Nurses who have graduated from former 5-year medical high schools or 2-year post-secondary nursing schools may complement their qualifications through free-of-charge bridging courses under an EU project implemented by the Ministry of Health.
After Poland’s accession to the European Union, becoming a nurse requires a minimum three-year university course and a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
Until recently, the EU Member States did not recognise the professional qualifications of the graduates of former medical high schools. This changed in October 2013, when the European Parliament amended the directive on the recognition of professional qualifications.
Previously, in order to obtain the right to practice their profession in the EU, nurses had to complete bridging courses and obtain a bachelor’s degree. The Ministry of Health addressed to them a systemic project titled “The professional education of nurses and midwives as part of bridging courses", which was co-funded by the EU. Over PLN 190 million were assigned to its implementation.
First: skill improvement
The bridging courses were addressed to nurses and midwives who graduated from five-year medical high schools, two-year medical vocational schools, two-and-a-half medical vocational schools, and three-year medical vocational schools, receiving a certificate of secondary education.
The project aimed at raising the professional skills of nurses and midwives to the level of nurse/midwife bachelor’s degree.
The first enrolment took place in 2008, and the most recent one was in the spring of 2014. Between the start of the project and the end of 2013, these courses were taken by over 36 thousand people and completed by over 29 thousand.
By the decision of the European Commission issued in November 2009, the bridging courses for the graduates of medical high schools were shortened from five to two semesters.
A master’s degree opens the path to promotion
According to the project manager, Beata Cholewka, head of the nurse and midwife department at the Ministry of Health, the courses provided the nurses with the opportunity to complete the vocational subjects required by employment in EU Member States. It was also important to encourage their further development, but also to enhance the professional and social prestige of this group.
Completing a bridging course allows its graduates to continue their education on graduate studies and obtain a master’s degree which opens the path to promotion.
There are currently over 300 thousand nurses in Poland, of which about 160-180 thousand are professionally active.
Between 2008 and 2013, 71 universities holding the accreditation of the minister of health to provide educational services to nurses and midwifes took part in this project. The schools were selected under a call for tenders.
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