Master Resource Outline 

Credits: 2 lecture

Semesters Offered: F, Sp, Su

Prerequisites:

Course Description 

The focus of this course is to attain foundational knowledge of psychopathology and nursing care of clients with acute and chronic psychiatric disorders. Social, cultural, spiritual, and environmental issues influencing mental health are explored.

Catalog Course Description

The focus of this course is to attain foundational knowledge of psychopathology and nursing care of clients with acute and chronic psychiatric disorders. Social, cultural, spiritual, and environmental issues influencing mental health are explored.

Course Objectives

1. Analyze the dynamics of families, groups and communities as related to mental wellness and illness.

2. Synthesize the social, cultural, spiritual, and environmental issues involved in care delivery for mental illness.

3. Illustrate knowledge related to patient rights and involuntary holds/commitments for psychiatric patients.

4. Apply ethical principles (autonomy, justice, non-maleficence etc.) to treatment dilemmas of the psychiatric patient.

AACN Competencies

This course develops:

1.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the discipline of nursing’s distinctive perspective and where shared perspectives exist with other disciplines.

1.2 Apply theory and research-based knowledge from the arts, humanities, and sciences.

4.1 Advance the scholarship of nursing.

4.2 Integrate best evidence into nursing practice.

4.3 Promote the ethical conduct of scholarly activities.

5.2 Apply quality improvement principles in care delivery.

5.3 Contribute to a culture of provider and workplace safety.

8.1 Describe information and communication technology tools used in the care of patients, communities, and populations.

AACN Threads

Equity and Inclusion

Diversity

Cultural Sensitivity

Social Determinants of Health

Communication

Ethics

Clinical Judgement

Mental Health

Recommended Content and Concepts

1. Mental Health and Illness: Acute and Chronic; Preventive Concepts; Complimentary Therapies

2. Theories: developmental, psychodynamic, psychobiological, social-interpersonal, behavioral, group process

3. Nature of Mental Illness: medical diagnoses and treatment, including psychopharmacological, DSM-5, psychiatric team members

4. Psychiatric Nursing Practice: Conceptual models such as milieu, psycho-educational, DSM-5, psychiatric interdisciplinary team members, culture of psychiatric nursing, and evidenced based nursing practice to include Standards of Care of Psychiatric Nursing.

5. Psychiatric Disorders: thought disorders, affective disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma and stressor-related disorders, personality disorders, addictive disorders, cognitive disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders. For each of the above: definitions, theories of causation, incidence, symptomology, the nursing process, family, group and community dynamics; disorders across the life span including the aging adult.

6. Societal Issues: legal/ethical, barriers/commitment, least restrictive environment, patient rights, advocacy, political action for mental health, community based services, access issues to treatment, barriers to treatment, economic issues, cultural issues, spirituality.

7. Integrating Concepts: holism, cultural, multidisciplinary team, independent role of the nurse, adaptation, perception (patient’s, families, nurse’s, etc.), teaching/learning, empowerment, change, acuity, chronicity, community-based care, and pharmacological and non-pharmacological concepts.

Suggested Student Learning Activities

Nursing care planning, documentation

Lecture, discussion, role playing

Reflective journaling

Presentations from organizations/groups