Mental Health Nursing

Catalog description

Presents concepts within the field of mental health nursing and their application to everyday human behavior, thinking, emotion, and communication. Focuses on health management and maintenance and the prevention of illness, care of the mental health patient as a whole, and deviations from the normal state of health. Emphasis is placed on students understanding mental health principles and their application within the context of family, work and social interactions. Topics include an overview of psychological disorders and their treatments; terminology associated with health care, stress and health; health management and maintenance and prevention of illness; care of the mental health patient as a whole, and deviations from the normal state of health in the mental health client; client care, pharmacology, and diet therapy of the mental health client; and standard precautions. The definition of client care includes using the nursing process, performing assessments, using critical thinking, and providing client education, displaying cultural competence across the life span and with attention to special populations. At completion of this mental health course, students will have completed a minimum of 75 (3750/50) lecture contact hours and 25 (1500/60) clock hours of mental health-related clinical experience.