New master’s programme to strengthen nurses’ role in community-based healthcare
From September 2025, SDU will launch a new profile of the MSc in Clinical Nursing with a focus on advanced practice nursing (APN). The programme is designed for experienced nurses who will play a key role in ensuring timely care in a healthcare system facing more elderly patients and increasingly complex care pathways. It will be offered both as a full-time programme and as a professional master’s alongside employment.
More patients are living longer with multiple chronic conditions, placing new demands on healthcare – especially in community settings, where nurses are often the first professionals patients meet.
With the new APN profile at SDU in Odense, experienced nurses will gain the opportunity to upgrade their skills, enabling them to manage these challenges with greater autonomy and clinical expertise.
– Too often, citizens with complex health problems fall into a treatment gap between different parts of the healthcare system. They need someone to take responsibility and create an overview – and this is exactly where nurses with advanced competencies can make a real difference, says Helen Schultz, Head of Programme at SDU.
A changing healthcare system with changing needs
Analyses show that the number of citizens over 80 will double within the next ten years, and many will live longer with chronic illnesses. At the same time, care pathways are becoming more complex, as patients often face physical, psychological, and social challenges.
– We need to better equip healthcare staff to deal with this reality. Nurses with advanced competencies are not a replacement for other professionals – they are a supplement, helping to bridge the care pathway more effectively, says Merete Munk, Head of Studies and Secretariat, Faculty of Health Sciences.
APN nurses work closely with patients, with the knowledge to detect early signs of deterioration, develop holistic treatment plans, and coordinate care across professions and sectors. This creates stronger continuity and prevents deterioration that might otherwise result in emergency hospitalisation.
Clinical impact and benefits in practice
Experience from the healthcare system shows that nurses with specialised clinical competencies contribute to more targeted interventions, fewer admissions, and stronger collaboration across professions. This is particularly important for patients with multiple conditions, where timely and coordinated care makes a major difference.
– With the upcoming healthcare reform, prevention must take place closer to citizens so fewer patients end up in hospital. That requires specialised competencies in community healthcare, especially for complex care pathways. I have high expectations that APN nurses can take on this role successfully – something we already see in practice in several municipalities, says Dorthe Boe Danbjørg, president of the Danish Nurses’ Organisation.
Employers also point out that nurses with this background strengthen overall team quality – for example through mentoring, systematic assessments, and improved documentation.
Bridging practice, theory, and development
The APN master’s programme runs over two years and is aimed at authorised nurses with clinical experience. Teaching is designed to integrate real patient cases with the latest research-based knowledge.
– We have developed a programme that addresses the real challenges of the healthcare system. It’s not only about acquiring new knowledge, but about applying it in a targeted and timely way, says Helen Schultz.
Programme content
Full-time programme over two years (four semesters)
Includes both theoretical and practice-oriented modules
Three core areas:
- Advanced clinical decision-making
- Interdisciplinary coordination and collaboration
- Quality development and evidence-based practice
Clinical placement worth 20 ECTS credits
Master’s thesis worth 30 ECTS credits, based on a clinical issue
Teaching approximately two days per week
Admission and career
- Target group: authorised nurses with at least two years of clinical experience
- Admission requirements: BSc in Nursing and Danish authorisation
- Option to follow the professional master’s track (part-time alongside employment)
- Prepares graduates for roles with extended clinical responsibility in both community and specialised healthcare
- Competencies can be applied in municipalities, general practice, outpatient clinics, and hospital departments
Learn more and apply
Applications are open for programme start in September 2025.
Read more about the programme and how to apply.
Partnership agreement
The programme is part of SDU’s strategy for partnerships, enabling municipalities and other stakeholders to contribute to the development and quality assurance of future health education programmes.