Bachelor of Nursing (bridge programme)

Is this programme right for you?

You are a practical nurse (graduate of higher vocational education HBO5) and you want to obtain the degree of bachelor of nursing? It's possible with our specific bridge programme. In most cases, though, it means that studying must be combined with a job and caring for a family. Not an easy task? Correct. It will require strong motivation and good work ethics and the ability to study independently. If you manage to do that, you can earn the degree of bachelor of nursing.

The nursing programme leads the way to a fascinating, varied job with a lot of responsibility. You will become familiar with all aspects of health care and you will become a resourceful manager of complex patient care. You will be trained for a job where you must use your head, your heart and your hands in a multidisciplinary team.

Fascinating? No doubt. Complex? Absolutely, but rest assured that we will guide you all the way. As a matter of fact, we guarantee that when you graduate you will have acquired all the competences to start as a first-time professional.

What will you learn? What choices do you have ?

The study programme will teach you how to become a professional nurse. We will coach you in such a way that you are able to assume the various roles of a nurse.

In order to assume all these roles, you must have acquired a number of competences. These competences are firmly rooted in your study programme, that's why it is called competence-based education. Every course unit of your study programme will teach you how to acquire one or more competences. Empathy, sense of responsibility, critical attitude, adaptability and nursing expertise are just a few examples of competences which turn you into a versatile nurse. The nursing programme is a generic programme.
The competence profile of a Leuven University College Bachelor of Nursing was developed in cooperation with all university colleges of the KULeuven Association. Please have a look at the descriptive overview.

Our study programme and our coaching efforts are geared towards acquiring the competences of a bachelor of nursing. As a result, graduates will have acquired sufficient adaptability skills in order to be employed in all areas of health care and welfare, which makes them ever so valuable.

What does it mean in practice?

The bridge programme is offered to students doing a major in hospital nursing (clinical orientation) and can be completed in 2 academic years. Your study programme consists of 120 ECTS credits out of the initial 180 ECTS credits. This implies that you have exemptions worth 60 ECTS credits based on prior qualifications.

Can you do a different major? It is possible, but this means that you will take certain course units together with the full-time students (and not just on Tuesdays). Majors are not specialisations, yet they offer the opportunity to address a particular health care aspect.

Course days are limited to one lecture day (Tuesday) per week, throughout the entire academic year, with the emphasis on interactive study coaching. At the end of each semester, 1 or 2 extra course days may be added. The course days also continue on Tuesdays during work placement periods. Examinations are taken in January, June and September. They may be scheduled on any day.

Each academic year, you must be available to do full-time work placements for a number of weeks. You will come into contact with a broad range of health care and welfare matters through work placements in university and regional hospitals, psychiatric institutions, home care, ... Based on your employment certificate, on-the-job learning may be an option for one work placement period per academic year.

Course programme

Consult the course programme if you are looking for specific information.

Student testimonials

"I wanted to apply for the position of vice head of department in the elderly home where I have been employed as a nurse for 15 years. However, this position required a bachelor degree of nursing. So, this meant going back to school after a professional career of 25 years. A far-reaching decision that was taken after having discussed it with my family: my husband retired early, took over the household and also my three children have been very supportive. The first year was extremely hectic. Family activities, holidays, leisure time ... it was all tightly scheduled for me to combine work and study. My efforts were rewarded with a pass grade. I have become a stronger person and I have more self-confidence. At work I reflect much more about what I do and I get the feeling that I can offer my residents and their family a great deal more. That gives me even more satisfaction. "Rita, Bachelor of nursing (bridge programme)

Where will you be employed?

The Bachelor of nursing programme offers a wide and varied range of employability opportunities. You may be employed at general and psychiatric hospitals, in elderly homes, in home care, disability care, preventive health care centres such as occupational medicine centres or centres of student counselling, ...

You can be self-employed or employed by an organisation, either full-time or part-time. But did you know that the business world, educational institutions and government institutions are also looking to employ nurses?

Are you convinced? As a qualified nurse, you can make your dream come true: being a nurse in the health care or welfare sector.

Want to continue studying?

You have just graduated as a bachelor of nursing, but you are not quite ready to enter the labour market? Or maybe you have already gained a lot of experience, but you want to further train or become an expert in your area of expertise? Or you want to become a lifelong learner? Leuven University College offers a wide range of opportunities. Below a short overview of programmes related to health care. They are described in detail at www.leuvenuniversitycollege.be/Study-at-Leuven-University-College/Postgraduate-Studies/Life-Long-Learning.

Do you want to know how you can transfer to various master programmes? Take a look at www.wanaba.be.

Selection of Second Bachelor programmes at Leuven University College:

• Intensive care and emergency care
• Paediatric health care
• Mental health care
• Oncological care

Postgraduate certificates at Leuven University College

• Postgraduate Certificate of Gerontological Nursing

Continuous education at Leuven University College

• Breastfeeding
• Palliative care
• Radiological protection
• Wound care
• Nutrition

Exemptions

Students in the bridge programme are awarded exemptions worth 60 ECTS credits based on prior certificated learning.

Registration

Are you convinced? Find out how you can enrol at Leuven University College. This study programme is part of the Department of Health and Technology.

Need more information? Please contact Karen Vansteenkiste (bridge programme coordinator) by email: karen.vansteenkiste@khleuven.be.
Do you want to learn more about the nursing profession? Take a look at www.flormagazine.be or read an issue of Flor, the youth magazine of UZLeuven (University Hospital Leuven) where you can find testimonials and facts and figures about this fascinating profession. You can watch a movie about the nursing profession at vdab.be/beroepen/verpleegkundige.shtml