient reception. Particular emphasis is placed on the care and monitoring of newborns, postpartum mothers and families, nursing for young families, the principles of family nursing and the implementation of these principles for patients at the health clinic.  The course introduces students to the way new parents adjust to the role, including for example bonding in families.  It also addresses variations, such as the impact of the pregnancy and birth on the health of the mother and child and postpartum depression. Students will acquire basic knowledge and training in the evaluation of the health and individual needs of mothers, newborns and families in the postpartum period, both through clinical training and problem solving exercises.  Emphasis will be placed on training students in patient communication and preventative and health promoting nursing.

The main objective of the course is to deepen students' understanding of the healthcare services provided at a health clinic, as well as increasing their understanding of the role of nurses in general and specialised patient reception at health clinics.  The main focus is on health protection as well as education and support for families who are patients at the health clinic.  There will be discussion of terminology and theories connected to family nursing, health protection and methods for developing family interviews and education and support initiatives. The course will also address how nurses can apply evidence-based working practices in a clinical setting and the principles of health clinic nursing in practice and research. Government healthcare policy will be key.  The course is intended to give students an opportunity to develop their skills in helping individuals and families look after their own health.  Students will have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with certain specialisations within nursing. 

The aim of the course is to discuss the healthcare services that nurses provide within health clinics and in wider society outside healthcare institutions.  The course covers the role of health clinic nurses in infant and young child care, healthcare in compulsory and upper secondary schools and patient reception at health clinics.  Particular emphasis is placed on the care of newborns, parents and young families.  The course introduces students to the process of having a child, variations such as the impact of the pregnancy and birth on the health of the mother and child, parents' adjustment to their new roles, bonding and postpartum depression. Students will acquire basic knowledge and training in the evaluation of the health and individual needs of mothers, newborns and families in the postpartum period, both through clinical training and problem solving exercises.  Emphasis will be placed on training students in patient communication and preventative and health promoting nursing. Emphasis will also be placed on preventative measures and health promotion for individuals and groups in society within and outside healthcare institutions. The course will address strategies for preventing health problems and improving the health of groups within society, in consideration of knowledge about lifestyle choices and theories on preventative measures and health promotion, including discussion of occupational and environmental health.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge they gained in the theoretical course "Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing". The clinical training takes place in the Primary Health Care of the Reykjavik Capital Area, Reykjalundur and the National University Hospital. Special emphasis will be on mental health status examination, clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive mental health care.

The students will gain basic knowledge and training in assessing needs and general health of their patients, both with clinical training and clinical assignments. Also, students will be trained in personal interactions with patients and their families. Emphasis will be laid on preventive and health promoting nursing interventions. The students will interact with patients, their families and health care professionals and pay special attention to the role of nurses in health care interventions and multidisciplinary collaboration. They endeavor to relate their theoretical knowledge to their clinical tasks by searching the academic and research literature. The students take part in the day to day nursing activates, make use of their learning opportunities and work on clinical assignments under the supervision of clinical teachers and preceptors.

The students will gain basic knowledge and training in assessing needs and general health of their patients, both with clinical training and clinical assignments. Also, students will be trained in personal interactions with patients and their families. Emphasis will be laid on preventive and health promoting nursing interventions. The students will interact with patients, their families and health care professionals and pay special attention to the role of nurses in health care interventions and multidisciplinary collaboration. They endeavor to relate their theoretical knowledge to their clinical tasks by searching the academic and research literature. The students take part in the day to day nursing activates, make use of their learning opportunities and work on clinical assignments under the supervision of clinical teachers.  

In this course, the student will learn about the specific needs and nursing care of old people and the changes that will occur to the individual with increasing age. The emphasis is on how treatment and assessment of old people must take into account their specific needs so that the best results can be achieved in treatment and rehabilitation. Taking this into account can ensure quality of life and shorten the length of stay in hospitals. Tasks and assessment tools that are being used can overlap with other courses, but the purpose is to train the student in using the assessment tools as well as to interpret the results with regard to age related changes.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care, application of nursing care management, safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork are key issues in the clinical trainins and in relation with the patients postoperative recovery and management of symptoms and health care problems.

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge that they gained in the theoretical course HJÚ529G Clinical competence in Family Nursing.  Special emphasis will be on clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive care within the health care sector. Students work together with a specialist teacher to find clients and their families to work with in the clinic

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge they gained in the theoretical course “Public and Family Health.The clinical training takes place in the Primary Health Care of the Reykjavik Capital Area, the National University Hospital, and in the community. Special emphasis will be on clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive neonatal and puerperal care.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care, application of nursing care management, safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork are key issues in the clinical trainins and in relation with the patients postoperative recovery and management of symptoms and health care problems.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The main aim of the course is for students to gain knowledge and skills in emergency and critical care nursing. The course covers patient care in the field of emergency and intensive care units.

In the course, emphasis is based on the terms assessment, surveillance and prevention in an emergency context. The course cover for examples the ideology of emergency and intensive care nursing, first aid/field emergency, assessment, monitoring, surveillance, prevention, transport of injured/acutely ill, support for relatives of acutely and critically ill patients. The course also covers advanced life support, based on the standards of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC).

In a simulation center emphasize is based on systematic assessment, initial treatment and communication in emergency situations.

Teaching methods: Lectures (16F), simulation (6U), clinical training (32V).

An overview of basic concepts, theory and methods applicable to the nursing care of children and their families að hand provides knowledge and understanding of basic concepts and medical and surgical treatments of children in relation to the most relevant pediatric diagnosis. The course emphasizes the following contents: basic needs of children and their families; the assessment of children's health; children's response to and perception of illness and hospitalization; how to communicate with children; parent-child interactions; the role of parents; and the role of the nurse in the care of children with various health deviation and alterations and their families. Students have the opportunity to experience the responsibilities of the professional nurse in a children’s hospital setting. During the clinical studies, the student adapts and integrates theory to practice with the use of the nursing process as a guide in the care of the child and his parents.

The course (2 ECTS) is especially aimed at students who have completed at least three years of undergraduate studies in clinical disciplines within the field of health sciences. It is a prerequisite for the clinical course Interdisciplinary clinical cooperation: The HealthSquare (2 ECTS) (health care service for university students). The course is based on the theories of interprofessional education and various teaching strategies will be used in order to encourage active participation of students. Students will work together in interdisciplinary groups. The course is mainly focused on interdisciplinary theories, professionalism, interdisciplinary cooperation, team work and ethical decisions in health care.

Assessment (pass / fail) is based on  project work, activity in project work and exams that take place in electronic form in the teaching cycle. 

Teaching arrangements:
Students are divided into interdisciplinary study groups at the beginning of the semester that plan and execute their own meeting times and hand in their final assignments before the end of October. 

The focus of this course is the home as a place of health care. The meaning and value of the home for people will be addressed as well as the impact of increased use of technology in the organization and provision of care and treatment. The course will explore the relationship between the environment of the home and health and well being of the members of the household. Furthermore, it will address a number of issues related to being a carer and their collaboration with the formal health- and social care system. The organization of different services will be described and discussed.

The course is designed to develop students‘ knowledge in the basic consepts and theories of nursing administration and how to apply them in clinical nursing. Emphasis is placed on understanding the structure of health care organization. Emphasis is also placed on the leadership role of nurses within in the health care organization and their role in teamwork. Clinical studies are planned within health care organizations and it will give the students opportunity to learn how to utilize theory in nursing administration in the planning and distribution of nursing care. Students are required to do clinical projects and participate in discussion groups.

In the first part the focus is on the Icelandic health care system in international context, illness behavior, explanations of health services utilization, characteristics of users of health services,and quality assessment in health care. In the second part the emphasis is on concepts, characteristics and phenomena related to chronic illness as well as on nursing care for the chronically ill and their families. Ethical dilemmas related to health care of chronically ill people and their families are identified and analyzed. Services of welfare institutions are introduced as well as patient organizations.

The ethical aspect of nursing and nursing work is discussed in particular, with the aim of preparing students to analyze and deal with ethical issues in the work of the health professions, for example related to violence and complex situations at work. Various ethical solutions that arise in the work of health professions and the prerequisites for solutions to them will be taken into consideration.
• Consequences of violence and gender-based trauma on health. Manifestations of violence and gender-based violence at different stages of life. Manifestations of violence among different social groups, e.g. violence in intimate relationships and families; violence towards vulnerable and marginalized groups; bullying; of violence in health and social services. Epidemiology of violence, resources for victims and methods of prevention.
• The difficult conversation and challenges in communication. Self-harm and suicide risk. Methods for screening for violence and providing support to victims. Nursing care after violence

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

Knowledge of theories and evidence-based health promotion interventions is covered in the course. The course will introduce ways that nurses can use to support their clients to take responsibility for their own health. Diet, exercise, outdoor life, common herbal remedies and natural products used by the general public and patients will be discussed, as well as their potential benefits and harms. Special attention will be paid to the use of complementary therapies for the elderly, cancer patients, rheumatoid arthritis patients, pregnant women and at the end of life. Additional therapies for certain symptoms such as pain, fatigue, anxiety and nausea will be used. The course will also focus on factors that affect job well-being. Practical exercises will be provided. In the course, students consider implementing treatment in a clinic setting.

Coming soon

Nursing and cultural diversity

This course provides students with an overview of basic intensive care. The main focus is on assessment and treatment related to airway, breathing and consciousness.  It is recommended that students take the HJÚ823G elective course in clinical nursing on ICU´s

In the course the students get to know the conceptual framework of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and explore important issues pertaining to the individual, the couple and how the society can influence SRH of people. Also, the students will get insight into many influential factors on SRH such as birth, infertility, diseases and their treatment which can disturb normal bodily function and influence well-being. The course is supposed to empower students to deal with SRH matters by providing them good knowledge, provide them with opportunities to express themselves about sexual matters and to get practical experience in providing sexual health information to others.

This course is about women, health and society and examines physical, psycho-social and environmental concepts and influence on women's health. Political policiy making and concepts about health are explored in relation to gender issues. The focus is on lífe events from a holistic life course perspective and bio-medical approach. Specific knowledge about women’s anatomy and physiology in the context of childbirth are explored. Gynecology and basic concepts in genetics and chromosomal diagnostics in relation to pregnancy are introduced.

Student will choose the clinical placement. It has to be a clinical placement where patients /people are provided nursing and where student can enhance his/her clinical skills and knowledge. Specific conditions include that student has not been working there before and that a nurse is practicing there.

The course From theory to practice in nursing is a 10 credit course that prepares students to present new clinical nursing knowledge. Students work under the guidance of a member of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery and clinical nurse with a MS degree.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The course provides insight into the importance of infectious microorganisms in patient care and in other fields of nursing. The aim is to prepare students for their future role in patient management and in the safety of patients and caregivers. This will enable them to react to known and new pathogens and to limit the transmission of infectious agents, health-care associated infections and antibiotic resistance. The principal characteristics of important pathogens are addressed, including their virulence and the resulting infections and means to combat infections are discussed.

The aim of teaching anatomy and embryology is to provide students with a broad and general knowledge of the basic structure and development of the human body. The course provides lectures detailing the basics of embryology and how anatomical structures are defined by their origins in development. That way, future nurses will be familiar with the structure and relationship between the musculoskeletal systems, general and specialized tissues, organs, and organ systems. These basics provide a basic understanding of the structure and function of the human body, while simultaneously providing the tools needed for further self-study.

After completing this course in cell biology, the student will be able to discuss and utilise knowledge in the following concepts and topivs.

The structure and evolution of eukaryotes. Cellular chemistry and metabolism. Structure and function of macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Structure and function of organelles such as cell membranes, nucleus, mitochondria, golgi system, lysosomes, and peroxisomes. Basics of genetics, heredity, and genetic control. Signaling pathways and signal transduction. Cell-cell interaction, differentiation, and cancer.

In the sociology part: The concepts of health, disease, illness and patient are defined and compared. Functionalist, life-stress, and lifestyle explanations of health problems are reviewed. The relationship between attitude and behavior is explained and attitide-behavior models reviewed. The nature of chronic disorders and their psychological, social and economic consequences are discussed.

In the phsychology part: The understanding of mental functions and behavior of individuals and groups from the perspective of psychology will be considered. Important concepts, theories and research findings will be introduced. The importance of critical thinking skills and scientific methods to the study of psychology will be emphasized. The goal is that students will gain knowledge and understanding of general principles in psychology.

The main objective of this course is for students to gain insight into what being a registered nurse entails as well as insight into the knowledge base for professional nursing. Furthermore, to increase students’ awareness of the great diversity of human beings and the effects of health and illness on their well-being and circumstances. Students will gain knowledge about nursing as a discipline and as a profession with an emphasis placed on critical thinking, scientific thinking, the values ​​and basic concepts of nurses and nursing and the different roles of nurses.

An emphasis will be placed on mental well-being as one of the foundations of nursing care. Concepts related to the purpose of and methods used for the promotion of mental health and well-being will be discussed. The discussion will be linked to evidence-based methods that contribute to the successful managing of life changes, promote perseverance and well-being. Particular attention will be paid to the daily lifestyles of individuals and groups in modern society. Furthermore, violence in societies will be discussed, with an emphasis on the consequences of violence on health and how the risk factors and consequences of violence are shaped by the culture, gender and life span of victims and perpetrators.

The course is especially aimed at students on their first year of studies in disciplines within the field of health sciences. The joint Health science day is for incoming students of all faculties at the School of Health Sciences in January each year. The main topic is interdisciplinary cooperation and its importance. All basic factors of cooperation will be covered such as the common view on the right to good health, communication and ethics. Furthermore, the role and responsibility of health sciences.

The aim of teaching in physiology is providing students with a general and broad knowledge of the fundamentals of human activities. Thus, to gain prospective nurses fundamental understanding of the biological basis of health and causes of diseases and to better assess the situation and the needs of patients. Furthermore, students should find it easier to acquire additional knowledge in this field in the future. Thus Detailed technical knowledge in these subjects essential foundation for learning in general and specialized nursing sectors.
Subject: Muscle, neurological control of movement. Endocrine system and hormones. Cardiovascular disorders. Breathing.

This is an introductory course in applied statistics, focusing on calculation, interpretation, and presentation of results. Topics include measures of central tendency and dispersion, standardization, normal distribution, confidence intervals, z-, t-, and x2-tests of significance, and correlation (likelihood ratio, phi, Spearman's rho, and Pearson's r).

The course teaches basic concepts in general pathology. Topics discussed are cellular injury and repair, acute and chronic inflammation, thromboembolism, cardiovascular diseaes, malignant and benign neoplasm.

This course covers the basics of general nursing and the nursing process, from assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation. Basic concepts and practices of nursing will be taught with the emphasis on patients with self-care and mobility deficit. Key topics are patient assessment, infection prevention, pressure ulcer management, effects of bedrest, work techniques, nutritional status, urinary and fecal elimination, vital signs and medication safety. Students also learn more complex topics related to nursing care of older people including the physical and psychosocial changes that come with aging. For example, the health assessment required for moving to a nursing home, assessment of the health of residents in nursing homes and indicators of quality of service in nursing homes.

In the skill center, students are introduced to and trained in their nursing skills in subjects that have been discussed in theoretical teaching. The student is trained in using scales to assess the self-efficacy and the condition of patients and is introduced to ways to ensure their safety in daily care.

The clinical training in the care facility focuses on training in providing care and other basic nursing, including communication skills, assessment of the condition of the patient, diagnosing nursing needs, planning symptom interventions and the implementation of appropriate nursing care.

The objectives of this course is for students to gain understaning of main methodological concepts as well as knowledge about the mostly used methods in nursing research.

The goal of teaching physiology is to provide students with a general and broad knowledge of the basic function of the human body. Thus, nursing students will obtain basic understanding of the biological basis of health and causes of disease and thus can better assess the condition and needs of patients. Furthermore, students will be able to acquire additional knowledge in this field in the future. Thus, a sustained knowledge in physiology is the necessary ground for learning general and specialized nursing disciplines.

Subject matter: renal function, construction and function of the gastrointestinal system, control of metabolism, energy balance, control of body temperature, physiology of growth, sensory function, consciousness, behavior, physiology of reproduction and fetal development.

The aim of this course is to improve the competence of students in 1) quality communication 2) creating successful therapeutic relationships 3) providing evidence based education to the users of healthcare and to 4) understand how such competence can impact safety within healthcare.

The course addresses communication from different perspectives and students are given several opportunities to practice. Emphasis is on training active listening, coping with difficult communication and developing constructive ways to communicate with the users of healthcare. The concepts of respect and dignity, the responsibility of healthcare professionals, professionalism and therapeutic relationship will be addressed.  

Furthermore the course focuses on the purpose of health/patient education and how education can affect treatment outcomes. Common theories related to patient teaching and adult education are introduced as well as the concept of health literacy. The teaching process, including different methods and media in teaching, will be introduced and students will practice organising and providing education to clients.  Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes and competence in the role of the educator will be explored and discussed.

In this course discussions on concepts in nursing continue and students will have the opportunity to increase their skills in more complex activities, e.g. sterility, intramuscular medications, fluids, wound management. The emphasis here is on nurses‘ responsibility in assessing patients, how to react to signs and symptoms in patients and give appropriate nursing care. Application of the nursing process will be practiced in clinical wards in hospitals.

In the course the main theories about cognitive-, moral- and psychosocial development is introduced. Normal growth and development of the child and adolescent is emphasized. The physical changes as well as the cognitive- and psychosocial development of children and adolescents are covered as well as methods to evaluate their physical and developmental abilities.

The aim of the course is to provide students a comprehensive knowledge and skills of physical assessment. Emphasis is on acquiring skills in the application of key aspects of physical assessment and on the other hand on students' understanding of specialized physical assessment methods. The main focus is holistic physical assessment based on adults, as well as patient safety. The course will also cover key aspects of first aid, where the main goal is to prepare students to perform first aid in demanding situations and in an independent manner.
In the skills lab, methods for performing a head to toe physical assessment are reviewed in a clinical context. There is a emphasis on linking physical assessment to other courses, for example anatomy and physiology.

Pharmacokinetics: Dosage forms, absorption, distribution, excretion, biotransformation of drugs, assay of drugs in the blood, side effects of drugs, drug interactions, receptors of drugs, drug effects and efficacy, geriatric pharmacology.Pharmacodynamics: Pharmacology of endocrine glands, nonsteroidal antinflammatory drugs, pharmacology of the peripheral nervous system, pharmacology of the CNS, antihypertensive drugs, cardiovascular drugs, anticoagulation drugs, toxicology.

Lectures in HJÚ410G, surgery will be held from January to March. Students need to have good knowledge in physiology, biochemistry and pathology for the course. Textbooks shown below are used as well as articles from the teachers. Students can also read review articles from scientific magazines to read about the different contents. Lectures are divided into general, which are useful in all the subspecialties and more specialized contents where different diseases and operations in surgical subspecialties are delft with. Students are at the end of the course supposed to have knowledge about the most common diseases in surgery, symptoms, clinical examination, diagnostic tools and treatment as well as operative management and complications. The contents of the lectures will be a support in knowledge and work with surgical patients. The lectures are 40 minutes and not all the content can be covered during that time, so students need to use the textbooks and in some cases articles to gain deeper knowledge about the contents. Examination will be at two occasions. Firstly; a written paper (30%) where a student choose one out of two themes given. The students are allowed to use references. Secondly, an examination will be held with multiple choice questions (70%) where wrong answers will not give minus points. Date will be given later for these exams.  
Lectures will be grouped in Ugla into general (Alm), Ear nose and throat (HNE), Urology (Uro), Gastrointestinal surgery (Gastro), Neurosurgery (HT), orthopedic surgery (Bæklun), thoracic and vascular surgery (Hjarta/æða), Breast surgery (brjósta), plastic surgery (lýta) and gynecology (kvenna).      

The interactions between diet, nutrients and health are reviewed. The basic ideas and terms in nutritional sciences, e.g., essential nutrients, bioavailability, requirements and recommended daily allowances are discussed. The Icelandic diet, dietary allowances and common nutrition problems in different groups are discussed. The aim is also to introduce team work between nurses and dieticians in the primary health care and in hospitals.

In this course, students should gain an overview of the main problems that are dealt with in medical science. The most common diseases of the following disease categories are taught:  cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, renal and urology, respiratory diseases, diseases of the nervous system, blood disorders, endocrine disorders, arthritis, infectious diseases, cancer diseases and clinical immunology.

In this course the focus is on more advanced nursing care, where students will learn how to assess nursing care needs of patients, and provide appropriate care. Emphasis is placed on the responsibility of nurses to assess the condition of patients and to provide appropriate nursing care. Students will learn about pain, symptom assessment, intravenous fluid administration and blood transfusion, fluid, electrolyte- and acidbase balance. Interpretation of research results, sampling and treatment will be reviewed. Safe medicine administration and medicine calculation will continue to be taught, as well as safety culture practices. Quality improvement, evidence based practice, patient participation, information technology, and teamwork, are the foundations of the course. 

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

In the course different aspects of the concept of mental health are presented and discussed. Common mental diseases and disorders in adults and children, their incidence, diagnosis and treatment are introduced. Theories and basic concepts of psychiatric nursing and mental health are presented and different approaches to the health care of the mentally ill are addressed. Special focus is on the role of psychiatric nurses in acute care and rehabilitation of people with mental health disorders.

This course will cover changes that occur in individuals with increasing age and the main topics of geriatric nursing. Common symptoms, diseases and nursing care applied to them will be reported. Particular emphasis will be placed on symptoms associated with cognitive impairment as well as nursing care of patients with dementia and / or delirium.

The main purpose of the course is to enhance knowledge and skills of the student to take care of patients with chronic diseases both in long-term care and in acute situations. Students need to be able to assess physical, psyhological, sociological, spiritual and cultural needs and how they are connected to the patient illness and can work hoistically to ease their suffering and increase their wellbeing. Important aspects are the connection between the patient, assessment and responce to symptoms, and use of nursing skills.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care and application of nursing care management are key issues. Safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork is also addressed in relation with the patients postoperative recovery.

This course focuses on familiarising students with the roles of nurses within health clinics, i.e. infant and young child care and general patient reception. Particular emphasis is placed on the care and monitoring of newborns, postpartum mothers and families, nursing for young families, the principles of family nursing and the implementation of these principles for patients at the health clinic.  The course introduces students to the way new parents adjust to the role, including for example bonding in families.  It also addresses variations, such as the impact of the pregnancy and birth on the health of the mother and child and postpartum depression. Students will acquire basic knowledge and training in the evaluation of the health and individual needs of mothers, newborns and families in the postpartum period, both through clinical training and problem solving exercises.  Emphasis will be placed on training students in patient communication and preventative and health promoting nursing.

The main objective of the course is to deepen students' understanding of the healthcare services provided at a health clinic, as well as increasing their understanding of the role of nurses in general and specialised patient reception at health clinics.  The main focus is on health protection as well as education and support for families who are patients at the health clinic.  There will be discussion of terminology and theories connected to family nursing, health protection and methods for developing family interviews and education and support initiatives. The course will also address how nurses can apply evidence-based working practices in a clinical setting and the principles of health clinic nursing in practice and research. Government healthcare policy will be key.  The course is intended to give students an opportunity to develop their skills in helping individuals and families look after their own health.  Students will have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with certain specialisations within nursing. 

The aim of the course is to discuss the healthcare services that nurses provide within health clinics and in wider society outside healthcare institutions.  The course covers the role of health clinic nurses in infant and young child care, healthcare in compulsory and upper secondary schools and patient reception at health clinics.  Particular emphasis is placed on the care of newborns, parents and young families.  The course introduces students to the process of having a child, variations such as the impact of the pregnancy and birth on the health of the mother and child, parents' adjustment to their new roles, bonding and postpartum depression. Students will acquire basic knowledge and training in the evaluation of the health and individual needs of mothers, newborns and families in the postpartum period, both through clinical training and problem solving exercises.  Emphasis will be placed on training students in patient communication and preventative and health promoting nursing. Emphasis will also be placed on preventative measures and health promotion for individuals and groups in society within and outside healthcare institutions. The course will address strategies for preventing health problems and improving the health of groups within society, in consideration of knowledge about lifestyle choices and theories on preventative measures and health promotion, including discussion of occupational and environmental health.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge they gained in the theoretical course "Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing". The clinical training takes place in the Primary Health Care of the Reykjavik Capital Area, Reykjalundur and the National University Hospital. Special emphasis will be on mental health status examination, clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive mental health care.

The students will gain basic knowledge and training in assessing needs and general health of their patients, both with clinical training and clinical assignments. Also, students will be trained in personal interactions with patients and their families. Emphasis will be laid on preventive and health promoting nursing interventions. The students will interact with patients, their families and health care professionals and pay special attention to the role of nurses in health care interventions and multidisciplinary collaboration. They endeavor to relate their theoretical knowledge to their clinical tasks by searching the academic and research literature. The students take part in the day to day nursing activates, make use of their learning opportunities and work on clinical assignments under the supervision of clinical teachers and preceptors.

The students will gain basic knowledge and training in assessing needs and general health of their patients, both with clinical training and clinical assignments. Also, students will be trained in personal interactions with patients and their families. Emphasis will be laid on preventive and health promoting nursing interventions. The students will interact with patients, their families and health care professionals and pay special attention to the role of nurses in health care interventions and multidisciplinary collaboration. They endeavor to relate their theoretical knowledge to their clinical tasks by searching the academic and research literature. The students take part in the day to day nursing activates, make use of their learning opportunities and work on clinical assignments under the supervision of clinical teachers.  

In this course, the student will learn about the specific needs and nursing care of old people and the changes that will occur to the individual with increasing age. The emphasis is on how treatment and assessment of old people must take into account their specific needs so that the best results can be achieved in treatment and rehabilitation. Taking this into account can ensure quality of life and shorten the length of stay in hospitals. Tasks and assessment tools that are being used can overlap with other courses, but the purpose is to train the student in using the assessment tools as well as to interpret the results with regard to age related changes.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care, application of nursing care management, safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork are key issues in the clinical trainins and in relation with the patients postoperative recovery and management of symptoms and health care problems.

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge that they gained in the theoretical course HJÚ529G Clinical competence in Family Nursing.  Special emphasis will be on clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive care within the health care sector. Students work together with a specialist teacher to find clients and their families to work with in the clinic

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge they gained in the theoretical course “Public and Family Health.The clinical training takes place in the Primary Health Care of the Reykjavik Capital Area, the National University Hospital, and in the community. Special emphasis will be on clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive neonatal and puerperal care.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care, application of nursing care management, safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork are key issues in the clinical trainins and in relation with the patients postoperative recovery and management of symptoms and health care problems.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The main aim of the course is for students to gain knowledge and skills in emergency and critical care nursing. The course covers patient care in the field of emergency and intensive care units.

In the course, emphasis is based on the terms assessment, surveillance and prevention in an emergency context. The course cover for examples the ideology of emergency and intensive care nursing, first aid/field emergency, assessment, monitoring, surveillance, prevention, transport of injured/acutely ill, support for relatives of acutely and critically ill patients. The course also covers advanced life support, based on the standards of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC).

In a simulation center emphasize is based on systematic assessment, initial treatment and communication in emergency situations.

Teaching methods: Lectures (16F), simulation (6U), clinical training (32V).

An overview of basic concepts, theory and methods applicable to the nursing care of children and their families að hand provides knowledge and understanding of basic concepts and medical and surgical treatments of children in relation to the most relevant pediatric diagnosis. The course emphasizes the following contents: basic needs of children and their families; the assessment of children's health; children's response to and perception of illness and hospitalization; how to communicate with children; parent-child interactions; the role of parents; and the role of the nurse in the care of children with various health deviation and alterations and their families. Students have the opportunity to experience the responsibilities of the professional nurse in a children’s hospital setting. During the clinical studies, the student adapts and integrates theory to practice with the use of the nursing process as a guide in the care of the child and his parents.

The course (2 ECTS) is especially aimed at students who have completed at least three years of undergraduate studies in clinical disciplines within the field of health sciences. It is a prerequisite for the clinical course Interdisciplinary clinical cooperation: The HealthSquare (2 ECTS) (health care service for university students). The course is based on the theories of interprofessional education and various teaching strategies will be used in order to encourage active participation of students. Students will work together in interdisciplinary groups. The course is mainly focused on interdisciplinary theories, professionalism, interdisciplinary cooperation, team work and ethical decisions in health care.

Assessment (pass / fail) is based on  project work, activity in project work and exams that take place in electronic form in the teaching cycle. 

Teaching arrangements:
Students are divided into interdisciplinary study groups at the beginning of the semester that plan and execute their own meeting times and hand in their final assignments before the end of October. 

The focus of this course is the home as a place of health care. The meaning and value of the home for people will be addressed as well as the impact of increased use of technology in the organization and provision of care and treatment. The course will explore the relationship between the environment of the home and health and well being of the members of the household. Furthermore, it will address a number of issues related to being a carer and their collaboration with the formal health- and social care system. The organization of different services will be described and discussed.

The course is designed to develop students‘ knowledge in the basic consepts and theories of nursing administration and how to apply them in clinical nursing. Emphasis is placed on understanding the structure of health care organization. Emphasis is also placed on the leadership role of nurses within in the health care organization and their role in teamwork. Clinical studies are planned within health care organizations and it will give the students opportunity to learn how to utilize theory in nursing administration in the planning and distribution of nursing care. Students are required to do clinical projects and participate in discussion groups.

In the first part the focus is on the Icelandic health care system in international context, illness behavior, explanations of health services utilization, characteristics of users of health services,and quality assessment in health care. In the second part the emphasis is on concepts, characteristics and phenomena related to chronic illness as well as on nursing care for the chronically ill and their families. Ethical dilemmas related to health care of chronically ill people and their families are identified and analyzed. Services of welfare institutions are introduced as well as patient organizations.

The ethical aspect of nursing and nursing work is discussed in particular, with the aim of preparing students to analyze and deal with ethical issues in the work of the health professions, for example related to violence and complex situations at work. Various ethical solutions that arise in the work of health professions and the prerequisites for solutions to them will be taken into consideration.
• Consequences of violence and gender-based trauma on health. Manifestations of violence and gender-based violence at different stages of life. Manifestations of violence among different social groups, e.g. violence in intimate relationships and families; violence towards vulnerable and marginalized groups; bullying; of violence in health and social services. Epidemiology of violence, resources for victims and methods of prevention.
• The difficult conversation and challenges in communication. Self-harm and suicide risk. Methods for screening for violence and providing support to victims. Nursing care after violence

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

Knowledge of theories and evidence-based health promotion interventions is covered in the course. The course will introduce ways that nurses can use to support their clients to take responsibility for their own health. Diet, exercise, outdoor life, common herbal remedies and natural products used by the general public and patients will be discussed, as well as their potential benefits and harms. Special attention will be paid to the use of complementary therapies for the elderly, cancer patients, rheumatoid arthritis patients, pregnant women and at the end of life. Additional therapies for certain symptoms such as pain, fatigue, anxiety and nausea will be used. The course will also focus on factors that affect job well-being. Practical exercises will be provided. In the course, students consider implementing treatment in a clinic setting.

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Nursing and cultural diversity

This course provides students with an overview of basic intensive care. The main focus is on assessment and treatment related to airway, breathing and consciousness.  It is recommended that students take the HJÚ823G elective course in clinical nursing on ICU´s

In the course the students get to know the conceptual framework of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and explore important issues pertaining to the individual, the couple and how the society can influence SRH of people. Also, the students will get insight into many influential factors on SRH such as birth, infertility, diseases and their treatment which can disturb normal bodily function and influence well-being. The course is supposed to empower students to deal with SRH matters by providing them good knowledge, provide them with opportunities to express themselves about sexual matters and to get practical experience in providing sexual health information to others.

This course is about women, health and society and examines physical, psycho-social and environmental concepts and influence on women's health. Political policiy making and concepts about health are explored in relation to gender issues. The focus is on lífe events from a holistic life course perspective and bio-medical approach. Specific knowledge about women’s anatomy and physiology in the context of childbirth are explored. Gynecology and basic concepts in genetics and chromosomal diagnostics in relation to pregnancy are introduced.

Student will choose the clinical placement. It has to be a clinical placement where patients /people are provided nursing and where student can enhance his/her clinical skills and knowledge. Specific conditions include that student has not been working there before and that a nurse is practicing there.

The course From theory to practice in nursing is a 10 credit course that prepares students to present new clinical nursing knowledge. Students work under the guidance of a member of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery and clinical nurse with a MS degree.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The course provides insight into the importance of infectious microorganisms in patient care and in other fields of nursing. The aim is to prepare students for their future role in patient management and in the safety of patients and caregivers. This will enable them to react to known and new pathogens and to limit the transmission of infectious agents, health-care associated infections and antibiotic resistance. The principal characteristics of important pathogens are addressed, including their virulence and the resulting infections and means to combat infections are discussed.

The aim of teaching anatomy and embryology is to provide students with a broad and general knowledge of the basic structure and development of the human body. The course provides lectures detailing the basics of embryology and how anatomical structures are defined by their origins in development. That way, future nurses will be familiar with the structure and relationship between the musculoskeletal systems, general and specialized tissues, organs, and organ systems. These basics provide a basic understanding of the structure and function of the human body, while simultaneously providing the tools needed for further self-study.

After completing this course in cell biology, the student will be able to discuss and utilise knowledge in the following concepts and topivs.

The structure and evolution of eukaryotes. Cellular chemistry and metabolism. Structure and function of macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Structure and function of organelles such as cell membranes, nucleus, mitochondria, golgi system, lysosomes, and peroxisomes. Basics of genetics, heredity, and genetic control. Signaling pathways and signal transduction. Cell-cell interaction, differentiation, and cancer.

In the sociology part: The concepts of health, disease, illness and patient are defined and compared. Functionalist, life-stress, and lifestyle explanations of health problems are reviewed. The relationship between attitude and behavior is explained and attitide-behavior models reviewed. The nature of chronic disorders and their psychological, social and economic consequences are discussed.

In the phsychology part: The understanding of mental functions and behavior of individuals and groups from the perspective of psychology will be considered. Important concepts, theories and research findings will be introduced. The importance of critical thinking skills and scientific methods to the study of psychology will be emphasized. The goal is that students will gain knowledge and understanding of general principles in psychology.

The main objective of this course is for students to gain insight into what being a registered nurse entails as well as insight into the knowledge base for professional nursing. Furthermore, to increase students’ awareness of the great diversity of human beings and the effects of health and illness on their well-being and circumstances. Students will gain knowledge about nursing as a discipline and as a profession with an emphasis placed on critical thinking, scientific thinking, the values ​​and basic concepts of nurses and nursing and the different roles of nurses.

An emphasis will be placed on mental well-being as one of the foundations of nursing care. Concepts related to the purpose of and methods used for the promotion of mental health and well-being will be discussed. The discussion will be linked to evidence-based methods that contribute to the successful managing of life changes, promote perseverance and well-being. Particular attention will be paid to the daily lifestyles of individuals and groups in modern society. Furthermore, violence in societies will be discussed, with an emphasis on the consequences of violence on health and how the risk factors and consequences of violence are shaped by the culture, gender and life span of victims and perpetrators.

The course is especially aimed at students on their first year of studies in disciplines within the field of health sciences. The joint Health science day is for incoming students of all faculties at the School of Health Sciences in January each year. The main topic is interdisciplinary cooperation and its importance. All basic factors of cooperation will be covered such as the common view on the right to good health, communication and ethics. Furthermore, the role and responsibility of health sciences.

The aim of teaching in physiology is providing students with a general and broad knowledge of the fundamentals of human activities. Thus, to gain prospective nurses fundamental understanding of the biological basis of health and causes of diseases and to better assess the situation and the needs of patients. Furthermore, students should find it easier to acquire additional knowledge in this field in the future. Thus Detailed technical knowledge in these subjects essential foundation for learning in general and specialized nursing sectors.
Subject: Muscle, neurological control of movement. Endocrine system and hormones. Cardiovascular disorders. Breathing.

This is an introductory course in applied statistics, focusing on calculation, interpretation, and presentation of results. Topics include measures of central tendency and dispersion, standardization, normal distribution, confidence intervals, z-, t-, and x2-tests of significance, and correlation (likelihood ratio, phi, Spearman's rho, and Pearson's r).

The course teaches basic concepts in general pathology. Topics discussed are cellular injury and repair, acute and chronic inflammation, thromboembolism, cardiovascular diseaes, malignant and benign neoplasm.

This course covers the basics of general nursing and the nursing process, from assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation. Basic concepts and practices of nursing will be taught with the emphasis on patients with self-care and mobility deficit. Key topics are patient assessment, infection prevention, pressure ulcer management, effects of bedrest, work techniques, nutritional status, urinary and fecal elimination, vital signs and medication safety. Students also learn more complex topics related to nursing care of older people including the physical and psychosocial changes that come with aging. For example, the health assessment required for moving to a nursing home, assessment of the health of residents in nursing homes and indicators of quality of service in nursing homes.

In the skill center, students are introduced to and trained in their nursing skills in subjects that have been discussed in theoretical teaching. The student is trained in using scales to assess the self-efficacy and the condition of patients and is introduced to ways to ensure their safety in daily care.

The clinical training in the care facility focuses on training in providing care and other basic nursing, including communication skills, assessment of the condition of the patient, diagnosing nursing needs, planning symptom interventions and the implementation of appropriate nursing care.

The objectives of this course is for students to gain understaning of main methodological concepts as well as knowledge about the mostly used methods in nursing research.

The goal of teaching physiology is to provide students with a general and broad knowledge of the basic function of the human body. Thus, nursing students will obtain basic understanding of the biological basis of health and causes of disease and thus can better assess the condition and needs of patients. Furthermore, students will be able to acquire additional knowledge in this field in the future. Thus, a sustained knowledge in physiology is the necessary ground for learning general and specialized nursing disciplines.

Subject matter: renal function, construction and function of the gastrointestinal system, control of metabolism, energy balance, control of body temperature, physiology of growth, sensory function, consciousness, behavior, physiology of reproduction and fetal development.

The aim of this course is to improve the competence of students in 1) quality communication 2) creating successful therapeutic relationships 3) providing evidence based education to the users of healthcare and to 4) understand how such competence can impact safety within healthcare.

The course addresses communication from different perspectives and students are given several opportunities to practice. Emphasis is on training active listening, coping with difficult communication and developing constructive ways to communicate with the users of healthcare. The concepts of respect and dignity, the responsibility of healthcare professionals, professionalism and therapeutic relationship will be addressed.  

Furthermore the course focuses on the purpose of health/patient education and how education can affect treatment outcomes. Common theories related to patient teaching and adult education are introduced as well as the concept of health literacy. The teaching process, including different methods and media in teaching, will be introduced and students will practice organising and providing education to clients.  Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes and competence in the role of the educator will be explored and discussed.

In this course discussions on concepts in nursing continue and students will have the opportunity to increase their skills in more complex activities, e.g. sterility, intramuscular medications, fluids, wound management. The emphasis here is on nurses‘ responsibility in assessing patients, how to react to signs and symptoms in patients and give appropriate nursing care. Application of the nursing process will be practiced in clinical wards in hospitals.

In the course the main theories about cognitive-, moral- and psychosocial development is introduced. Normal growth and development of the child and adolescent is emphasized. The physical changes as well as the cognitive- and psychosocial development of children and adolescents are covered as well as methods to evaluate their physical and developmental abilities.

The aim of the course is to provide students a comprehensive knowledge and skills of physical assessment. Emphasis is on acquiring skills in the application of key aspects of physical assessment and on the other hand on students' understanding of specialized physical assessment methods. The main focus is holistic physical assessment based on adults, as well as patient safety. The course will also cover key aspects of first aid, where the main goal is to prepare students to perform first aid in demanding situations and in an independent manner.
In the skills lab, methods for performing a head to toe physical assessment are reviewed in a clinical context. There is a emphasis on linking physical assessment to other courses, for example anatomy and physiology.

Pharmacokinetics: Dosage forms, absorption, distribution, excretion, biotransformation of drugs, assay of drugs in the blood, side effects of drugs, drug interactions, receptors of drugs, drug effects and efficacy, geriatric pharmacology.Pharmacodynamics: Pharmacology of endocrine glands, nonsteroidal antinflammatory drugs, pharmacology of the peripheral nervous system, pharmacology of the CNS, antihypertensive drugs, cardiovascular drugs, anticoagulation drugs, toxicology.

Lectures in HJÚ410G, surgery will be held from January to March. Students need to have good knowledge in physiology, biochemistry and pathology for the course. Textbooks shown below are used as well as articles from the teachers. Students can also read review articles from scientific magazines to read about the different contents. Lectures are divided into general, which are useful in all the subspecialties and more specialized contents where different diseases and operations in surgical subspecialties are delft with. Students are at the end of the course supposed to have knowledge about the most common diseases in surgery, symptoms, clinical examination, diagnostic tools and treatment as well as operative management and complications. The contents of the lectures will be a support in knowledge and work with surgical patients. The lectures are 40 minutes and not all the content can be covered during that time, so students need to use the textbooks and in some cases articles to gain deeper knowledge about the contents. Examination will be at two occasions. Firstly; a written paper (30%) where a student choose one out of two themes given. The students are allowed to use references. Secondly, an examination will be held with multiple choice questions (70%) where wrong answers will not give minus points. Date will be given later for these exams.  
Lectures will be grouped in Ugla into general (Alm), Ear nose and throat (HNE), Urology (Uro), Gastrointestinal surgery (Gastro), Neurosurgery (HT), orthopedic surgery (Bæklun), thoracic and vascular surgery (Hjarta/æða), Breast surgery (brjósta), plastic surgery (lýta) and gynecology (kvenna).      

The interactions between diet, nutrients and health are reviewed. The basic ideas and terms in nutritional sciences, e.g., essential nutrients, bioavailability, requirements and recommended daily allowances are discussed. The Icelandic diet, dietary allowances and common nutrition problems in different groups are discussed. The aim is also to introduce team work between nurses and dieticians in the primary health care and in hospitals.

In this course, students should gain an overview of the main problems that are dealt with in medical science. The most common diseases of the following disease categories are taught:  cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, renal and urology, respiratory diseases, diseases of the nervous system, blood disorders, endocrine disorders, arthritis, infectious diseases, cancer diseases and clinical immunology.

In this course the focus is on more advanced nursing care, where students will learn how to assess nursing care needs of patients, and provide appropriate care. Emphasis is placed on the responsibility of nurses to assess the condition of patients and to provide appropriate nursing care. Students will learn about pain, symptom assessment, intravenous fluid administration and blood transfusion, fluid, electrolyte- and acidbase balance. Interpretation of research results, sampling and treatment will be reviewed. Safe medicine administration and medicine calculation will continue to be taught, as well as safety culture practices. Quality improvement, evidence based practice, patient participation, information technology, and teamwork, are the foundations of the course. 

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

In the course different aspects of the concept of mental health are presented and discussed. Common mental diseases and disorders in adults and children, their incidence, diagnosis and treatment are introduced. Theories and basic concepts of psychiatric nursing and mental health are presented and different approaches to the health care of the mentally ill are addressed. Special focus is on the role of psychiatric nurses in acute care and rehabilitation of people with mental health disorders.

This course will cover changes that occur in individuals with increasing age and the main topics of geriatric nursing. Common symptoms, diseases and nursing care applied to them will be reported. Particular emphasis will be placed on symptoms associated with cognitive impairment as well as nursing care of patients with dementia and / or delirium.

The main purpose of the course is to enhance knowledge and skills of the student to take care of patients with chronic diseases both in long-term care and in acute situations. Students need to be able to assess physical, psyhological, sociological, spiritual and cultural needs and how they are connected to the patient illness and can work hoistically to ease their suffering and increase their wellbeing. Important aspects are the connection between the patient, assessment and responce to symptoms, and use of nursing skills.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care and application of nursing care management are key issues. Safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork is also addressed in relation with the patients postoperative recovery.

This course focuses on familiarising students with the roles of nurses within health clinics, i.e. infant and young child care and general patient reception. Particular emphasis is placed on the care and monitoring of newborns, postpartum mothers and families, nursing for young families, the principles of family nursing and the implementation of these principles for patients at the health clinic.  The course introduces students to the way new parents adjust to the role, including for example bonding in families.  It also addresses variations, such as the impact of the pregnancy and birth on the health of the mother and child and postpartum depression. Students will acquire basic knowledge and training in the evaluation of the health and individual needs of mothers, newborns and families in the postpartum period, both through clinical training and problem solving exercises.  Emphasis will be placed on training students in patient communication and preventative and health promoting nursing.

The main objective of the course is to deepen students' understanding of the healthcare services provided at a health clinic, as well as increasing their understanding of the role of nurses in general and specialised patient reception at health clinics.  The main focus is on health protection as well as education and support for families who are patients at the health clinic.  There will be discussion of terminology and theories connected to family nursing, health protection and methods for developing family interviews and education and support initiatives. The course will also address how nurses can apply evidence-based working practices in a clinical setting and the principles of health clinic nursing in practice and research. Government healthcare policy will be key.  The course is intended to give students an opportunity to develop their skills in helping individuals and families look after their own health.  Students will have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with certain specialisations within nursing. 

The aim of the course is to discuss the healthcare services that nurses provide within health clinics and in wider society outside healthcare institutions.  The course covers the role of health clinic nurses in infant and young child care, healthcare in compulsory and upper secondary schools and patient reception at health clinics.  Particular emphasis is placed on the care of newborns, parents and young families.  The course introduces students to the process of having a child, variations such as the impact of the pregnancy and birth on the health of the mother and child, parents' adjustment to their new roles, bonding and postpartum depression. Students will acquire basic knowledge and training in the evaluation of the health and individual needs of mothers, newborns and families in the postpartum period, both through clinical training and problem solving exercises.  Emphasis will be placed on training students in patient communication and preventative and health promoting nursing. Emphasis will also be placed on preventative measures and health promotion for individuals and groups in society within and outside healthcare institutions. The course will address strategies for preventing health problems and improving the health of groups within society, in consideration of knowledge about lifestyle choices and theories on preventative measures and health promotion, including discussion of occupational and environmental health.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge they gained in the theoretical course "Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing". The clinical training takes place in the Primary Health Care of the Reykjavik Capital Area, Reykjalundur and the National University Hospital. Special emphasis will be on mental health status examination, clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive mental health care.

The students will gain basic knowledge and training in assessing needs and general health of their patients, both with clinical training and clinical assignments. Also, students will be trained in personal interactions with patients and their families. Emphasis will be laid on preventive and health promoting nursing interventions. The students will interact with patients, their families and health care professionals and pay special attention to the role of nurses in health care interventions and multidisciplinary collaboration. They endeavor to relate their theoretical knowledge to their clinical tasks by searching the academic and research literature. The students take part in the day to day nursing activates, make use of their learning opportunities and work on clinical assignments under the supervision of clinical teachers and preceptors.

The students will gain basic knowledge and training in assessing needs and general health of their patients, both with clinical training and clinical assignments. Also, students will be trained in personal interactions with patients and their families. Emphasis will be laid on preventive and health promoting nursing interventions. The students will interact with patients, their families and health care professionals and pay special attention to the role of nurses in health care interventions and multidisciplinary collaboration. They endeavor to relate their theoretical knowledge to their clinical tasks by searching the academic and research literature. The students take part in the day to day nursing activates, make use of their learning opportunities and work on clinical assignments under the supervision of clinical teachers.  

In this course, the student will learn about the specific needs and nursing care of old people and the changes that will occur to the individual with increasing age. The emphasis is on how treatment and assessment of old people must take into account their specific needs so that the best results can be achieved in treatment and rehabilitation. Taking this into account can ensure quality of life and shorten the length of stay in hospitals. Tasks and assessment tools that are being used can overlap with other courses, but the purpose is to train the student in using the assessment tools as well as to interpret the results with regard to age related changes.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care, application of nursing care management, safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork are key issues in the clinical trainins and in relation with the patients postoperative recovery and management of symptoms and health care problems.

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge that they gained in the theoretical course HJÚ529G Clinical competence in Family Nursing.  Special emphasis will be on clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive care within the health care sector. Students work together with a specialist teacher to find clients and their families to work with in the clinic

The purpose of the course is to train students in utilizing the evidence based knowledge they gained in the theoretical course “Public and Family Health.The clinical training takes place in the Primary Health Care of the Reykjavik Capital Area, the National University Hospital, and in the community. Special emphasis will be on clinical skills and evidence based practice in the care of individuals and families who receive neonatal and puerperal care.

The main purpose of this course is that students gain knowledge and competency in nursing adult patients that face chronic and acute disesase, and need special nursing care. Emphasis is placed on assessment of physical, mental, sociological and cultural needs and their interpaly with health problems of the sick individual and his/her family. Also emphasis is on working holistically on solving nursing problems and enhancing health and development of the nurse students clients. Observation, organization of care, application of nursing care management, safety, quality of care, improvements, information technology, evidence based practice and teamwork are key issues in the clinical trainins and in relation with the patients postoperative recovery and management of symptoms and health care problems.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

The main aim of the course is for students to gain knowledge and skills in emergency and critical care nursing. The course covers patient care in the field of emergency and intensive care units.

In the course, emphasis is based on the terms assessment, surveillance and prevention in an emergency context. The course cover for examples the ideology of emergency and intensive care nursing, first aid/field emergency, assessment, monitoring, surveillance, prevention, transport of injured/acutely ill, support for relatives of acutely and critically ill patients. The course also covers advanced life support, based on the standards of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC).

In a simulation center emphasize is based on systematic assessment, initial treatment and communication in emergency situations.

Teaching methods: Lectures (16F), simulation (6U), clinical training (32V).

An overview of basic concepts, theory and methods applicable to the nursing care of children and their families að hand provides knowledge and understanding of basic concepts and medical and surgical treatments of children in relation to the most relevant pediatric diagnosis. The course emphasizes the following contents: basic needs of children and their families; the assessment of children's health; children's response to and perception of illness and hospitalization; how to communicate with children; parent-child interactions; the role of parents; and the role of the nurse in the care of children with various health deviation and alterations and their families. Students have the opportunity to experience the responsibilities of the professional nurse in a children’s hospital setting. During the clinical studies, the student adapts and integrates theory to practice with the use of the nursing process as a guide in the care of the child and his parents.

The course (2 ECTS) is especially aimed at students who have completed at least three years of undergraduate studies in clinical disciplines within the field of health sciences. It is a prerequisite for the clinical course Interdisciplinary clinical cooperation: The HealthSquare (2 ECTS) (health care service for university students). The course is based on the theories of interprofessional education and various teaching strategies will be used in order to encourage active participation of students. Students will work together in interdisciplinary groups. The course is mainly focused on interdisciplinary theories, professionalism, interdisciplinary cooperation, team work and ethical decisions in health care.

Assessment (pass / fail) is based on  project work, activity in project work and exams that take place in electronic form in the teaching cycle. 

Teaching arrangements:
Students are divided into interdisciplinary study groups at the beginning of the semester that plan and execute their own meeting times and hand in their final assignments before the end of October. 

The focus of this course is the home as a place of health care. The meaning and value of the home for people will be addressed as well as the impact of increased use of technology in the organization and provision of care and treatment. The course will explore the relationship between the environment of the home and health and well being of the members of the household. Furthermore, it will address a number of issues related to being a carer and their collaboration with the formal health- and social care system. The organization of different services will be described and discussed.

The course is designed to develop students‘ knowledge in the basic consepts and theories of nursing administration and how to apply them in clinical nursing. Emphasis is placed on understanding the structure of health care organization. Emphasis is also placed on the leadership role of nurses within in the health care organization and their role in teamwork. Clinical studies are planned within health care organizations and it will give the students opportunity to learn how to utilize theory in nursing administration in the planning and distribution of nursing care. Students are required to do clinical projects and participate in discussion groups.

In the first part the focus is on the Icelandic health care system in international context, illness behavior, explanations of health services utilization, characteristics of users of health services,and quality assessment in health care. In the second part the emphasis is on concepts, characteristics and phenomena related to chronic illness as well as on nursing care for the chronically ill and their families. Ethical dilemmas related to health care of chronically ill people and their families are identified and analyzed. Services of welfare institutions are introduced as well as patient organizations.

The ethical aspect of nursing and nursing work is discussed in particular, with the aim of preparing students to analyze and deal with ethical issues in the work of the health professions, for example related to violence and complex situations at work. Various ethical solutions that arise in the work of health professions and the prerequisites for solutions to them will be taken into consideration.
• Consequences of violence and gender-based trauma on health. Manifestations of violence and gender-based violence at different stages of life. Manifestations of violence among different social groups, e.g. violence in intimate relationships and families; violence towards vulnerable and marginalized groups; bullying; of violence in health and social services. Epidemiology of violence, resources for victims and methods of prevention.
• The difficult conversation and challenges in communication. Self-harm and suicide risk. Methods for screening for violence and providing support to victims. Nursing care after violence

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.

Knowledge of theories and evidence-based health promotion interventions is covered in the course. The course will introduce ways that nurses can use to support their clients to take responsibility for their own health. Diet, exercise, outdoor life, common herbal remedies and natural products used by the general public and patients will be discussed, as well as their potential benefits and harms. Special attention will be paid to the use of complementary therapies for the elderly, cancer patients, rheumatoid arthritis patients, pregnant women and at the end of life. Additional therapies for certain symptoms such as pain, fatigue, anxiety and nausea will be used. The course will also focus on factors that affect job well-being. Practical exercises will be provided. In the course, students consider implementing treatment in a clinic setting.

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Nursing and cultural diversity

This course provides students with an overview of basic intensive care. The main focus is on assessment and treatment related to airway, breathing and consciousness.  It is recommended that students take the HJÚ823G elective course in clinical nursing on ICU´s

In the course the students get to know the conceptual framework of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and explore important issues pertaining to the individual, the couple and how the society can influence SRH of people. Also, the students will get insight into many influential factors on SRH such as birth, infertility, diseases and their treatment which can disturb normal bodily function and influence well-being. The course is supposed to empower students to deal with SRH matters by providing them good knowledge, provide them with opportunities to express themselves about sexual matters and to get practical experience in providing sexual health information to others.

This course is about women, health and society and examines physical, psycho-social and environmental concepts and influence on women's health. Political policiy making and concepts about health are explored in relation to gender issues. The focus is on lífe events from a holistic life course perspective and bio-medical approach. Specific knowledge about women’s anatomy and physiology in the context of childbirth are explored. Gynecology and basic concepts in genetics and chromosomal diagnostics in relation to pregnancy are introduced.

Student will choose the clinical placement. It has to be a clinical placement where patients /people are provided nursing and where student can enhance his/her clinical skills and knowledge. Specific conditions include that student has not been working there before and that a nurse is practicing there.

The course From theory to practice in nursing is a 10 credit course that prepares students to present new clinical nursing knowledge. Students work under the guidance of a member of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery and clinical nurse with a MS degree.

This elective course is aimed at undergraduate nursing students with a special interest in nursing research. The aim is to enhance knowledge and train students in conducting research. Quality improvement methodology, where research and use of data is systematically applied to improve the quality and safety of nursing care, will be introduced. Students will gain proficiency in reading and analyzing research; present research, participate in research projects in collaboration with experienced researchers; and use scientific methods to improve quality and safety in nursing care. The course is a good preparation for graduate studies in nursing.