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Eurydice

EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice
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: 9 June 2022

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 training1st grade2nd grade3rd gradeTotal
Professional ethics and vocational instruction40202080
Foundations of nursing science and research40202080
Healthcare and nursing240130130500
Care of the elderly3020-50
Palliative care20202060
Home care-202040
Hygiene and study of infectious diseases60--60
Nutrition, food for sick people and diet food30--30
Biology, anatomy, physiology100--100
General and special pathology; diagnosis and therapy including complementary medicine methods120130110360
Gerontology, geriatric medicine and geriatric psychiatry Pharmacology-30-30
First aid, disaster management and radiation protection30-1040
Health education and health promotion within the framework of care, occupational healthcare20-2040
Occupation-specific ergonomics and body work40302090
Sociology, psychology, pedagogy and social hygiene50202090
Communication, conflict resolution, supervision and creativity training404040120
Structures and facilities of the healthcare system, organisational theory10-2030
Electronic data processing, subject-specific computer science, statistics and documentation2020-40
Occupation-specific legal bases2020-40
Subject-specific English40202080
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 training1st grade2nd grade3rd gradeTotal
Healthcare and nursing including nutrition, first aid and hygiene300--300
Psychiatric and neurological healthcare and nursing70210220500
Care of the elderly, palliative care-90-90
Medical basics including psychopathology, psychiatric and neurological pathology, pharmacology17070100340
Gerontology, geriatric medicine and geriatric psychiatry-40-40
Occupation-specific ergonomics and body work40302090
Sociology, psychology, pedagogy and social hygiene906030180
Counselling techniques, psychosocial care and support for family members504010100
Supervision40302090
Creativity training40101060
Structures and facilities of healthcare and social care, organisational theory10-2030
Electronic data processing, subject-specific computer science, statistics and documentation-202040
Occupation-specific legal bases3030-60
Subject-specific English40202080
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 training1st grade2nd grade3rd gradeTotal
Professional ethics and vocational instruction40202080
Foundations of nursing science and research40202080
Healthcare and nursing for children and young people240130130500
Care of children and young people in crisis situations-302050
Palliative care20202060
Home care for children and young people-202040
Hygiene and study of infectious diseases60--60
Nutrition, food for sick people and diet food30--30
Biology, anatomy, physiology100--100
General and special pathology; diagnosis and therapy including complementary medicine methods120130110360
Neonatology-30-30
Pharmacology2020-40
First aid, disaster management and radiation protection30-1040
Health education and health promotion within the framework of care, occupational healthcare20-2040
Occupation-specific ergonomics and body work40302090
Sociology, psychology, pedagogy and social hygiene50202090
Communication, conflict resolution, supervision and creativity training404040120
Structures and facilities of the healthcare system, organisational theory10-2030
Electronic data processing, subject-specific computer science, statistics and documentation2020-40
Occupation-specific legal bases2020-40
Subject-specific English40202080
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.