| Effective Term: | 2026/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Therapeutics and Mental Health Systems |
| Unit ID: | HEMTL5000 |
| Credit Points: | 30.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060301 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit provides an advanced exploration of mental health nursing practice, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to deliver safe, evidence-informed care in complex clinical environments. Students critically examine mental health systems, policies, and legislation, and develop expertise in conducting comprehensive mental health assessments, formulating risk, and planning care. It also addresses the therapeutic use and management of psychotropic medications, including antidepressants, mood stabilisers, and antipsychotics, as well as interventions such as electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Emphasis is placed on integrating theoretical knowledge with clinical reasoning, critical reflection, and person-centred care to support effective decision-making and advanced professional practice. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | |  | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Demonstrate knowledge of global mental health systems, diagnostic frameworks, and legislative contexts to inform advanced nursing practice. |
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| K2. | Critically evaluate recovery-oriented care models and evidence-based approaches, including psychopharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, in mental health nursing. |
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| K3. | Demonstrate knowledge of the therapeutic use, mechanisms, and management of psychotropic medications across the lifespan, including considerations for diverse populations. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Demonstrate mental health assessment skills, including risk assessment, to guide psychopharmacological and therapeutic interventions in complex mental health conditions. |
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| S2. | Critically analyse and implement recovery-oriented, evidence-based interventions within multidisciplinary mental health practice. |
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| S3. | Critically evaluate and respond to the implications of psychotropic medication use across the lifespan, including in special populations. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Implement psychopharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to deliver safe, recovery-oriented, and person-centred mental health care. |
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| A2. | Apply advanced clinical reasoning and interprofessional collaboration to manage complex consumer needs and optimise treatment outcomes. |
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| A3. | Engage in personal and professional growth to enhance the ethical, culturally safe, and effective application of psychopharmacology and therapeutic interventions in mental health nursing practice. |
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| Unit Content: |
Topics in this unit may include: - Global Mental Health Systems
- Diagnostic Systems & Mental Health Legislation
- Mental Health Assessments & Advanced Risk Assessment
- Recovery-Oriented Models of Care & Safe Ward Approaches
- Introduction to Psychotropics
- Antidepressants
- Mood Stabilisers
- Antipsychotics
- Somatic Therapies
- Psychotropics in Special Populations – Older Adults
- Psychotropics in Special Populations – Children & Adolescents
- Integrated Practice & Interprofessional Collaboration
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| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate high-level skills to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups Students will be required to display (in person and/or online) high-level skills in-person and/or online in: • Effective verbal and non-verbal communication via a range of synchronous and asynchronous methods • Active listening for meaning and influencing • High-level empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating extended conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply leadership skills and behaviours Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating, contributing to, and enabling collegial environments • Showing self-awareness and the ability to self-reflect for personal growth • Inspiring and enabling others • Making informed and evidence-based decisions through consultation with others • Displaying initiative and ability to solve problems | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complex and ambiguous environments, using their imagination to create new ideas Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically on complex problems • Synthesising, evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Proposing alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts through deep inquiry • Proposing creative solutions in problem solving | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work proficiently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks Students will be required to display high-level skills in: • Finding, accessing, collating, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and appropriately and securely sharing complex digital information at a high-level • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Using digital tools appropriately to conduct research • Contributing proficiently to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and utilising digital learning opportunities | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to think ethically and sustainably. Students will be required to display skills in: • The responsible conduct of research • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in multiple global economic environmental and societal contexts • Demonstrating commitment to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Generating research solutions which are sustainable,ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable • Extending lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Demonstrate extended actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | 1 - Yes |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, A1, A2 | A clinical portfolio based on one or more complex mental health cases. The portfolio must demonstrate advanced mental health assessment, risk analysis, and application of recovery-oriented frameworks, legislation, and interprofessional practice. | Clinical Portfolio | 40-60% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3 | Applied clinical case, translating clinical practice portfolio to practice. | Oral Presentation | 40-60% |
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