DRHS906 Professional Caring in the Intersection Between System and Lifeworld (Spring 2026)
- ECTS Credits:
- 5
- Responsible faculty:
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Campus:
- Molde
- Course Leaders:
-
- Aud Jorun Orøy
- Jeanette Varpen Unhjem
- Teaching languages:
-
- English
- Norwegian
- Study level:
- {code=FU, name=Doctoral degree level}
- Duration:
- ½ year
Table of contents
Contents
Caring in the health social services is performed in close relationships between the patients/users and the health professionals. The frames of professional caring are likewise usually public institutions, where the systems’ goal-rationality prevails, which can contribute to a caring crisis. Inside definite frames, such a crisis can be understood as the system’s colonization of the life-world. The focus is on research and theory that might shed light on caring both at the system and individual level. In this way, the course will ensure both a macro and micro perspective on caring.
How the caring services are modeled at the system or societal level constitute the frames of caring in the communication between the individual professional and user, often characterized by the term caring relationships. Different ideologies and values form the basis for caring relationships. The health and social professions can place emphasis on different caring values, which vary according to their professional background, e.g., feminist, humanistic, health and social professional perspectives. Tensions can appear both between the diverse professions and between superior ideologies in the society, values and professional values (rationality of caring versus instrumental rationality).
In this course, the diversity of caring ideologies and theories will be the focus at both the professional level and that of the society. Research on professional caring will be illuminated and criticized.
The course will be taught in English and Norwegian at Molde University College.
The course is connected to the following study programs
- PhD in Health and Social Sciences, Professional Practice - Terms and Development
Recommended knowledge
The student's learning outcomes after passing the exam
After completing the course, the candidates have the following learning outcomes defined in knowledge, skills and general competence:
Knowledge
The candidate should be able to
- Make the candidate capable of understanding the foundations for professional caring in the intersection between system and lifeworld
- Have insight into the mechanisms caused by the structural conditions and moral caring practice
Skills
The candidate should be able to
- Conceptualize and problematize the concept of care in various caring theories that deal with professional /practice care/caring in the intersection between system and lifeworld
- Develop research design and understandable issues about what can promote quality in professional practice/care/caring in the intersection between system and lifeworld
General competencies
The candidate should be able to
- Identify new and relevant issues and outline research design for these
- Lead project and participate in debates dealing with professional care/caring in the intersection between system and lifeworld