MSc in Oncology & Palliative Care Nursing
SASCED-P = 09131101 SASCED-L = 747
Introduction
The Master of Science in Oncology and Palliative Care Nursing (MSc in Oncology and Palliative Care Nursing) – [OPCN] provides the registered nurses who wish to undertake a specialist qualification in Oncology and Palliative Care Nursing with the required skills and clinical training to succeed in their endeavors to deliver healthcare within the Kingdom and beyond.
The MSc in OPCN program aims to prepare future leaders in Oncology and Palliative Care Nursing who provide safe, comprehensive, evidence-based care to the oncology patients who are competent in adding to the body of knowledge of oncology nursing practice through research and scholarly activities. These graduates will be able to provide a high standard, ethical, holistic, and culture-sensitive nursing care in the specialist area, as well as in relevant education and research.
Program Goals
The goals of the MSc OPCN program are to achieve the following:
- Goal 1: Prepare future leaders in Oncology Nursing who provide safe, comprehensive evidence-based care to the oncology/palliative patients;
- Goal 2: Add to the body of knowledge of Oncology Nursing practice through research and scholarly activities.
Program Objectives and Outcomes
- Prepares Oncology and Palliative Care nurse specialists and nurse educators who meet the requirements of evidence-based Oncology and Palliative Care Nursing practice.
- Develop future Specialist Nurses who are prepared to offer leadership and excellence.
- Provide high quality health education services to the community through a range of health education strategies.
- Apply effective tools and methodologies to obtain current and advanced knowledge in nursing profession by adopting advanced research methodology and evidence- based holistic practice.
- Prepare students to be able to add to the body of Oncology and Palliative Care knowledge to ensure publications for the dissemination of research findings.
Study Plan
- The master’s degree requires successful completion of 42 credit hours.
- The master degree requires two years of study (4 semesters), and each semester is 15 weeks duration.
Courses
This course is designed to meet the needs of nurses working in oncology setting who wish to become senior specialist in oncology care. This course is focused on applying critical thinking, integrates set of nursing theories and research findings to provide holistic oncology and palliative nursing care for patients dealing with cancer. Also, this course focuses on special pathophysiologic concepts related to cancer malignant processes affecting adult individuals across the lifespan. The course describes the pathologic mechanisms producing signs and symptoms of solid tumors/ hematology disease processes commonly encountered in oncology nursing practice and the course provide an overview regarding the cultural and ethical issues in oncology and palliative care nursing. Moreover, Evidence-Based Research which will be integrated with the best available evidences in oncology and palliative nursing care field.
This course covers the nursing clinical skills in the care of patients with cancer conditions. It also focuses on prioritizing application of immediate, rapid, and accurate nursing assessment and provision of quality nursing care. It also addresses advanced comprehensive quality nursing care for oncology/palliative patient with different body system alterations, with different types of invasive devices and with different types of equipment used in the oncology care setting.
This course emphasis on multiple aspects of assessment including physical, functional, and mental health assessment. The course is designed to enable the student to develop nursing diagnostic reasoning skills to perform complete health assessments on selected clients, obtaining an in-depth health history, performing a comprehensive physical examination using a systems approach, differentiate normal from abnormal, recording findings and developing a problem list and treatment plan.
The course introduces student with advanced knowledge about the scientific method, research design, and quantitative and statistical analysis of data. The course offers students with opportunity to conduct research on topics within their field of study.
This course is designed to meet the needs of nurses working in oncology setting who wish to become senior specialist in oncology care. This course is focused on delivering competent and special oncology nursing care to promote the wellbeing, caring and coping of individual with cancer who received different treatments modalities such as chemotherapy principles, surgery therapies and managements. Principles of radiotherapy and biotherapy. Principles of genetic therapy. Also, bone marrow and stem cell transplantation are included topics in this course with alternative and complementary therapies. Furthermore, the treatment modalities will be supported by using Evidence Based Research which will be integrated with the best available evidences in oncology and palliative nursing care field.
This course covers the nursing skills in the clinical practice to take care of patients with cancer conditions. It also focuses on prioritizing application of immediate, rapid, and accurate nursing assessment and provision of quality nursing care. It also addresses advanced comprehensive quality nursing care for oncology/palliative patient with different treatments modalities, with different types of invasive devices and with different types of equipment used in the oncology care setting.
This course is designed to prepare Master students for conducting their own research project toward the end of their degree by consolidating all relevant research principles and activities needed for this endeavor as well as strengthening students’ autonomy, creativity, self-reliance, and critical thinking abilities. The course will review main principles of research in the nursing field, it will discuss in detail the steps of constructing a research proposal for both academic and funding purposes, and it will introduce students to principles of reading and critiquing research reports. Students will also be introduced to professional scientific writing of research articles for publication in terms of structure, format, contents, and style. Finally, students will learn the process of publishing a research report and the many issues related to this activity such as the choice of scientific journal, copyright issues, publication ethics, impact factor, and plagiarism.
This course introduces students to a historical overview of nursing that reflect the evolution of nursing science and practice through history. It also stresses the ethical influences and legal aspects of nursing as essential in nursing profession. Additionally, the course addresses the national and international policies related to nursing practice. It also focuses on important Political Issues Affecting Cancer Care.
This course is designed to develop the postgraduate students knowledge, skills, and understanding of the generic nature of quality improvement and patient safety via offering a good foundation of the principles, concepts, theories, and methods for promoting and improving healthcare quality and patient safety, which will enable them to lead and influence their application to service delivery. Also, it will help them to understand the nature of patient harm and its causes, human factors, and their influence on patient safety. In addition to introduces the students to the unique challenges encountered when assessing, designing, and implementing a Quality Improvement and Patient Safety activities.
This course is designed to meet the needs of nurses working in oncology setting who wish to become senior specialist in oncology care. This course is focused on delivering competent and special oncology nursing care to promote the wellbeing, caring and coping of individual with cancer and provide competent symptom management, with high professional handling for the common oncology emergencies and dealing with terminal cases who needs end of life care and palliative care. Evidence Based Research which will be integrated with the best available evidences in oncology and palliative nursing care field.
This course is designed to meet the clinical and practice needs of nurses working in oncology setting who wish to become senior specialist in oncology care. This course is focused on delivering competent and special oncology nursing care to promote the wellbeing, caring and coping of individual with cancer and provide competent symptom management, with high professional handling for the common oncology emergencies and dealing with terminal cases who needs end of life care and palliative care. Furthermore, Evidence Based Research which will be integrated with the best available evidences in oncology and palliative nursing care field.
This subject provides the theoretical aspect of psychosocial practice in the field of Oncology and the relation to life stresses and quality of life. Its emphasis on the socio cultural and spiritual intervention and survivorship from the illness. This course aims to strengthen effective and appropriate psychosocial outlooks of patients and their family members/caregiver.
The course is designed to prepare students to work as manager and leader in oncology and palliative care settings.
This course is designed to apply knowledge and skills related to the development, implementation, and use of informatics-based processes and technologies to support evidence-based practice, in electronic health records; analysis of digital data, information, and knowledge; and making clinical decision. The course will also equip the student with an understanding and underpinning of information technology; apply them in the context of psychiatric nursing health care and health care education applications.
This course emphasizes on the nature and characteristics of the most commonly used statistical techniques (descriptive statistics, correlation and linear regression, factor analysis, and elementary hypothesis testing), and their applicability to specific health care problems within the context of nursing. Students develop skills and knowledge in the use of computing software and to reinforce learning through course work and assignments, including data analysis and interpretation of computer outputs.
This course is designed to provide nurses and allied health professionals with comprehensive knowledge on the basic concept of infection control (Chain of infections, Mode of transmission and Body defense mechanism). Focus is placed on the Isolation precautions (Hand hygiene, antisepsis and Personal protective equipment (PPE)). In addition to this, the course highlights the importance of improving patient outcome through practical round in the hospital.
Level 4 Thesis MSN 411 This course is designed to provide the student regular, organized opportunity and follow up guidance for their thesis work from the supervisor (s) at different stages of the thesis work plan.
Admission Requirements for the program
- A Bachelor of Nursing degree from accredited university.
- Minimum GPA of 3.75 out of 5 or higher in the Bachelor of Nursing degree.
- Proficiency English test must be as one of the following international recognized bodies:
– TOFEL paper-based test (PBT): 600
– IELTS Academic English test: 6.5
- A valid professional Licensure from Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS).
- Three satisfactory academic and professional recommendation letters.
- A letter from current employer.
- Priority for the candidates who have experience in Critical Care Nursing.
- The candidate must pass the personal interview conducted by the college council.
- Registration fees.