Master Resource Outline

Credits: 1 clinical lab

Semesters Offered: F, Sp, Su

Prerequisites:

Course Description

The focus of this course is nursing care of clients with acute and chronic psychiatric disorders, including psychopathology associated with major mental illness. Community based experiences provide opportunity for continued development of therapeutic skills. Social, cultural, spiritual, and environmental issues influencing mental health are explored.

Catalog Course Description

This course is focuses on nursing care of clients with acute and chronic psychiatric disorders, including psychopathology associated with major mental illness. Community-based experiences provide opportunity for continued development of therapeutic skills to explore social, cultural, spiritual, and environmental influences.

Course Objectives:

1. Utilize evidence-based nursing practice in planning and managing the care of clients across the lifespan with psychological, emotional and/or biophysical disorders.

2. Assess the functioning of selected groups using theories of group dynamics.

3. Examine the effect of behaviors, values, attitudes, and feelings on the nurse-patient relationship.

4. Demonstrate skill in functioning as a responsible member of a mental health care team.

5. Communicate effectively with clients, families, and professionals.

Course Learning Outcomes: The student will:

1. Demonstrate competent mental health assessment skills using evidence-based strategies and tools (mental status exam, CIWA, AIMS, PHQ-9, GAD-7, MMSE)

2. Plan for a continuum of care that provides safety, structure, and support for patients with psychiatric disorders.

3. Formulate evidence-based interventions for treating clients across the lifespan with psychological, emotional and/or biophysical disorders.

4. Apply knowledge related to patient rights and involuntary holds/commitments for psychiatric patients.

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

AACN Competencies

This course develops:

1.3 Demonstrate clinical judgement founded on a broad knowledge base.

2.3. Perform an assessment.

2.4. Diagnose actual or potential health problems and needs.

2.5. Develop a plan of care.

2.7. Evaluate outcomes of care.

2.9 Provide care coordination.

8.2 Use information and communication technology to gather data, create information, and generate knowledge.

8.3 Use information and communication technologies and informatics processes to deliver safe nursing care to diverse populations in a variety of settings.

8.4 Use information and communication technology to support chronicling of care and communication among providers, patients, and all system levels.

8.5 Use information and communication technologies in accordance with ethical, legal, professional, and regulatory standards and workplace policies in the delivery of care.

This course advances:

2.1. Engage with the individual in establishing a caring relationship.

2.2. Communicate effectively with patients (individuals, families, and groups).

2.6 Demonstrate accountability for care delivery.

2.8. Promote self-management.

6.1. Communicate in a manner that supports a partnership approach to care delivery.

6.2. Perform effectively in different team roles, using principles and values of team dynamics.

6.3. Use knowledge of nursing and other professions to address the healthcare needs of patients and populations.

6.4. Work with other professions to maintain a climate of mutual learning, respect, and shared values.

9.1. Demonstrate an ethical comportment in one’s practice reflective of nursing’s mission to society.

9.2. Employ nursing’s participatory approach to person-centered care.

9.3. Demonstrate accountability to the patient, society, and the profession.

9.4. Comply with relevant laws, policies, and regulations.

9.5 Demonstrate accountability to the patient, society, and the profession.

9.6 Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion as core to one’s professional identity.

10.1 Demonstrate a commitment to personal health and wellbeing.

10.2 Demonstrate a spirit of inquiry that fosters flexibility and professional maturity.

AACN Threads

Equity and Inclusion

Diversity

Cultural Sensitivity

Social Determinants of Health

Communication

Ethics

Clinical Judgement

Mental Health

Required 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, personality disorders, addictive disorders, cognitive 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, family’s, nurse’s, etc.), teaching/learning, empowerment, change, acuity, chronicity, community based care, and pharmacological and non-pharmacological concepts.

Suggested Student Learning Activities

Therapeutic nurse-patient relationship with both acutely ill and chronically ill patient

Group work (co-lead, participate)

Nursing care planning, documentation

Process recordings

Participate in milieu treatment

Patient restraint (observation)

Assessment interview

Group and team conference - multidisciplinary

Community organization/education activity

Reflective journaling