Lappeenranta

Public Health Nurse – a promoter of public health

Do you want to study in Finland to become a Registered Nurse and a Public Health Nurse?

As a Public Health Nurse, you can promote the health, functional capacity, and well-being of people and families of different ages in a wide range of areas. You know the field's theory and nursing practices, and how to apply them in varying client situations. You can identify clients and their families who are part of risk groups. You support and help them and guide them to the necessary help resources. 

As a Public Health Nurse, your future job opportunities will be wide. You can work with individuals and families while promoting the health of the entire population. Additionally, as a Registered Nurse, you can work in all areas of medical care.

To work as a nurse in Finland, you must learn the Finnish language. The main language of your studies is English, but we provide several Finnish language courses during your studies. In addition to this, our big student community and clinical practice placements offer you a good opportunity to practice the Finnish language. 

Feel free to join our big community of international students and acquire wide-ranging skills for the duties of a future Public Health Nurse!

Where can graduates work?

Based on theoretical learning and clinical training, a Public Health Nurse is a versatile expert in public health nursing, general nursing, and preventive health care. The bachelor's degree programme in Public Health Nursing qualifies you to work as a Registered Nurse (RN) and a Public Health Nurse throughout the European Union.

You can work, for example, in maternity and children's counselling, health care for school-aged children and adolescents, occupational health care, or home nursing care. You can also apply for nursing positions in both public and private medical care units and organisations. The education provides excellent skills for working abroad and the opportunity to work as an entrepreneur.

Job requirements for public health nurses

As a public health nurse, you must know how to act independently and collaborate with multidisciplinary and multi-professional teams. At work, you must be ready to make independent decisions based on researched information and treatment instructions.

Working as a public health nurse requires sufficient mental and physical health, and functional ability because you face changing situations in your work and are responsible for patient safety.

What do the studies include?

As a public health nursing student at LAB University of Applied Sciences, you will develop your professional skills, building upon existing knowledge. LAB's nurse training emphasises strong practical skills and patient safety, which are strengthened throughout the programme in our modern simulation centre. The scope of the studies is 240 ECTS credits.

• Common studies 13 ECTS
• Professional core competence 82 ECTS
• Clinical training 80 ECTS
• Complementary studies (public health nursing) 50 ECTS
• Thesis 15 ECTS

During the first year of study, you will familiarise yourself with safe and ethical nursing practices through theoretical learning, practical exercises, and real customer and patient situations. Additionally, you will enhance your information acquisition and communication skills. Theoretical studies are in English. Finnish and English are used in clinical training.

Clinical training

A large part of Registered Nurse and Public Health Nurse studies is clinical training in a genuine nursing environment. You will do clinical practice in hospitals, sheltered housing, schools, mental health services, maternity clinics, etc. During the clinical training, you will gain skills for promoting equality in work with individuals and work communities. Clinical training requires you to study full-time. 

You may not be able to find all your clinical placements in Lappeenranta. You might need to move to another city for a few weeks. These costs are not included in the academic year fee, so you must pay them yourself.

Paramedic nurse – an expert in acute health care 

Paramedic nurses can recognise and anticipate situations that threaten a patient's life and know how to act as required by the situation. With non-urgent first aid tasks, paramedics assess the patient's need for service and care, plan follow-up care, and refer the patient to appropriate care.

The studies are based on researched knowledge, which ensures the necessary theoretical and practical nursing skills. At LAB University of Applied Sciences, nurse training focuses on strong clinical expertise and patient safety, which is reinforced throughout our studies in our modern simulation centre.

To work in health care and social services in Finland, you must learn the Finnish language. While the main language of your studies is English, you will take several Finnish language courses. The LAB community offers strong support in learning Finnish.

Students must hold a valid driving licence

Students on the Paramedic Nurse degree programme need a valid driving licence during their studies and to work in an ambulance after graduation. International students who already hold a driving licence from their home country can exchange it for a Finnish licence within 2 years of arrival. For more information, see the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) page.

Where can graduates work?

Most often, paramedic nurses work as care-level paramedics in ambulances. You can also work in various nursing and emergency care specialist positions that require basic or special skills.

Paramedic nurses can work in primary health care, specialist nursing, outpatient emergency care, social care, and private and third-sector services both in Finland and abroad. Paramedic nurses can also work in the private sector as employees or entrepreneurs, for example, in ambulances. As a paramedic, you can also work as a team leader.

Students from the Bachelor of Health Care, Paramedic Nurse degree programme will also receive a Bachelor of Health Care (Nursing), which will expand career opportunities for various nursing positions.

Job requirements for paramedic nurses

The job requires pressure tolerance and the readiness to act consistently even in difficult and unexpected situations. In addition, good physical and mental workability is required at work.

A paramedic must be able to work both independently and as part of a multi-professional team. Paramedics are able to make independent decisions based on researched information and care guidelines.

What do the studies include?

Studies include theoretical and practical training; the practical part of the education takes place in varying and multidisciplinary areas of health care. Our modern health care labs and simulation environment enable the development of skills, knowledge, and decision-making abilities together with lecturers, experts, and fellow multicultural students. Flexible e-learning possibilities are also employed. The scope of the studies is 240 ECTS credits.

• Core competence 15 ECTS  
• Professional core competence 100 ECTS  
• Complementary competence 35 ECTS  
• Clinical training 75 ECTS  
• Thesis 15 ECTS  

Progress in studies accumulates competence

In the first study year, you will become acquainted with safe and ethical nursing in theory, practical exercises, and the right client and patient situations. In addition, you will strengthen your knowledge acquisition and communication skills.

As your studies progress, you will learn a variety of skills needed in clinical work. At the end of the second academic year, an assessment of basic paramedic skills is held, and after that, you can apply for summer work as a basic-level paramedic.

During the last two years, you will study more about paramedics and special issues in nursing, such as childcare, emergency care, and intensive care. The main emphasis is on paramedic studies, cooperation with authorities, and situation management in emergency care.

At the end of your studies, you will complete a nationwide paramedic exam and demonstrate your skills in simulated emergency care situations.

Unique learning experience with Open Engineering

The degree programme in Industrial Mechanical Engineering will be conducted using Open Engineering methods. The learning process is unique and supports engineering students in trying new ways of working instead of standardised tools and processes.

In the Open Engineering approach, the students can explore any area of engineering, not just mechanics, and can choose their own learning methods. Students will create and follow their individual learning path, and coaches will help and support students to learn their own way. Self-learning is a very important area of the programme. 

The degree programme prepares students for international engineering careers, especially in the fields of machine and automation design, product innovations, and research and development. 

Where can graduates find work?

This international degree programme provides engineering graduates with good opportunities to work in Finland, Europe, and all around the world. 

Graduates can find work, especially in the fields of machine and automation design, product innovations, and research and development. Graduates may work in the metal and forest industries, automation, and information technology. 

The self-learning process also helps students prepare to work as freelancers.

What do the studies include?

The degree programme in Industrial Mechanical Engineering is 240 ECTS credits. While the core curriculum includes compulsory modules that ensure essential degree-level competence, students can personalise their learning paths with themed modules, which offer flexibility and guided choices to support individual progression.

This degree programme is also a good option for Finnish students. Previously completed higher education studies in any field can be flexibly accredited as part of the degree. All information in the degree programme will be conducted in English, and students will carry out documents in English.

Tailor your engineering studies

Industrial Mechanical Engineering students can tailor their studies by selecting courses that align with their professional interests and goals. Students engage in self-learning to deepen their understanding of key engineering objectives, such as:

• designing, developing, and manufacturing products and mechatronic equipment
• designing and dimensioning machine elements
• developing modern automation, control, and information systems.

In addition, students learn to take on roles as project managers or team leaders, and to communicate, collaborate, and negotiate with people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Examples of self-directed learning

Example 1: A student dreams of developing a sustainable robot for new applications. They begin by researching and building the necessary skills for such a project, such as calculation, 3D modelling, and programming. These skills are not taught in traditional lessons but are acquired “just in time” through self-learning. Naturally, engineering students also have access to open course offerings to support their development.

Example 2: A student working in a factory identifies a need for a new tool design. They carry out the project independently and, following a reflection meeting, receive credits for the competence demonstrated through an individual learning module.