Nursing and Mental Health 1

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Discuss the major phenomena of social, emotional, personality and cognitive development across the lifespan;
2. Describe characteristic behaviours that people are likely to exhibit at various stages of the lifespan;
3. Outline some major theories of human development;
4. Describe the theoretical bases of mental health nursing;
5. Examine the delivery of mental health services in Australia, with emphasis on the period from middle twentieth century to the present;
6. Articulate knowledge of mental health and illness throughout the lifespan including determinants of mental illness, clinical manifestations and psychopathology
7. Describe the legislative and ethical foundations of mental health care and treatment, in particular the roles and responsibilities of the nurse under the Victorian Mental Health Act;
8. Apply skills in beginning health assessment knowledge and skills in communication, mental status examination and risk assessment;
9. Demonstrate the ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate mental health nursing care for individuals and families with anxiety, mood and psychotic disorders;
10. Critically discuss common therapeutic modalities, including psychopharmacology.