| Effective Term: | 2026/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Mental Health Nursing Practice |
| Unit ID: | HEMTL5001 |
| 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 introduces students to advanced concepts and practices in contemporary mental health nursing. It explores the nature of mental health and mental illness, the Australian mental health system, and the theoretical frameworks that guide mental healthcare. Emphasis is on recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, person-centred, and culturally safe practice across the lifespan. Students will also examine key topics, including mental health legislation, mental health promotion, consumer-led care, and collaborative practice within multidisciplinary teams. Additionally, this unit develops advanced skills in critical reflection, clinical supervision, and evidence-based decision-making to support the delivery of safe and effective nursing care. Upon completion, students will be able to integrate theory and practice, critically evaluate models of care, and demonstrate leadership in supporting the wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities in diverse mental health settings. |
| 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. | Discuss advanced concepts of mental health, mental illness, and wellbeing, and appraise their implications for professional nursing practice. |
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| K2. | Describe the Australian mental health system, including models of care, legislation, and policy frameworks, to guide complex clinical decision-making. |
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| K3. | Utilise evidence-based knowledge and current research to inform recovery oriented mental health nursing practice. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Perform advanced mental health assessment and demonstrate clinical reasoning skills to provide care for individuals with complex mental health presentations in collaborative, multidisciplinary contexts. |
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| S2. | Demonstrate therapeutic communication skills, clinical leadership and advocacy to facilitate evidence-informed, consumer-led practice. |
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| S3. | Demonstrate critical reflection and evaluation skills to enhance patient safety and care outcomes. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Apply advanced clinical reasoning to complex and high-acuity mental health scenarios. |
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| A2. | Apply innovation, quality, and sustainability in mental health nursing through evidence-informed interventions and professional practice. |
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| A3. | Implement recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, culturally safe, and person-centred approaches in diverse mental health settings across the lifespan. |
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| Unit Content: |
Topics covered in this unit may include: - Contemporary Mental Health Nursing and Career Pathways
- Understanding Mental Health and Mental Illness
- Australia’s Mental Health System and Models of Care
- Mental Health Issues Across the Lifespan
- Key Theories, Models, and Frameworks of Mental Health Care
- Mental Health Promotion and Wellbeing (Workforce and consumers)
- Law, Ethics, and the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act
- Trauma-Informed and Culturally Safe Practice
- Complex Presentations: Dual Diagnosis and Co-morbidities
- Consumer-Led and Collaborative Practice
- Evidence-Based and Reflective Practice
- Leadership and Future Directions in Mental Health Nursing
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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 | Critically evaluating a Mental Health Care Model in Australia. | Oral Presentation | 40-60% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3 | Case Study analysis in Mental Health Nursing Practice | Case Study | 40-60% |
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