Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Contemporary registered nurses practise across a variety of settings and in numerous contexts. Consequently, registered nurses require a range of professional nursing skills including collecting, using and documenting information about a person's health care, clinical problem-solving and decision-making and applying this evidence to plan and evaluate nursing care. The knowledge and skills you will develop in this unit set the foundation to establish yourself as a professional practitioner capable of providing holistic nursing care.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to introduce students to clinical problem-solving skills, decision-making skills and the application of evidence in order to plan safe, competent, holistic nursing care for people with nursing care needs in the settings in which a registered nurse might practise.

Objectives

1. Examine mental health and wellbeing as part of nursing practice, and factors that are important in promoting positive mental health (or factors that can influence the quality of care);



2. Explain key health alterations, assessments, treatments and nursing therapeutics related to the promotion of mental health in a range of settings;



3. Describe similarities and differences in relation to caring for mental health clients in different contexts of care;



4. Apply problem-solving, evidence utilisation and decision-making processes to clinical issues within the context of mental health nursing practice;



5. Demonstrate sound oral presentation skills relevant to professional audiences; and



6. Apply principles of reflective practice to examine key learnings in relation to the promotion of mental health and wellbeing as a fundamental part of nursing practice.

Content

Key areas of content addressed throughout the following modules include the promotion of mental wellness, minimisation of risk factors and restoration of mental health*. Guiding principles of the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce and the Final Report of the Mental Health Nurse Education Taskforce underpin unit content.

Module: Understanding Mental Health - Roles and Practices

• What is mental health/mental illness?


• Therapeutic use of self


• Professional therapeutic relationships with mental health clients and carers


• Mental health continuum


• Recovery Model


• Mental health assessment

Module: Mental Health across the Lifespan

• Social determinants of mental health


• Diagnosis, symptoms, treatments and therapies in mental health

Module: Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues in Mental Health

• The QLD Mental Health Act 2000


• Ethical issues in mental health nursing


• Professional boundaries

Module: Consumer / Client Perspectives

• The consumer 'voice' in mental health


• Indigenous social and emotional wellbeing

Module: Contexts of Mental Health Practice

• Specialty areas of practice


• Mental health in general patient care


• Research and evidence in mental health nursing

* = National Health Priority

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The unit will be offered in a manner that promotes your active engagement in learning. Blended approaches will be used, wherein teaching modalities include a combination of student-centred workshops and online materials. Workshops are highly interactive and structured activities using media that help you appreciate the lived experience of mental ill health are complemented and extended by materials on Blackboard QUT's Learning Management System. This distributed learning environment provides flexibility for how you engage with the unit.

You are expected to collaborate with staff in setting and reflecting on your own learning goals. Our approach requires you to be focused on understanding and to be responsible for your learning by seeking evidence, and, with support and guidance, actively practising critical thinking and reflection.

Assessment

There are three summative assessments in this unit. You will also have the opportunity to receive formative feedback regarding your progress throughout the semester.The unit coordinator and tutors are available for consultation throughout the semester by telephone, email and in person. Feedback will be provided as part of tutorial discussions throughout the semester. You are also encouraged to develop peer networks to support your work in the unit. On line quizzes will also be available for you to check your understanding of key concepts and principles. An in-tutorial feedback session will also be offered following the first summative assessment to discuss challenging aspects and provide you with advice on how to improve.

Assessment name: Focused Reflection
Description: You will be asked to write reflections in response to set questions on your values, attitudes and learning in relation to mental health.
Relates to objectives: 1-6.
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: First half of sem.

Assessment name: Clinical Case Presentation
Description: In class group presentation.
Relates to objectives: 1-5.
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Final weeks of sem.

Assessment name: Examination
Description: Examination of 2.5 hours duration comprising short answers and multiple choice questions.
Relates to objectives: 1-4.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Central exam period

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Required text
Happell, B., Cowin, L., Roper, C., Foster, K., & McMaster, R. (2008) Introducing mental health nursing: A consumer-oriented approach. Singapore, Allen & Unwin.

Risk assessment statement

You are advised that if you are distressed by the issues explored in the content of this unit you should approach staff in this unit or contact the University counselling service.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 17-Dec-2012