Course Overview
Mental Health Nursing focuses on evidence-based care for patients with psychiatric disorders across the lifespan. Students develop competence in therapeutic communication, mental health assessment, and treatment of anxiety, mood, psychotic, and substance-related disorders. The course covers milieu therapy, crisis intervention, suicide risk assessment, de-escalation techniques, and appropriate use of restraint and seclusion. Students explore stigma, recovery-focused care, and the integration of mental health across all healthcare settings. Emphasis is on the nurse's role in promoting mental health and managing acute psychiatric emergencies.
Learning Objectives
- Establish therapeutic communication and nurse-patient relationships with psychiatric patients
- Perform comprehensive mental health assessments including suicide risk and cognitive function
- Analyze etiology and manifestations of major psychiatric disorders
- Implement crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques for behavioral emergencies
- Manage psychiatric medications and monitor for therapeutic and adverse effects
- Apply milieu therapy principles and create safe therapeutic environments
Lecture Topics
- Week 1: Mental Health Nursing Foundations and Therapeutic Communication
- Week 1: Mental Health Assessment and Psychiatric Interview
- Week 2: Anxiety Disorders - Generalized Anxiety, Panic, and PTSD
- Week 2: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Related Conditions
- Week 3: Mood Disorders - Major Depression and Bipolar Disorder
- Week 3: Suicide Risk Assessment and Prevention Strategies
- Week 4: Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
- Week 5: Substance Use Disorders and Addiction Nursing
- Week 5: Personality Disorders and Self-Harm Management
- Week 6: Crisis Intervention and De-escalation Techniques
- Week 7: Milieu Therapy and Therapeutic Group Interventions
- Week 8: Restraint, Seclusion, and Ethical Considerations
Course Quiz
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Flashcards
Resources
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (Videbeck)
Comprehensive psychiatric nursing textbook with mental health disorders, therapeutic approaches, and evidence-based interventions.
RequiredDSM-5 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
Official diagnostic criteria for all psychiatric disorders used in clinical assessment and diagnosis.
RequiredNAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Educational Resources
Stigma-free education, patient perspectives, and support materials for mental health conditions.
FreeCrisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training Materials
Evidence-based de-escalation and crisis management techniques with video demonstrations.
Free