Education Policy

The founding spirit of the College is based on the “humanity” of the Red Cross.
Our goal is to conduct education and research in the specialized field of nursing in order to protect the dignity of each individual in all circumstances, and to realize people’s right to live peacefully and in good health, both in society at large and in the international arena, through nursing.

The College will nurture individuals who will strive to protect the dignity and rights of people, and realize the Red Cross philosophy of “humanity” through nursing.

1. By increasing basic abilities to engage with others and awareness and sensibilities to understand that the existence of each human being is irreplaceable and has inherent worth.
2. By cultivating basic abilities to defend human dignity and human rights and to take action informed by ethical decisions.
3. By cultivating basic abilities to assess and respond to various health issues.
4. By cultivating basic abilities to provide necessary nursing care to people who suffer critical health problems owing to rapid natural and social changes.
5. By cultivating basic abilities to cooperate with specialists in various fields to develop interdisciplinary activities and to play an active role in the creation of new forms of community health and welfare.
6. By cultivating basic abilities to work with an international viewpoint and awareness of own role in a changing world, to contribute, through practice of nursing, to society in Japan and overseas.
7. By cultivating basic abilities for lifelong ongoing self-development in nursing practice, education and research.
8. By providing the knowledge and skills required to practice nursing as profession with responsibly and pride, while continually growing as human beings.

1. A person who puts respect for human dignity above all else
2. A person who discovers joy through engagement with people
3. A person who wants to comprehend the pleasure and depth involved in the study and practice of nursing

In our institute, the curriculum is organized with set subjects as listed below.

Structure of curriculum and set subjects

The curriculum of this institute is designed to achieve educational objectives and targets. To provide grounding in nursing as a profession, teaching is organized with an emphasis on the initial learning stage and extends across basic content to specialized and applied content.

In particular, basic education is properly carried out with due attention to the individual characteristics of each student. To ensure active awareness of humanity, during their studies, the curriculum allows students to revisit and explore the roots of nursing.

In addition, to strengthen the autonomy and creativity of students, the curriculum allows for self-directed learning with options that enable students to choose more applied and advanced courses.

Specifically, the curriculum is designed to maintain a balance between two categories of courses: Basic Subjects and Nursing Subjects.

True to the founding principles of our institute, Basic Subjects are intended to broadly educate students and to foster their humanity. This category is subdivided into Study on the Red Cross, Human science, Social science, Natural science, Information science, Language study, Freshers seminar, and Health science.
The goals of this group of topics are listed below.

• To continue on from education received at high school
• To foster creative thinking informed by a broad perspective
• To develop professional competence to deal with the growing sophistication of medical care and the diversification of nursing needs

The Nursing Subjects are arranged to enable students to progressively acquire and then apply basic nursing knowledge and skills. The categories are Introduction to Nursing Science, Fundamental Skills of Nursing, Competence of Nursing Practice, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Developmental Nursing, Health Status Nursing, Community Health Nursing, Nursing Management and Education, Applied Nursing, International and Disaster Nursing, Clinical Nursing Education, and Research.
The goals of this group of topics are listed below.

• To cultivate the ability to apply evidence-based nursing.
• To develop the competence to carry out appropriate practical nursing to deal with issues in accordance with different levels of health and occasions.
• To develop the practical skills to take part in international development cooperation projects and to play an active role in disaster relief and rescue situations in Japan and overseas.
• To develop nursing capabilities commonly required of nursing professions (both public health nurses and hospital nurses) to sustain ongoing practice linked to the local community.
• To provide opportunities for nursing practice in step with each phase of learning.
• To develop the ability to defend the dignity and rights of human beings and to build relationships based on awareness of the value inherent in the life of each and every person.
• In addition to developing the competence to practice nursing according to health status, to foster abilities required to practice nursing in medical facilities dealing with acute phase patients.

1. Has the ability to monitor own professional conduct and to recognize and address any problems that require attention.
2. Having a proper grasp of social changes occurring in home country and abroad, has the basic ability to play a useful role in response.
3. Has the ability to consider own potential and sustain ongoing growth as a human being to carry out professional practice, research and education.
4. Has a positive attitude towards mutual growth and takes part in reciprocal education and enlightenment with professional colleagues, including peers and juniors.

8. Ability to create change

1. Has a continuing interest in the way the world is changing and has the ability to discover the health needs of people under various conditions.
2. Looking forward to the realization of a better world, has a positive attitude towards creating new forms of nursing.

This graduate school, based on the spirit of humanity that underlies the philosophy of the Red Cross, teaches a broad range of methods and theories for nursing practice and for nursing education and research. Our ultimate intention is that the students will contribute to strengthen and develop the discipline of nursing using their deep knowledge and outstanding ability as professional nurses and rich sensibilities and humanity acquired in this institute, as well as to contribute to the ongoing creation and development of culture based on the welfare of people and relationship with others.

Providing broad perspectives and profound scholarship, our teaching is intended to foster a humane attitude, while enabling students to accumulate advanced skills and knowledge to carry out nursing research or to acquire the high level of expertise they need as nursing professionals.

1. A person able to apply knowledge gained from experience into logical thinking.
2. A person, while holding own opinions, has the flexibility of mind to listen to the opinions of others.
3. A person able to pursue topics while becoming more deeply aware of potential problems.
4. A person having an interest in social affairs and the ability to see, and think about things with an international viewpoint.
5. A person willing to seriously face ethical issues and work towards their resolution.

To qualify for award of a master’s degree in nursing, students must attend the master’s program in the graduate school for the prescribed period, acquire the prescribed number of course units, pass the thesis examination, and also be judged to meet the requirements listed below.

1. Is capable of applying a broad perspective to address various practical challenges during on-site nursing
2. While standing up for human dignity and human rights, is capable of finding ethical solutions to problems.
3. Has the basic ability to carry out research.
4. Is able to actively carry out role as a professional nurse in collaboration with other professionals in health care and welfare systems.

In addition to items 1–4, candidates for higher-level specialist credentials must also be judged to meet requirements 5 and 6.

5. Has highly competent clinical nursing capabilities in a specialized field of nursing.
6. Is able both to manage current systems and to construct and manage new systems.

In addition to items 1–4, candidates for research and education credentials must also be judged to meet requirements 7 and 8.

7. Is capable of organizing knowledge in specialized fields of nursing.
8. Has basic ability to carry out research that contributes to the development of nursing and to use this as a basis for teaching.

Our aim is that students acquire the rich and wide-ranging learning that forms the basis for cultivating necessary high-level research skills to either carry out independent research as nursing researchers or work on other advanced specialized projects.

1. A person able to apply knowledge gained from experience into logical thinking.
2. A person, while holding own opinions, has the flexibility of mind to listen to the opinions of others.
3. A person able to pursue topics while becoming more deeply aware of potential problems.
4. A person having an interest in social affairs and the ability to see, and think about things with an international viewpoint.
5. A person willing to seriously face ethical issues and work towards their resolution.

To achieve its human resource training goals, the doctoral program has been organized according to the policies below.

1. The field includes Nursing Science & Philosophy, Applied Nursing (Maternal Nursing & Midwifery, Child and Family Health Nursing, Adult Health Nursing, Gerontological Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Community Health Nursing, and International and Disaster Nursing), Nursing Education and Management.
2. For each field, there are compulsory advanced studies, special research, and common classes.
3. Common classes are provided for fostering high-level research capability: Advanced Nursing Science I and II, Special Nursing Research I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and Research Protocol seminars.
4. To enable writing guidance to be tailored to the individual needs of each student, special research study in each field is provided for three years.

To qualify for award of a doctorate (PhD, Nursing), in addition to acquiring the prescribed number of course units after attending the doctorate program for the prescribed period, and passing the thesis examination, the candidate must also be judged to meet the requirements listed below.

1. Based on profound knowledge and advanced practical skills, is capable of independently carrying out research activities that can play a role in improving the health and welfare of people and to contribute to the development and enhancement of nursing.
2. Possesses superior competence and ethical awareness, and has the qualities and abilities as a leader, administrator, educator, and researcher to provide international and interdisciplinary leadership.

Linking with other related disciplines, students study nursing-based scientific theory and application considering industry, government, and academia. In particular, studies which master the depths of disaster nursing are intended to contribute to a healthy society by ensuring safety, security, and independence.

1. Individuals who have completed graduate school and possess a vision as global leaders in disaster nursing.
2. Individuals who have completed graduate school and are committed to becoming global leaders in disaster nursing activities and developing relevant abilities.

The objective of the curriculum policy is to cultivate individuals with an enriched and advanced level of nursing expertise and foster research on the basis of interdisciplinary, international, and global perspectives. It especially aims to nurture global leaders in disaster nursing who possess an in-depth understanding of disaster nursing and can contribute to the development of human security. Based on these educational objectives the following curriculum (curriculum policy) has been organized:

1. The curriculum is composed of six courses: (a) Basic Courses in Nursing Studies; (b) Interdisciplinary Course for Disaster Nursing Global Leaders, two courses that form the foundation of Disaster Nursing Studies; (c) Courses in Disaster Nursing Science that help develop the ability to visualize disaster nursing as an academic discipline; (d) Disaster Nursing Seminar; (e) Disaster Nursing Practicum; and (f) Disaster Nursing Dissertation Research, courses that teach the essential roles and functions of global leaders and cultivate professional practices and research skills relevant to disaster nursing studies.
2. The curriculum includes “Independent Study” as part of the “Disaster Nursing Seminar” and “Disaster Nursing Practicum” in order to help nurture the essential abilities of global leaders and promote autonomous learning in line with the students’ interests and challenges.
3. The curriculum requires that students take at least 10 credits from each of the following graduate schools that constitute this program: Graduate School of Nursing, University of Kochi; College of Nursing Art and Science, University of Hyogo; Graduate School of Nursing Chiba University; Graduate School of Health Care Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University; and Graduate School of Nursing, Japan Red Cross College of Nursing.
4. The curriculum consists of a preliminary examination and a qualifying examination to verify the results of the overall learning process.
5. The curriculum enables students to integrate the knowledge of theory, advanced nursing practices, and research related to disaster nursing (under the guidance of full-time teachers), and create and submit a disaster nursing doctoral thesis.

The completion criteria includes acquiring 50 or more credits in the course and stipulates that students pass the dissertation review and final examination after receiving research guidance. The review consists of an integrated assessment of the abilities required to meet the educational objectives of the course. The students who satisfy the completion criteria are awarded the Doctor of Nursing Studies degree and the designation as a Disaster Nursing Global Leader (DNGL):

1. Individuals with the ability to provide support under any disaster situation on the basis of the principle of human security: “live a healthy life that suits you.”
2. Individuals with the ability to work on “policy proposals for healthy living” in various phases of the disaster cycle.
3. Individuals with the ability to work toward realizing a safe and secure society from a global perspective and build collaborations between the industry, academia and government in order to revolutionize institutions and systems.
4. Individuals with the ability to visualize disaster nursing studies from interdisciplinary and international perspectives, as well as conduct research and development in disaster nursing studies.