Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives On completion of this subject students are expect to be able to critically examine personal and societal attitudes towards people with mental disorders; discuss the nature of mental health and mental illness from a variety of theoretical perspectives; describe the commonly used diagnostic classification systems in psychiatry and psychiatric nursing; plan, implement and evaluate nursing care plans for people with common mental disorders; understand the principles underlying commonly used therapeutic interventions for people with mental disorders; recognise the needs of people with mental disorders and at risk groups; discuss the roles and functions of the psychiatric nurse in a range of health care contexts; be familiar with relevant legislation impacting upon the professional practice of psychiatric nursing and sensitive to ethical issues encountered when nursing people with mental disorders; and outline the nature of psychiatric nursing specialties such as psychogeriatric nursing, drug and alcohol nursing psychiatric rehabilitation nursing, forensic psychiatric nursing, child and adolescent psychiatric nursing.
Synopsis The subject encompasses the nature of mental health and illness; the nursing process in psychiatric nursing; roles and functions of psychiatric/mental health nurses; context of care; psychiatric disorders; therapeutic interventions in psychiatric nursing; special populations; ethical and legal issues; transcultural psychiatry; specialisation in psychiatric/mental health nursing.
Assessment Written assignment (3000 words): 70% + Computer conference exercises: 30%