THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Health in Social Science : Nursing Studies

Undergraduate Course: Mental Health and Wellbeing (NUST08010)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Health in Social Science CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course will begin by situating mental health and well-being at the population level. An understanding of mental health and illness and its impact on the individual and the wider community will be developed. The nature of nursing interventions for people with mental illness will be explored. A central aim of the course is the development of those communication skills that nurses will require to support people with mental health problems in a range of settings.
Course description Mental health constitutes a significant element of the health of the individual. Currently it is estimated that 1 in 4 people will experience mental health problems at some point in their life and there is an increasing prevalence of comorbid mental and physical health problems. It is therefore imperative that nurses working in any field have an understanding of those factors that impact on mental health, the commonly experienced mental health problems and services that can provide specialist mental health support.

This course provides students with a historical and policy grounded overview of the field of mental health care before examining in some detail the mental health issues that are commonly encountered by individuals, their impact on the person¿s life, and consideration of how the nurse might support the person.

Assessment and support of people who are experiencing mental health problems is contingent on the development of the therapeutic relationship. Therapeutic relationships involve working in partnership with patients focusing on a definition of their needs. These relationships are built on excellent communication skills, empathy and the effort to connect as a human being with the other.



Specific content

Policy and historical context of mental health services
The experience of being a patient on a psychiatric ward
Adolescent mental health
Mental health and older people
Mood disorders
Altered perception
Substance misuse
Personality disorder
Communication theories

Student learning experience

Students can expect to engage in lectures, workshops and tutorials. Tutorials focus on understanding the experience of mental health problems from an individual and family perspective drawing on texts, poems, and videos. The workshops require students to reflect on their interpersonal and communications skills and develop these further through the use of discussion and exercises.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Nursing Life Sciences (NUST08014) AND Healthy Communities 1 (NUST08016)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements Available to Nursing students only
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. The ability to locate mental health problems within a preventative paradigm of mental health and wellbeing
  2. The ability to understand the patient / client experience of mental illness and understand varying dependency needs in all aspects of living with mental health issues
  3. The ability to apply the concepts and skills introduced in year 1 to understanding the need for a holistic nursing approach in both physical and mental health care delivery
  4. The ability to integrate theoretical and practice centred learning in relation to the key concepts of mental health care
  5. Increasing competence in communication and interpersonal skills, particularly in relation to self-awareness and sensitive communication with people who have mental health problems
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Rosie Stenhouse
Tel: (0131 6)51 5160
Email: Rosie.Stenhouse@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Morven Sutherland
Tel: (0131 6)51 3972
Email: Morven.Sutherland@ed.ac.uk
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