Outline

Overview

Mental health issues and psychosocial distress are ongoing global concerns due to their substantial impact at personal, social and economic levels. One in five Australians aged 16–85 years has experienced a common mental health condition, and most of the population will experience variations in mental health and wellbeing during their life. This unit of study is the foundational mental health unit of study and is based on the principle that mental health is an integral aspect of overall health and wellbeing. Understanding mental health and mental health issues, and appropriate knowledge and skills to promote psychosocial wellbeing and effectively respond to psychosocial distress, are essential for all nurses. This unit is underpinned by a whole-person approach; it explores the issue of co-associated physical and mental health conditions, and privileges unique subjective experiences and perspectives of people encountering mental health issues. Students will be introduced to the spectrum of mental health and wellbeing and psychosocial distress and mental health conditions, and their conceptual premises. They will explore how these are experienced across the life span (early childhood to older age), and by different sociocultural groups (e.g. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; CALD; LGBTQI). Students will develop their understanding of the lived experiences of mental health issues and conditions, including the challenges of stigma and discrimination, and the impacts of personal and clinical recovery. Mental health issues will be examined using the biopsychosocial framework to increase understanding of the influence of risk and protective factors, variations in experiences and changes, and the evidence for diverse psychotherapeutic approaches and treatments. The role of the nurse will be explored in relation to: promoting mental health and supporting recovery; preventing mental health issues from developing or exacerbating; and working with in partnership with people and their family/support networks to effectively respond to psychosocial distress and manage the impacts of mental health conditions. Poor physical health can increase the complexity and burden of the experience of mental health conditions, therefore comorbid physical health concerns and their implications for nursing practice are also examined. Students will acquire knowledge and skills that will prepare them to work safely and effectively with people of diverse ages and sociocultural backgrounds. They will develop and demonstrate foundation interpersonal communication and documentation skills and biopsychosocial nursing assessment and interventions that encompass cultural safety, recovery and strengths-oriented language, and professional and legal responsibilities.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Nursing and Midwifery
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	NURS5084
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Paul Beckett, paul.beckett@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam (Record+)	Assessment 3: Written examination Short and long answer	50%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Assessment 2: Group presentation Oral presentation	20%	Multiple weeks Due date: 12 Sep 2021 at 23:59	25 minutes, 10 slides
Outcomes assessed:
Placement	Assessment 5: Off-campus clinical placement Clinical placement	0%	Multiple weeks	120 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assessment 1: Essay Essay	30%	Week 03 Due date: 29 Aug 2021 at 23:59	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Assessment 4: Mental state examination Clinical skills assessment	0%	Week 11	Clinical placement facilitator will set
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ? = Type B final exam ?

Assessment summary

Assessment 1. Essay (therapeutic approach): Drawing on the evidence-based literature (e.g. primary quantitative and qualitative research studies or literature reviews), and focusing on both the population group and the mental health issue, students will write an essay that addresses particular points.
Assessment 2. Group presentation: Students will allocate themselves into groups of 5-6 students (depending on class size). Each group presentation topic will relate to associations between mental and physical health conditions/issues.
Assessment 3. Written examination: The exam comprises a range of scenarios with related questions that require a mix of short and long answer responses. Questions explore a range of issues relating to mental health and ill-health and nursing practice. Material covered through readings, lectures, tutorial activities, and workshop sessions provide the knowledge base for this assessment.
Assessment 4. Mental state examination: This assessment is a core component of the mental health clinical practicum. You are required to demonstrate effective performance (at a foundational level) of therapeutic interpersonal communication while conducting a mental state examination (MSE) with a service user and then provide a professional and accurate verbal report of the MSE and any other relevant information to a supervising staff member (e.g. Clinical Facilitator or designated Registered Nurse).
Assessment 4. Off-campus clinical performance: To complete this assessment successfully you are required to demonstrate safe, efficient, and
effective performance of nursing practice activities with people experiencing mental health issues. The off-campus clinical experience also forms part of the clinical component in the
curriculum as approved by the Nurses’ Registration Board of NSW. Students are therefore required to attend and participate in ALL (100%) of the available hours in the clinical weeks.

Please note: Each student is required to submit all assessment items and achieve a minimum of 50% of the overall available marks for the non-clinical assessment component to pass this unit. Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Multiple weeks	Clinical placement	Clinical practice (120 hr)
Week -01	1. Social and emotional development; 2. Psychosocial trauma	Lecture (2 hr)
Week -01	1. Working with children and adolescents; 2. The impacts of trauma	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week -02	1. Introduction to mental health and ill-health; 2. Mental health promotion and ill-health prevention	Lecture (2 hr)
Week -02	Conceptualising mental health and ill-health	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 01	1. Recovery-oriented Practice 2. The experience of recovery	Lecture (2 hr)
	Supporting recovery	Tutorial (2 hr)
	Foundational Interpersonal Communication	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 02	1. The experience of anxiety; 2. The experience of mood disturbance	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Working with people experiencing anxiety and mood symptoms	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	1. The experience of psychosis; 2. The lived experience of mental illness	Lecture (2 hr)
	Working with people experiencing symptoms of psychosis	Tutorial (2 hr)
	Working with people hearing voices	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 04	1. Mental health assessment 2. Therapeutic approaches	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	No Description	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	1. Psychotropic medication; 2. Comorbid physical and mental health issues	Lecture (2 hr)
	Promoting medication adherence	Tutorial (2 hr)
	Responding to behaviours perceived to be challenging	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 06	1. The Experience of Eating Disorders; 2. Older Person's Mental Health	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	1. Dual Diagnosis; Self-harm and Suicidality	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Risk Assessment	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 08	1. Mental State Exam; 2. Clinical documentation	Lecture (2 hr)
	Psychotropic medications	Tutorial (2 hr)
	Mental State Examination	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 09	1. Mental Health Act; 2. Clinical record log book and exam revision	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Documentation and communication	Tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: The Sydney Nursing School Resolutions specifically outline attendance requirements. Resolution 8.2 states that if students are absent without leave for more than 10% of classes in a particular unit of study in any one semester, the Dean may call upon them to show cause why they should not be deemed to have failed that unit of study. Students must also attend 100% of all clinical simulation laboratories (CSL) and off-campus clinical, which are supplemented with online and group activities. Students are required to attend 100% of all clinical hours. These clinical hours must be reported to the Nurses and Midwives Board of NSW as a requirement for registration on completion of the nursing program clinical requirements.
Referencing style: The Sydney Nursing School has adopted the American Psychological Association (APA) Referencing Style. This is an author-date style of referencing. You are permitted to use either the 6th or 7th Edition however it is important you remain consistent with the chosen edition.
Assignment formatting guidelines: Unless the unit coordinator has indicated otherwise, please make sure your submitted assessments are formatted as follows:
- font: use Calibri or Times New Roman in 11 - 12 point
- double line spacing
- margins: 2.5cm each side
- use page numbers
- refer to assessment instructions for use of title and headings

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. comprehend the varied trajectories of mental health and well being and psychosocial distress and mental health conditions, and can integrate the potential influences of sociocultural contexts, risk and protective factors, and co-morbid conditions into their understanding
LO2. locate, critique, synthesise, and effectively discuss/convey the contemporary evidence for various therapeutic approaches and treatments for a range of mental health issues, and co-morbid physical health concerns experienced by people across the life span, and from various sociocultural groups
LO3. articulate a broad and coherent understanding of the nurse's role in promoting mental health, preventing mental health issues developing and helping people manage the impacts of mental health conditions, and can integrate this knowledge into planning and delivering nursing interventions, documenting nursing practice, and communicating with health professionals
LO4. integrate their understanding of a whole-person/biopsychosocial approach to nurse practice, by applying key principles related to valuing lived experience and working collaboratively with patients as partners in their care, and being recovery-orientated, trauma-informed, strength-focused and culturally safe in their therapeutic practice
LO5. demonstrate capability to provide therapeutic mental health care as a beginning practitioner within the multidisciplinary team, in the areas of mental health assessment, psychotherapeutic approaches, clinical treatments and interpersonal communication

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Standards of Practice for Australian Mental Health Nurses - Standard 1. The mental health nurse acknowledges diversity in culture, values and belief systems and ensures his/her practice is nondiscriminatory, and promotes dignity and self-determination. Standard 4. The Mental Health Nurse collaboratively plans and provides ethically based care consistent with the mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social and cultural needs of the individual. Standard 7. The Mental Health Nurse demonstrates evidence-based practice and actively promotes practice innovation through lifelong education, research, professional development, clinical supervision, and reflective practice.
	Standards of Practice for Australian Mental Health Nurses - Standard 5. The Mental Health Nurse values the contributions of other agencies and stakeholders in the collaborative provision of holistic, evidence-based care and in ensuring comprehensive service provision for people with mental health issues. Standard 6. The Mental Health Nurse actively pursues opportunities to reduce stigma and promotes social inclusion and community participation for all people with mental health issues. Standard 7. The Mental Health Nurse demonstrates evidence-based practice and actively promotes practice innovation through lifelong education, research, professional development, clinical supervision, and reflective practice.
	Standards of Practice for Australian Mental Health Nurses - Standard 1. The mental health nurse acknowledges diversity in culture, values and belief systems and ensures his/her practice is nondiscriminatory, and promotes dignity and self-determination. Standard 2. The Mental Health Nurse establishes collaborative partnerships that facilitate and support people with mental health issues to participate in all aspects of their care. Standard 3. The Mental Health Nurse develops a therapeutic relationship that is respectful of the individual’s choices, experiences, and circumstances. This involves building on strengths, holding hope and enhancing resilience to promote recovery. Standard 4. The Mental Health Nurse collaboratively plans and provides ethically based care consistent with the mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social and cultural needs of the individual. Standard 5. The Mental Health Nurse values the contributions of other agencies and stakeholders in the collaborative provision of holistic, evidence-based care and in ensuring comprehensive service provision for people with mental health issues.
	Standards of Practice for Australian Mental Health Nurses - Standard 1. The mental health nurse acknowledges diversity in culture, values and belief systems and ensures his/her practice is nondiscriminatory, and promotes dignity and self-determination. Standard 2. The Mental Health Nurse establishes collaborative partnerships that facilitate and support people with mental health issues to participate in all aspects of their care. Standard 3. The Mental Health Nurse develops a therapeutic relationship that is respectful of the individual’s choices, experiences, and circumstances. This involves building on strengths, holding hope and enhancing resilience to promote recovery. Standard 4. The Mental Health Nurse collaboratively plans and provides ethically based care consistent with the mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social and cultural needs of the individual. Standard 5. The Mental Health Nurse values the contributions of other agencies and stakeholders in the collaborative provision of holistic, evidence-based care and in ensuring comprehensive service provision for people with mental health issues. Standard 6. The Mental Health Nurse actively pursues opportunities to reduce stigma and promotes social inclusion and community participation for all people with mental health issues.
	Standards of Practice for Australian Mental Health Nurses - Standard 1. The mental health nurse acknowledges diversity in culture, values and belief systems and ensures his/her practice is nondiscriminatory, and promotes dignity and self-determination. Standard 2. The Mental Health Nurse establishes collaborative partnerships that facilitate and support people with mental health issues to participate in all aspects of their care. Standard 3. The Mental Health Nurse develops a therapeutic relationship that is respectful of the individual’s choices, experiences, and circumstances. This involves building on strengths, holding hope and enhancing resilience to promote recovery. Standard 4. The Mental Health Nurse collaboratively plans and provides ethically based care consistent with the mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social and cultural needs of the individual. Standard 5. The Mental Health Nurse values the contributions of other agencies and stakeholders in the collaborative provision of holistic, evidence-based care and in ensuring comprehensive service provision for people with mental health issues. Standard 7. The Mental Health Nurse demonstrates evidence-based practice and actively promotes practice innovation through lifelong education, research, professional development, clinical supervision, and reflective practice.

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Amendments to teaching activities (correct number of lectures and tutorials now showing, clinical workshops now added). Teaching staff added. Correct learning outcomes for the exam. Amended order and titles of some lectures.

Additional information

Faculty of Medicine and Health Handbook

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

NURS5085: Mental Health Nursing Practice

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect