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Eurydice

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Teaching and learning in post-secondary non-tertiary education

Austria

6.Secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education

6.11Teaching and learning in post-secondary non-tertiary education

Last update: 16 June 2024

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Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

The training for an advanced-level healthcare profession lasts three years and comprises a total of 4,600 teaching hours. The theoretical training takes at least 2,000 hours, the practical training at least 2,480 hours.

The curricula of the three specialisation options are laid down in the Healthcare and Nursing Training Regulation (Gesundheits- und Krankenpflege-Ausbildungsverordnung or GuK-AV).

The following compulsory subjects are taught in the school for healthcare and nursing (for the training overall):

Compulsory subjects, theoretical training 1st grade 2nd grade 3rd grade Total
Professional ethics and vocational instruction 40 20 20 80
Foundations of nursing science and research 40 20 20 80
Healthcare and nursing 240 130 130 500
Care of the elderly 30 20 - 50
Palliative care 20 20 20 60
Home care - 20 20 40
Hygiene and study of infectious diseases 60 - - 60
Nutrition, food for sick people and diet food 30 - - 30
Biology, anatomy, physiology 100 - - 100
General and special pathology; diagnosis and therapy including complementary medicine methods 120 130 110 360
Gerontology, geriatric medicine and geriatric psychiatry
Pharmacology
- 30 - 30
First aid, disaster management and radiation protection 30 - 10 40
Health education and health promotion within the framework of care, occupational healthcare 20 - 20 40
Occupation-specific ergonomics and body work 40 30 20 90
Sociology, psychology, pedagogy and social hygiene 50 20 20 90
Communication, conflict resolution, supervision and creativity training 40 40 40 120
Structures and facilities of the healthcare system, organisational theory 10 - 20 30
Electronic data processing, subject-specific computer science, statistics and documentation 20 20 - 40
Occupation-specific legal bases 20 20 - 40
Subject-specific English 40 20 20 80
Compulsory subjects, practical training
Departments of a hospital       1.200
Care of people in need of care       400
Home care, health services or social services       160
Other units of a hospital       360
Internship related to diploma examination       160
Elective internship of the student       200

 

The following compulsory subjects are taught in schools for psychiatric care (for the training overall):

Compulsory subjects, theoretical training 1st grade 2nd grade 3rd grade Total
Healthcare and nursing including nutrition, first aid and hygiene 300 - - 300
Psychiatric and neurological healthcare and nursing 70 210 220 500
Care of the elderly, palliative care - 90 - 90
Medical basics including psychopathology, psychiatric and neurological pathology, pharmacology 170 70 100 340
Gerontology, geriatric medicine and geriatric psychiatry - 40 - 40
Occupation-specific ergonomics and body work 40 30 20 90
Sociology, psychology, pedagogy and social hygiene 90 60 30 180
Counselling techniques, psychosocial care and support for family members 50 40 10 100
Supervision 40 30 20 90
Creativity training 40 10 10 60
Structures and facilities of healthcare and social care, organisational theory 10 - 20 30
Electronic data processing, subject-specific computer science, statistics and documentation - 20 20 40
Occupation-specific legal bases 30 30 - 60
Subject-specific English 40 20 20 80
Compulsory subjects, practical training
Departments of a hospital       920
Care of people in need of care       320
Extramural mental health facilities, other health services or social services       520
Other units of a hospital       360
Internship related to diploma examination       160
Elective internship of the student       200

 

The following compulsory subjects are taught in schools for the care of children and young people (for the training overall):

Compulsory subjects, theoretical training 1st grade 2nd grade 3rd grade Total
Professional ethics and vocational instruction 40 20 20 80
Foundations of nursing science and research 40 20 20 80
Healthcare and nursing for children and young people 240 130 130 500
Care of children and young people in crisis situations - 30 20 50
Palliative care 20 20 20 60
Home care for children and young people - 20 20 40
Hygiene and study of infectious diseases 60 - - 60
Nutrition, food for sick people and diet food 30 - - 30
Biology, anatomy, physiology 100 - - 100
General and special pathology; diagnosis and therapy including complementary medicine methods 120 130 110 360
Neonatology - 30 - 30
Pharmacology 20 20 - 40
First aid, disaster management and radiation protection 30 - 10 40
Health education and health promotion within the framework of care, occupational healthcare 20 - 20 40
Occupation-specific ergonomics and body work 40 30 20 90
Sociology, psychology, pedagogy and social hygiene 50 20 20 90
Communication, conflict resolution, supervision and creativity training 40 40 40 120
Structures and facilities of the healthcare system, organisational theory 10 - 20 30
Electronic data processing, subject-specific computer science, statistics and documentation 20 20 - 40
Occupation-specific legal bases 20 20 - 40
Subject-specific English 40 20 20 80
Compulsory subjects, practical training
Departments of a hospital       1.200
Home care, health services or social services       160
Other units of a hospital       360
Internship related to diploma examination       160
Elective internship of the student       200

Teaching methods and materials

In teaching for advanced-level healthcare professions, the principles of

  • method diversity,
  • closeness to life,
  • clarity,
  • student self-activity and responsibility

prevail. Preference is to be given to the development and understanding of basic teaching contents over a diverse, superficial transfer of knowledge.

Furthermore, social learning should be promoted by the teachers and the student should actively participate in the lessons. This can be achieved through additional school events, such as field trips and excursions.

Teaching is designed to be interdisciplinary with the help of seminars or projects.

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