– It was pretty damn good actually. At first I was very upset, because I was destined to pass. But then I saw how high the failure rate was, and thought that then it is not me that is wrong. That’s what Torunn Grønseth Voie says, who is a part-time student on the foster care program at Molde University of Applied Sciences. During the first academic year, she has had no problems with the teaching in some subjects, except for one. In the subject, there have been a total of three study days. Voie says that the teaching was rushed through at full speed, and that they did not have time to go through essential subjects. The rest they had to learn themselves. – We are fully aware that we are studying part-time and that it is expected that we take responsibility for our own learning. But in order to understand anything about anatomy at all, you need to gain a certain understanding of the basics. Torunn Voie Grønseth says it seems completely random that she has now passed the exam in anatomy. Photo: Marius André Jenssen Stenberg / news High failure rate The exam consisted of 50 multiple-choice questions where you had to get 30 of the questions right to pass. – Several reacted that the question was formulated in a way that was meant to be misunderstood, says the student. When the results came in, the failure rate in the class was 68 per cent. On full-time studies, it was 70 per cent in the same subject. – We complained about the exam afterwards, and were promised that it would get better. But when we had the accounting exam, it was even more difficult and more detailed than the first, Voie says. – It is good that high demands are placed on care nursing students, but up to a certain point. We are not going to be doctors. What is a foster carer? A foster carer works to facilitate people with physical, psychological or social disabilities. Carers can, for example, work in substance abuse care, with mental health work, in care for the elderly, at school or in a nursery. Common tasks for foster carers are to provide daily care and social support. Facilitate mastery, training and training. As well as maintaining the same and developing skills in the user. Caregiver is a protected title that requires authorization from the Directorate of Health. To get authorisation, you must have a three-year bachelor’s degree in social care. The care worker must be familiar with the laws and rules that regulate their work, and must have knowledge of the rules for the use of coercion and force. Sources: Utdanning.no, vernepleier.no Shortage of childcare workers Figures from FO and the National Competence Environment on Developmental Disabilities (NAKU) show that we lack up to 20,000 childcare workers in Norway. Marit Selfors Isaksen in FO says we need to train more care nurses, and thinks the failure rate in the exam at Molde University is very high. – It may be a good idea to see if something can be done so that more people reach the learning goals and get the skills they need. But she emphasizes that you cannot lower the requirements to become a foster carer. – The quality must still be good. One cannot go at the expense of it. Marit Selfors Isaksen is leader of the professional council for foster carers in the Joint Organization. She says several municipalities struggle because they have too few foster carers. Photo: Sara Angelica Spilling / Sara Angelica Spilling State Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Oddmund Løkensgard Hoel, says it is important that foster carers are trained with good and relevant skills. Photo: Høgskulen i Vestlandet State Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Oddmund Løkensgard Hoel also says the government is concerned that more care nurses must be trained. – A course of study must be laid out so that the students have good prerequisites for completing the education they have started. Here a great responsibility rests on the educational institutions. – Necessary requirements Rector at Molde University of Applied Sciences Steinar Kristoffersen says the exam the students have complained about is tough and that the requirements are high. But he thinks it is absolutely necessary. – They have to go over this list before we think it is safe to send them out to work with vulnerable users. That the subject comes early in the course does not mean that it is easy or less important. Kristoffersen says the students have been given the opportunity to take in more teaching than the three days allotted for the part-time study. – The students have been offered to follow the same teaching as the full-time students, and then they would get more hours. But surely those who study part-time do so precisely because they do not have the opportunity to study full-time? – Yes, and we thought we had hit the nail on the head in offering a part-time offer that would be optimal when someone already has a job. And then we accept the feedback that there was not the right balance, and will look at what can be done about it. The rector at Molde University Steinar Kristoffersen believes that the anatomy subject is something students must master before they go into practice and work. Photo: Høgskolen i Molde The director of studies and the dean of education say they will consider making changes to the exam. Read the full response from the University of Applied Sciences here: The University of Applied Sciences is considering changes Head of studies for the bachelor’s degree in social care, Hans Petter Iversen, and dean of the department of health and social studies at Molde University of Applied Sciences, Heidi Haavardsen, respond to news on behalf of the lecturer the students have complained about. They write in an e-mail that it is important for the department to treat students with trust and respect, and that they will always try to improve when it comes to relations between staff and students. When asked why the University has not taken more measures to reduce the failure rate in the anatomy exam, they reply that the high proportion of failure in the subject is a widespread problem in the country as well. They say they will consider whether they should change the exam format to discussion tasks, where the students can reflect on what they have learned. – We agree that it is unfortunate with a high failure rate. We will therefore address whether and how we can achieve a unified teaching plan where the students achieve their learning outcomes, without a high failure rate. Passed with luck Voie and her fellow students are already working in child protection, dementia care and in nursing homes, workplaces that need care nurses. They know what is required in working life. Voie passed the exam in anatomy in August. But I think several of the fellow students should have come through. – For one reason or another I passed. It seems to be based on luck or bad luck. The nursing students are now starting their second year of education. Photo: Marius André Jenssen Stenberg / news
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