Overview
Nursing 435: Mental Health Nursing is a six credit, 16-week paced online course that provides opportunities to integrate theory and develop further skills related to mental health nursing. There is a focus on individuals, families, and groups experiencing mental health alterations. Consideration is given to vulnerable aggregates and recognition of psychiatric mental health disorders that emerge across the lifespan. NURS 435 emphasizes relational practice in mental health, mental health promotion, community mental health, and confronting stigma associated with a diagnosis of mental illness. Our own work in becoming self-reflective practitioners, including unearthing our own beliefs and biases, is enhanced.
Opportunities to apply nursing assessment skills, such as the mental status examination, suicide and intimate partner violence assessments, and nursing intervention strategies such as relational practice and therapeutic communication are facilitated. A mental health promotion project and skills demonstrations are key components of the course.
In terms of skill development, NURS 435 provides you with practice opportunities using a variety of online tools and experiential activities. Some of these practice opportunities will use video conferencing. Video conferencing is in real-time and allows course participants (students and instructors) to see and hear one another using a computer equipped with a speaker/microphone and camera. There are several times during this course when you will be required to participate in real-time learning activities on a video conferencing platform. Students must attend these sessions to pass NURS 435. The exact dates and times for these real-time experiential learning activities will be set at the beginning of the course with the course instructor. Participation in these real-time experiential learning activities is a graded element of the course; a pass in the experiential elements is required to pass the course.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of NURS 435, students will achieve or exceed the following learning outcomes:
- Uncover personal and societal stigma, biases, and prejudice related to mental health or illness;
- Explain mental health conditions related to mood, thought, and behaviour that occur across the lifespan;
- Assess strategies to support individuals presenting with acute or chronic mental illness;
- Demonstrate relational practice skills;
- Examine the legal processes and ethical dilemmas related to mental health nursing;
- Explore the social determinants of health as they relate to mental health;
- Analyze the implications of trauma, substance use disorder, the justice system, family violence, and suicide for individuals, families, and the community;
- Evaluate special considerations related to mental health in older adults and adolescents; and
- Critically examine the mental health needs and resources for clients, families, and groups within the community.
Evaluation
NURS 435 is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. To receive credit for NURS 435, all practice and assignment requirements must be successfully completed and submitted. All papers submitted must follow the current American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines for referencing.
The required assignments are as follows:
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1: Mental Health Knowledge Assessment (80% to Pass) | Pass/Fail |
| Assignment 2: Community Mental Health Promotion Project | Pass/Fail |
| Assignment 3: Skills Demonstrations (Skills Demonstration 1 and Skills Demonstration 2) | Pass/Fail |
| Assignment 4: Video Conference Participation | Pass/Fail |
| Assignment 5: Forum Participation | Pass/Fail |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Kunyk, D., Peternelj-Taylor, C., Austin, W., & Boyd, M. A. (2023). Psychiatric & mental health nursing for Canadian practice (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer
Other Materials
All other course materials you require for NURS 435 are accessed online through your AU student access. Additionally, the AU Library has a collection of e-textbooks on topics relevant to NURS 435.