Guiding Clients and Counselling Patients in Digital Services (5 cr)

Objective

The purpose of the course is to strengthen the student’s competence in the utilisation of digital services as part of client-oriented patient guidance in both national and international contexts.

The student enhances their competence in the utilisation of services in high-quality patient guidance. The student is able to use interactive digital forms of guidance based on needs while creating value. The student understands the client’s individual service, guidance and counselling needs and enhances their competence in utilising client participation. The student is able to utilise digital services in compliance with the principles of sustainable development.

The student identifies multidisciplinary stakeholders in the organisation of services and is able to participate in international development projects.

Content

- National and international principles of high-quality patient guidance and counselling
- Evaluation of sustainable services and their utilisation in guidance and counselling
- Client-oriented and interactive guidance and counselling
- Client participation in the development of guidance and counselling
- Expert communications and ability to present oneself in English

Location and time

Remote teaching/learning
Zoom https://metropolia.zoom.us/j/5038588495
Webinars and seminars will be conducted in collaboration with Tallinn Health Care College
Fri September 5th, 2025 14-16/ 2pm-4pm Orientation, lecture, introduction and instructions for the assignment 1 and 2
Fri October 3th, 2025 9-16/ 9am-4pm Assignment 1 seminar, presentations, lecture, assignment 2 review, (submission of the written assignment after the seminar)
Thu November 27, 2025 9-16/ 9am-4pm Assignment 2 seminar, presentations
Fri November 28, 2025 9-16/ 9am-4pm Assignment 2 seminar, presentations; closing

Materials

Current literature of the field (voluntary)

Additional literature:

Bastable S. 2019. Nurse as educator : principles of teaching and learning for nursing practice. 5th edition (or previous). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Pohjola, A., Kairala, M., Niskala, A. & Lyly, H. (2019). Asiakkaasta kehittäjäksi ja vaikuttajaksi: Asiakkaiden osallisuuden muutos sosiaali- ja terveyspalveluissa. Tampere: Vastapaino.

Armanto, A. & Helminen, J. (2017). Asiakkaan moniammatillinen ohjaus sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollossa (1. edition). Helsinki: Edita.

Personalised care and support planning handbook: The journey to person-centred care. 2015. (Applicable parts).
Link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwikiez-8YPsAhVilosKHUjrD94QFjAAegQIBBAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.england.nhs.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F04%2Fcore-info-care-support-planning-1.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1mpsbdfCgeKkDS5FPU3prE

Digitalisaatio terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin tukena - Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön digitalisaatiolinjaukset 2025.
LInk: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiP4sS_9JLsAhXCBhAIHb00A5EQFjAGeg
QIDxAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fjulkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%
2F10024%2F75526%2FJUL2016-5
-hallinnonalan-ditalisaation-linjaukset-2025.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1&usg=AOvVaw2FU0_N-0BJ6mbH5CAZaUFf

Kauppila, T. Kiiski, K. & Lehtonen, M. ( 2018). Sähköhelmenkalastus - Sosiaalihuollon sähköisten palvelujen nykytila ja kehittämistarpeet. Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön raportteja ja muistioita 14/2018.
Link: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-00-3914-1

Digitalisaatio terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin tukena - Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön digitalisaatiolinjaukset 2025.
LInk: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiP4sS_9JLsAhXCBhAIHb00A5EQFjAGeg
QIDxAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fjulkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10024%
2F75526%2FJUL2016-5-hallinnonalan-ditalisaation-linjaukset-2025.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1&usg=AOvVaw2FU0_N-0BJ6mbH5CAZaUFf

Granholm, C. (2016). Social work in digital transfer – blending services for the next
generation. Academic Dissertation.
Link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjmoMbS-JLsAhWjmIsKHbmpDSAQFjALegQIHRAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fresearchportal.helsinki.fi%2Ffiles%
2F97998279%2FGranholmSlutlig210316.pdf&usg=AOvVaw32ODfsGAKPhSycTrP_MXFE

Teaching methods

Lectures in English (recordings)
Group and individual working in Finnish/English (Tallinn Health Care College Estonian/English)
Learning assignments: assignment 1 in Finnish/English (Tallinn Health Care College in Estonian/English), assignment 2 in English
Seminars in English
Virtual exchange

The orientation and lecture sections are recorded and can be viewed in the Moodle learning environment for the students of the course for another month after the end of the course.
Privacy notice: Metropolia’s Student and Education Data Registerhttps://www.metropolia.fi/en/about-us/data-protection-and-gdpr/privacy-notices/metropolias-student-and-education-data-register

Employer connections

N/A

Exam schedules

N/A

International connections

The course will be implemented as a virtual exchange with the Health Sciences Master's programmes of Tallinn Health Care College.

Completion alternatives

An alternative way of completing an extensive written assignment (If you choose this method, please contact the teacher in charge of the course.)

Objective:
-Achieves the learning outcomes as independent study

Assignment
-Individual assignment
- The task is based on the competence objectives of the section and the starting point is evidence-based activities
- The structure of the task is in accordance with the competence objectives
- Define the key concepts in the competence objectives (and contents).
- Familiarise yourself with each concept from a perspective that interests you.
- Write research questions on these concepts and get answers to them from the research literature.
- Report the answers to the research questions and consider them critically from a practical point of view.
- The task uses the basis of Metropolia's extensive written work and follows the guidelines for written work.
- Extent: literature about 150-200 pages / credit, the work should show 5 ECTS (135 hours workload).
- Return as a Word file to the attached folder no later than December 12th, 2025.
- The key points of the written report will presented in English, e.g. PowerPoint, as agreed with the instructor.
- A conversation in English with the instructor.

Student workload

5 ECTS = 135 hours student work

The work consists of attending lectures or watching recordings, group work and independent work to complete aasignments 1 and 2, presenting at seminars and participating in seminars.

Orientation 2 hrs
1. seminar 8 hrs
2. seminar 16 hrs

1. assignment including the orientation and 1. seminar 2 ECTS, 54 hrs.
2. assignment including the 2. seminar 3 ECTS, 81 hrs.
***
27 hrs = 1 ECTS
135 hrs= 5 ECTS
TOTAL 135 hrs student work

Content scheduling

Orientation, lecture and instructions September 5th, 2025.

Learning assignments:

Part 1. Digital social and health services (2 ECTS)
Mode of delivery: group work (4-5 members)
• Description, evaluation and development of a digital service / method

In this task, the purpose is to describe, evaluate, and develop an existing digital service or method. Choose a work-based topic for patient guidance, service guidance, or client engagement in digital services.
The output is a short report in Finnish or English (Tallinn Health Care College in Estonian or English) and a seminar presentation in English October 3rd, 2025.


Part 2. Case problem Digital solutions in the patient's care path / Customer service chain (3 ECTS)

Mode of delivery: Multinational group work (4-6 members)

The group prepares a case study in the patient's care path or in the client's service chain. The group describes various existing digital solutions in care / service based on evidence. The output is a presentation in English during seminar days November 27th-28th, 2025.

Further information

The actual way of completing the course requires commitment to the course schedule and attending the seminars, contact Metropolia instructor as needed.

An alternative way of doing this can be done according to a more flexible schedule. The PowerPoint presentation in English and a conversation in English with the teacher will be scheduled will be scheduled with the Metropolia instructor.

The course is multilingual: English, Finnish (Metropolia),( English, Estonian Tallinn Health Care College). The orientation, lectures and seminars are conducted in English. Language assistance is available if required.

The use of artificial intelligence is allowed in the ideation of the output and in the review of the textual format, but artificial intelligence cannot be used as a source of content. The use of artificial intelligence must be clearly stated in the work. Failure to report the use of AI will be considered as fraud. Authors are responsible for the accuracy, correctness, integrity and originality of their works, including the use of artificial intelligence.

Special support decisions: If the student has a decision on special support that affects the completion of the implementation, the student must contact the responsible teacher of the implementation immediately after the enrolment period has ended.

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The student demonstrates that they understand the basic content of the course but there are shortcomings in their ability to independently acquire and interpret information and apply what they have learned.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The student demonstrates that they have a good understanding of the content of the course. They actively acquire information and interpret the key connections between different pieces of information. The student has the ability to analyse what they have learned and to apply it in practice.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student demonstrates that they have a diverse and broad understanding of the content of the course. They possess excellent information acquisition skills that are suited to the purpose at hand. The student demonstrates independence and responsibility in the choices they make. They have a creative and broad-based ability to apply what they have learned in practice.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Approved: The student demonstrates that they understand the basic content of the course but there are shortcomings in their ability to independently acquire and interpret information and apply what they have learned in practice.

Assessment methods and criteria

Assessment is based on learning assignments and peer review. The instructors give feedback in the seminars and written assignment will be assessed by Metropolia instructor.

The alternative assignment written report and presentation in English will be assessed by the Metropolia instructor.

Further information

RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning)
The course can be accredited with prior Master’s degree level studies the contents of which correspond to the contents of this course, or with strong competence with similar content obtained in other ways.

Objective

The purpose of the course is to strengthen the student’s competence in the utilisation of digital services as part of client-oriented patient guidance in both national and international contexts.

The student enhances their competence in the utilisation of services in high-quality patient guidance. The student is able to use interactive digital forms of guidance based on needs while creating value. The student understands the client’s individual service, guidance and counselling needs and enhances their competence in utilising client participation. The student is able to utilise digital services in compliance with the principles of sustainable development.

The student identifies multidisciplinary stakeholders in the organisation of services and is able to participate in international development projects.

Content

- National and international principles of high-quality patient guidance and counselling
- Evaluation of sustainable services and their utilisation in guidance and counselling
- Client-oriented and interactive guidance and counselling
- Client participation in the development of guidance and counselling
- Expert communications and ability to present oneself in English

Further information

RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning)
The course can be accredited with prior Master’s degree level studies the contents of which correspond to the contents of this course, or with strong competence with similar content obtained in other ways.