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Unit of Study NRS72001 - Mental Health Nursing (2019)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    Please be advised that this unit includes professional experience learning which has pre-placement provisions and associated placement expenses as detailed on the School of Health and Human Sciences Professional Experience page. Failure to comply with these pre-placement requirements will result in you being unable to undertake the stipulated Professional Experience Learning.

Unit description

Extends student understanding of mental health concepts and care of clients with acute and long-term mental health and psychiatric problems. Students will be provided the opportunity to develop skills in assessment and intervention inclusive of advanced pharmacological, psychosocial and interpersonal knowledge, cultural sensitivity and capabilities.

Unit content

  • Historical developments in mental health, mental illness and mental health nursing
  • Trauma-informed care in mental health
  • Models of mental health and illness
  • Mental health legislation, ethics and human rights
  • Holistic assessment and therapeutic use of self
  • Talk-based psychosocial interventions and interpersonal counselling
  • Mood disorders: bipolar and depression
  • Psychotic disorders: assessment, planning and interventions
  • Anxiety and anxiety-related disorders
  • Pharmaco-therapeutics in the care and management of chronic and acute psychiatric disorders
  • Overview of the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders [DSM5]
  • Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit [IPCU]: high dependency care
  • Seclusion and restraint
  • Home and community-based care
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and healing concepts
  • Preparation for PEP5

As part of the unit, students will also be required to attend a two-week (80hr) Professional Experience Placement in a mental health setting.

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Coffs Harbour Session 2 Session 2
Gold Coast Session 2 Session 2
Lismore Session 2 Session 2

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

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:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 apply holistic values, attitudes and inter-personal capabilities to mental health specific contexts, including reflective practice and the therapeutic use of self
2 demonstrate effective person-centred care in mental health assessment and management of a person with a mental health or psychiatric condition
3 apply the principles of prevention, early intervention and recovery in the context of mental health care to people with a mental health problem
4 demonstrate the ability to sensitively engage with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.

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

  1. apply holistic values, attitudes and inter-personal capabilities to mental health specific contexts, including reflective practice and the therapeutic use of self
    • GA2:
    • GA6:
    • GA7:
  2. demonstrate effective person-centred care in mental health assessment and management of a person with a mental health or psychiatric condition
    • GA2:
    • GA6:
  3. apply the principles of prevention, early intervention and recovery in the context of mental health care to people with a mental health problem
    • GA2:
  4. demonstrate the ability to sensitively engage with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.
    • GA2:
    • GA6:
    • GA7:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.