Bachelor in Paramedic Studies, Lappeenranta LAB University of Applied Sciences

As a paramedic, you will help trauma patients or people who suddenly fall ill and need urgent care, both in and out of the hospital. You recognize and anticipate situations that threaten the patient's life and know how to act as the situation requires. In addition to alert tasks, your job will include non-urgent care: examining patients, mapping situations, and planning follow-up care. You will make nursing decisions and also be able to lead a team.

The work of a paramedic requires stress management skills, good interaction skills, and physical fitness. At work, you must be able to make quick independent decisions based on researched information and care instructions. Many paramedics work in ambulances, but you can also find work in, for example, a hospital emergency room or intensive care unit.

Paramedic studies at the LAB University of Applied Sciences meet the competence requirements of a paramedic, both in theory and in practice. More than a third of the studies take place in real nursing environments and, for example, in simulation exercises. Clinical training in authentic health care environments is an integral part of your studies.

During your studies, you will learn about the technical innovations in nursing, such as nursing robotics and intelligent self-care applications, and learn how to utilize them to help your client and patient in the best possible way.

The Degree program in Paramedic Nursing (RN) will open up a wide range of possibilities to work as a paramedic nurse or a registered nurse in Finland and elsewhere in the European Union.

Study contents

Bachelor's Degree program, Paramedic is 240 ECTS and it takes four years to complete. The program is divided into common core competencies and complementary competencies. The course modules range from 10 to 25 ECTS.

Complementary competencies may consist of studies of your own field, multidisciplinary route studies, or other skills supporting professional growth. The first educational module in nursing studies is the factors of well-being, which are implemented by using a team-based learning method.

Core competence studies equip you for a range of professional roles. Complementary competence studies include areas of study that develop and advance your chosen areas of expertise. These competencies form your professional profile.

Structure of studies

• Core Competence 15 ECTS
• Professional Core Competencies 100 ECTS
• Complementary Competences 35 ECTS
• Clinical Training 75 ECTS
• Thesis 15 ECTS

Qualification

The earned qualification is an undergraduate degree (a bachelor’s degree). The students will be qualified to work as a Paramedic (in Finnish Ensihoitaja AMK) and Registered Nurse (RN) (in Finnish sairaanhoitaja AMK). The qualification meets the requirements of the European Union directives, which also means interesting career opportunities abroad. Both Paramedic and Registered Nurse have regulated professions overseen by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira).

More about the language of instruction

Theoretical studies are in English. Finnish and English languages are used in clinical training.

Thesis

The bachelor’s degree program includes a 15-ECTS thesis. This can either be a research-based project or a so-called functional thesis project. The thesis project aims to broaden and deepen your professional expertise and knowledge and provide you with the expertise needed to operate in development tasks in your field. The thesis project improves information retrieval and problem-solving skills.

The thesis can be conducted as a project commissioned by an external organization or as part of a development project. The thesis project can be carried out individually, in pairs, or in a group, including a written report. At its best, the thesis project can serve as a pathway to your future career.

Internationalization

We offer you excellent opportunities to gain valuable international expertise and language skills for your future career. Future workplaces and positions require multicultural skills, language skills, and international understanding. Learning takes place in an international, multicultural environment. Our degree students come from all over the world.

Go international!

You can complete part of your studies at our partner institutions in different countries around the world or do your practical training abroad. Every year, we welcome a large number of students from different countries, so the program is genuinely international.

Co-operation with other parties

Your studies will be closely connected with the development of working-life practices, together with businesses and work communities. Multidisciplinary working-life projects and different learning environments, such as student cooperatives, will strengthen your connections with authentic working-life interactions throughout the program.

Research focus

At the LAB University of Applied Sciences, our goal is to renew the working life and ways of working. Together with our partners, we test new innovations and ways of doing things.

Our focus areas are sustainability, design, innovations, and health.

Postgraduate study opportunities

After earning a bachelor’s degree and having two years of professional work experience, you are eligible to apply to the university of applied sciences (UAS) master’s degree programs. You are also eligible to apply to master’s degree programs offered by universities.

Objectives

The LAB University of Applied Sciences educates professional paramedics who are experts in emergency care with both paramedic and nursing skills. Paramedic studies are based on a personal study plan, which allows students to build their own career paths. Our modern health care labs and simulation environment enable developing skills, knowledge, and decision-making abilities together with lecturers, experts, and fellow multi-cultural students. Flexible e-learning possibilities are also employed.

Meanwhile, studies include theoretical and practical training. The practical part of education takes place in varying and multi-disciplinary areas of health care.

The aim of the degree program is to educate students to become registered nurses (RN) and Paramedics. The graduates of the program can help patients who are suddenly ill and need urgent care, both in and out of the hospital. During studies, students learn how to recognize and anticipate situations that threaten a patient's life and know how to act as required by the situation. With non-urgent first aid tasks, paramedics are able to assess the patient's need for service and care, plan follow-up care, and refer the patient to appropriate care.

The paramedic must be able to work both independently and as a part of the multi-professional team. The tasks must be prepared to make independent decisions based on researched information and care guidelines. As a paramedic, you can also work as a team leader. The job requires pressure tolerance as well as the readiness to act consistently even in difficult and unexpected situations. In addition, good physical and mental workability is required at work.

Good contacts with different partners both within and beyond the university are integral to our program. The paramedic program offers the opportunity to meet people from around the world, learn about different cultures, and study to become a competent nurse. All students are encouraged to take part in exchange programs to deepen their intercultural competence.

Most often Paramedics work as care-level paramedics in ambulances. You can also work in a variety of nursing and emergency care specialist positions that require basic or special skills.

Paramedics can work in primary health care, specialist nursing, outpatient emergency care, social care, and private and third sector services both in Finland and abroad. Paramedics can also work on the private side as an employee or entrepreneur, for example in ambulances.

Students from Bachelor of Health Care, Paramedic, will also receive a Bachelor of Science (Nursing), which will expand students' career opportunities for various nursing positions.