| Effective Term: | 2025/08 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Nursing Practice 4: Mental Health Nursing |
| Unit ID: | NURBN2024 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (NURBN1006 or NURBN1017) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060301 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
The course introduces students to contemporary mental health nursing concepts involving a recovery-focused and lifespan-based approach to mental health care. The course will provide foundational knowledge around mental health care in various settings, assessment skills, communication, the principles and components of recovery and collaborative relationships with clients in mental health services across the lifespan. The course will also emphasize the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act (2022) to be enacted in September 2023, and its focus on Right based objectives and principles, views and preferences of people living with mental illness or psychophysical distress, families, carers and supporters. Students will also gain a beginning knowledge and experience in a mental health clinical practice setting in which they can further develop some of these skills. The course is underpinned by the guiding principles of National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce including rights, responsibilities, safety and privacy, consumer and carer participation, awareness of diversity, early detection and intervention, ethical practice and professional responsibilities This course contains 80 hours Clincial Placement |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | Yes - 10 days |
| 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 the concepts of mental health and contemporary mental health nursing practice with a lifespan, inclusive and recovery-focussed approach to mental health care |
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| K2. | Describe a range of mental disorders including, but not limited to, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, with associated behavioural interventions (including medications), across the lifespan |
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| K3. | Examine the principles of rights-based objectives and principles in contemporary mental health services with respect to the new Victorian Mental Health and Wellbeing Act (2022) and explore the importance of person and family participation and self-determination as a perspective of the recovery |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Promote positive images and challenge discriminatory stereotypes of people living with mental illness by demonstrating the ability to practice in a way that acknowledges the dignity, culture, values, belief and rights of individuals and groups; (NSQHS Standards: Aged care Quality Standards) |
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| S2. | Communicate effectively with people who are experiencing disturbances of thoughts, feelings and behaviour, and demonstrate cultural sensitivity and safety in mental health practice |
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| S3. | Integrate mental health concepts into the nursing assessment, including conducting a mental health status examination through a comprehensive and systematic nursing assessment |
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| S4. | Develop beginning practice skills of therapeutic communication to persons living with mental illness or psychological distress with mental illnesses |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Use a recovery-based approach to assess, plan, implement, evaluate, accurately document and communicate evidence-based nursing care for the person living with a mental illness |
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| A2. | Demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act (2022) and the roles and functions of the members of the mental health workforce encompassing cultural, spiritual, social, biological and psychological features of illness and health |
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| Unit Content: |
The current NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice, NMBA Code of Conduct for Nurses, Code of Ethics for Nurses, National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, Aged Care Quality Standards, National Health Priority Areas and where applicable the NMBA National Competency Standards for the Midwives, NMBA Code of Conduct for Midwives, ICM/NMBA Code of Ethics for Midwives have informed the content development of this unit.Topics of study will include: Mental Health and Wellbeing Act Mental health assessment and treatment Mental health conditions including related pathophysiology and pharmacology Confidentiality, safety and privacy Recovery–led, lived and living experience workforce (LLEW), consumer and carer participation and partnership awareness of diversity - inclusion and cultural safety medication safety in mental health promotion and prevention early detection and intervention relapse prevention and support integration and partnership documentation and information systems evaluation and research ethical practice and professional responsibilities the role of clinical placement in linking theory to practice therapeutic communication with clients who suffer from depression, experience suicide ideation and with patients who self-harm/risk take implementing the current mental health legislation, within the Australian healthcare system recognising and responding to deterioration in a person’s mental health state |
| 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 the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | N/A - Not Applicable |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2 | Attendance at Active Learning Sessions | 80% Attendance at Active Learning Sessions | S/U Hurdle | | 2. | K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2 | Mental Health Simulation Activity | 100% Attendance at Mental Health Simulation | S/U Hurdle | | 3. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2 | Clinical Placement | Clinical Placement | S/U Hurdle | | 4. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, A1 | Online Quiz | Quiz | 20-40% | | 5. | K1, K3, S1, S2, A1 | Written Case Study | Case Study | 40-60% | | 6. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2 | Clinical Placement | Clinical Placement | 10-30% |
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