Mental Health Nursing

Catalog description

Emphasizes clinical application of mental health theory in nursing care of patients with acute and chronic mental health problems. NURS 420 NURS 420 Mental Health Nursing (4) NURS 420 focuses on care of clients experiencing mental health problems and emphasizes the clinical application of mental health theory in nursing care of patients with acute and chronic mental health problems. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to synthesize knowledge from nursing and the social, health and behavioral sciences to describe the nature of mental adaptations throughout the lifespan; demonstrate effective therapeutic communication skills when dealing with clients, groups and families experiencing maladaptive responses to stress; assess the strengths and weaknesses of the client and family in the context of a group and community environment; demonstrate the ability to perform comprehensive and risk assessments, to make critical decisions, and to take appropriate nursing actions in the area of psychiatric mental health; utilize the nursing process as related to the Standards of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing practice; collaborate with nursing colleagues, mental health professionals and consumers in the practice of psychiatric mental health nursing; analyze individual and societal forces that effect nursing research and evidence based practice in the area of psychiatric mental health nursing; demonstrate the knowledge of self needed to be an effective therapeutic agent and a client advocate; demonstrate culturally competency and the ability to provide holistic psychiatric mental health nursing care; perform the principles of psychiatric mental health and safety in a caring, nonjudgmental manner; demonstrate a current and relevant knowledge base of legal and ethical issues that can be applied to psychiatric mental health nursing; identify and support mental health promotion and mental health educational activities to maximize client care outcomes and evaluate psychiatric mental health nursing as a professional specialty. Teaching Strategies include lecture, process recordings, discussion, selected readings, audiovisuals, laboratory simulation and clinical experiences. NURS 420 is offered fall and spring semesters with an annual enrollment of approximately 120 students (60 at UP and 60 at HMC) with clinical sections limited to 10 students each.