When you know your own worth

Samira Buck knows the challenges of the nursing profession from her own experience. As a healthcare and nursing professional with a bachelor's degree, she works in a high-security unit at the Centre for Psychiatry (ZfP) in South Württemberg. But she wanted more: “I didn’t want to stay stuck in my bachelor’s degree role; I wanted to contribute more to the organisation,” she says. Another decisive factor for her was a feeling familiar to many nursing staff with an academic qualification: “A bachelor’s degree in nursing is a bit like standing at the station and not getting on your train.”

The ANP programme at Hochschule München: flexible, affordable and practically-oriented

Her “journey” eventually led her to Hochschule München. “I was determined to stay in direct contact with patients rather than sit in an office – that’s why I chose the career-integrated Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP) degree programme ,” Buck emphasises. She was particularly impressed by the flexible teaching approach, which is tailored to the needs of nursing staff – complemented by tuition fees that are reasonable compared to other programmes. “To balance work and study, it’s important to have fixed days, especially when you’re working shifts and don’t have a set routine,” explains Buck. Buck finds the focus on online learning a huge relief. “The fixed days really help with planning. What I particularly like is that you only have one face-to-face lecture a month and can attend the rest from home. That reduces the stress.”

She was also drawn to the mixed assessment format: rather than numerous written exams, the degree programme focuses on essays and presentations. “I prefer writing essays, as it allows me to explore topics that interest me and help me advance my career. Written exams are just snapshots,” Buck is convinced.

Growing beyond boundaries, both professionally and personally

Shortly before graduating, she draws a conclusion that has catapulted her into a new professional self-perception: “The course has helped me in that it has taken me to a new level, both professionally and in terms of practical experience. Especially as the master's degree programme is incredibly demanding and you push yourself beyond your limits every semester.” This development reflects the aim of the ANP programme: to enable nurses to implement scientific findings into specialised nursing practice and, as so-called Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs), to exercise broader, more in-depth competencies.

This gain in expertise also has an impact on Buck’s professional self-image – an effect that Anna Schindler, another ANP student at the HM , describes in similar terms: she says the course has greatly strengthened her professional self-image. Samira Buck also clearly highlights this change: “What’s more, with the master's degree, I have a different standing within the company and can draw on sound knowledge that I’ve built up over months, and I know what I’m ‘worth’.”

Practically-oriented transfer: A new fire safety concept for forensic science

The fact that this new role is not merely theoretical is demonstrated by a specific project that Buck initiated as part of the module ‘Clinical Leadership: The Case of Disaster, Crisis and Emergency Management’. She identified gaps in her organisation’s fire safety plan – an issue of particular concern in high-security environments. “Some individuals pose an increased risk to those around them if they leave their posts without authorisation; therefore, stricter measures should apply in an emergency situation,” she explains.

As part of her university project, she reviewed and revised the concept. “I took the results of the revision to my ward management and discussed the current situation and the target state. The ward management then informed the higher levels, and the fire safety concept is now being adapted as far as possible on the basis of my report.”

For Samira Buck, this is tangible proof of the added value of her advanced training: “That is exactly what I mean by ‘standing’. I have carried out scientific research, presented my findings and brought about an improvement. In doing so, I have demonstrated my added value to my company.”

Centre for Continuing Education