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Unit of Study MHNS5003 - Acute Mental Health (2025)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Unit type

    PG Coursework Unit

  • Credit points

    12

  • Faculty/College

    Faculty of Health

  • Placement

    No

  • Enrolment information

    N/A

Unit description

Explores the experience of mental health crisis, psychiatric emergencies, and mental health related problems which require an acute response. Learners will critically explore models of crisis intervention, medical and other responses to resolve acute mental health problems. Learners will critically explore the concept of risk, risk assessment and management as applied to acute mental health care. The use of coercion and restrictive practices will be examined and learners will demonstrate an applied and critical understanding of the legal, policy and ethical frameworks which underpin contemporary acute mental health practice.

Unit content

  • Ethics and mental health law
  • Manifestations of psychosocial crisis and acute mental health problems
  • Engaging with people in crisis and in acute distress
  • Principles of crisis assessment, risk assessment, responding to dysregulated behaviour and engagement with people experiencing acute distress or a psychiatric emergency
  • Trauma-informed care and treatment of trauma in acute mental health settings

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
SCU Online
Term2
Term2

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

critique the legislative and ethical frameworks which underpin the provision of acute mental health care

critically consider and describe the aetiology, manifestations and most effective response to acute mental health crisis , psychiatric emergencies and related problems

describe and critique principles of crisis intervention and best practice to engage with people in acute distress, manage risk and collaboratively plan acute care and follow-up

collaboratively construct trauma-informed and recovery focused care plans to effectively address mental health crisis and acute mental health problems

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • Prescribed text information is not currently available.
Prescribed Resources/Equipment
  • Prescribed resources/equipment information is not currently available.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.