Nursing (Mental Health) BSc

The module considers:

• Aspects of biosciences that form the foundation to safe and effective person centred nursing care
• Anatomy, physiology, genetics, microbiology and pharmacology
• Basic understanding of chemistry, physics, biology and biochemistry
• The application of biosciences to nursing practice
• The linking of theory and practice through the use of case studies and integration with the clinical learning modules
• How a detailed understanding of biosciences can promote physical and mental health

These modules are at the heart of developing your knowledge, skills and resilience in practice. Their aim is to develop your clinical skills so that you are competent in practice, but also integrate your learning within the other modules to enable holistic care. There will be an emphasis on small group working with experts from experience and experts from practice. Several clinical assessments will take place in this module, from the relatively simple (i.e. hand washing) to complex assessment skills. 

This module will consider what it means to be a professional nurse within current health practice, critically evaluating the role and purpose of modern nursing. The values and behaviours discussed in this module will be integrated and developed within clinical learning.

The module considers:

• the nature of knowledge and types of evidence and the wider context of evidence based practice
• introduction to the main principles of evidence based practice
• the research process covering the fundamentals of differing paradigms and methodologies to include quality improvement
• the nature of informal and formal evidence and its interpretation
• critical thinking and the decision making process.  How arguments are constructed
• nursing theories and how these can assist in the decision making process.  Including the central concepts of person/family/client centred care
• examine the nature of evidence and research and its application in terms of dignity, privacy, sleep, safety and comfort, nutrition, hydration, and elimination
• introduction into how evidence can influence practice, patient safety and the issues of its application
• global research and UK application

This modules considers:

• The care of patients and clients with increasingly complex illnesses requiring multifaceted treatments and care in all settings.  
• Scientific and technological advances to understand disease processes and potential treatment options.  
• The core bioscience and related modules in year 1 by providing opportunities for students to integrate and further develop their understanding of physiological, altered physiological and pathophysiological processes occurring within the body.  
• Application of essential physiological principles through general and field specific, case-based learning.
• The principles of pharmacology to form a foundation for the preparing to prescribe module.
• Applied knowledge using scenarios to illustrate the links to informing nursing care, developing care, and exploring treatment options, specifically including pharmacological requirements

What influences health? This module will critically review the psychological and social influences on health, providing you with an opportunity to discuss, review and analyse a range of interesting topics such as health inequalities, social constructions of health and illness, models of mental health and mental health law. This will include clinical skills training and Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL) case studies prior to consolidating and integrating your learning through professional practice experience and clinical supervision.

This module considers:

• Assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of evidence based nursing specific to the students’ field of practice (adult/ child/ mental health).
• Assessment and management of comorbidities. Implementation of evidence based nursing throughout the lifetime, including end of life care. 
• Develop resilience for practice.
• Optimisation pharmacological interventions

This module considers:

• The theoretical content and clinical learning into the practice experience in order to enable students to apply their learning in practice. 
• Reflective writing development – incorporating the evidence base, being a reflective practitioner.
• Preparing for Assessment in Clinical Placement – transferability of skills, evidencing learning, and proactive preparation for summative assessment. 
• Maximising opportunities in Clinical Placements – identifying learning needs, setting goals, incorporating feedback, preparing for assessment.
• Adult and Child branch students: maternal health.
• Professional responsibilities –working within limitations, Risk assessment, incident reporting and management, safeguarding, whistleblowing and clinical governance. 
• Professional boundaries, behaviours and considerations for Elective placement.
• Support with Elective Plan and development of learning outcomes.
• Support with Elective Risk Assessment

This module consders:

• A review of the major research paradigms. 
• Introduce the concept of clinical audit and how this can be used to improve practice.
• Evidence through collaboration, introduction to systematic reviews. 
• Advanced critical thinking.
• Quality assurance.
• Patient safety.
• Evidence as an agent of change and consideration of the barriers to change. 
• Critical interpretation of written data.
• Introduction and interpretation of numeric data. 
• Research ethics and the special considerations in health care.
• Introduction to the extended literature review. 
• Advance literature searching. 
• Manage evidence by the use of tools e.g Endnote and Zotero
• Development of a research proposal in preparation for the  year three extended literature review

This module considers:

• The personal leadership development of students and the main issues relating to developing leadership skills.  
• Leadership approaches, strength based approaches, communication skills, planning, risk assessment, supporting others and use of clinical supervision networks, change and change management, networking and partnership working.  
• Reflection on aspects of practice and make observations of leaders in practice.   
• Underpinning themes will be explored within these topics including the effects of power, empowerment, self-awareness, understanding group dynamics and effective team working.  
• Processes around human resource management, health economics, budgets and safe staffing.

The module considers:

• Consultation, decision making and therapy including referral in prescribing.
• Influences on and psychology of prescribing.
• Prescribing in a team context.
• Clinical pharmacology including effects of co morbidity.
• Evidence based practice and clinical governance.
• Legal policy and ethical aspects of prescribing.
• Professional accountability and responsibility in prescribing.
• Prescribing in a public health context

This module aims to provide you with the opportunity to critically explore the skills, values and evidence base essential for supporting individuals towards their recovery when they are experiencing mental health problems.

This module considers:

• The clinical knowledge and skills required for registration with the professional nursing body the Nursing and Midwifery Council. 
• The development of leadership and management skills required to undertake nursing assessment, complex clinical decision making, care delivery and care management underpinned by critical theoretical knowledge and evidence based practice

This module considers:

• How evidence can be applied in practice through the development of a literature review. 
• Development of research skills.
• Critical evaluation of evidence.
• Synthesis of findings to generate new knowledge.
• Application of evidence into practice through leadership and dissemination

In year three, you will select one optional modules, which could include the following:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Cancer Care

• Neonatal Nursing

• High Dependency Care for Children

• Assessment and Management of Wounds in Healthcare

• Contemporary Management of Diabetes Mellitus

• Assessment and Management of Pain

• Clinical Decision making in Healthcare Practice

• Change and Innovation in Mental Health

Please note optional modules may change in future years of this course, as a result of the coronavirus situation or other factors, such as developments in the curriculum. Where we have to make changes to modules, we will update this online prospectus as soon as we can.