To reach this educational goal, the project aimed to develop a new joint competency profile based on a shared understanding of the Bachelor of Science programs in Physiotherapy, Nursing, Midwifery, and Nutrition & Dietetics, based on the Swiss Federal Law for Health Professions.
Information was gathered through focus groups and individual interviews within all the listed disciplines. The study analyzed the perspectives of practitioners (8 focus groups), departmental staff (4 focus groups), students (8 focus groups), and professional associations (4 interviews). All departmental staff were involved in walk-ins and soundings. Additionally, the study considered and included all legal requirements and competency catalogs for professionals based on the CanMeds model. The focus groups were conducted and evaluated according to Pelz, 2004.
The new competency profile for all four Bachelor's degree courses consists of twelve focus areas. These areas include Social and Technological Innovations; Health Promotion and Prevention; Quality and Patient Safety; Critical Thinking; Participation and Inclusion; Communication and Cooperation; Evidence-Based Practice; Health System and Society; Planetary Health; Self-Care; Counselling, Therapy and Support; and Transfer Performance. The individual focus areas are divided into four areas of competence: Professional, methodological, personal, and social competency.
Departing from the perceived need for curricular change towards sustainability, focus areas for curricular development have been identified, able to direct both profession-specific and joint activities.
Identifying areas of competence in a collaborative and consensus-oriented way and including the voice of different faculties, is a forward-looking approach to curricular innovation and offers a promising outlook for securing sustainability in healthcare education.
Curriculum development
Student-centered
