Education of Family Nursing Specialists at the University of Tampere, Finland

Abstract

This article describes the structure and content of a degree program for master's-level specialists infamily nursing, which was started at the University of Tampere in 1993. Students of nursing science enrollingat the University of Tampere have completed a bachelor's-level, 3-to 5-year undergraduate program in nursing. The family nursing curriculum at the University of Tampere is oriented toward strengthening students' capacities for critical thought and promoting an investigative and inquisitive attitude. The need for specialist education infamily nursing has arisenfrom a mandate to providefamilycentered care in Finland's modern health system. Specialists in family nursing are needed in both primary health care settings and hospitals. Graduates from this specialist degree program are recruited to research, administrative, and teaching positions infamily nursing at several levels of the health care system.