University of Technology Sydney

92446 Complex Nursing Care: Mental Health

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Health
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 92322 Medical Surgical Nursing OR 92438 Medical Surgical Nursing OR 92454 Medical Surgical Nursing OR 92450 Medical Surgical Nursing (Graduate Entry)
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

Students explore approaches to collaborative mental health nursing with people who have complex mental health needs and their families. The special populations of interest in this subject include: young adults who have a first episode of or early psychosis; people who experience co-existing substance use and mental health disorders; people who experience eating disorders; Indigenous Australians; and homeless people who experience mental disorders. The physical health needs of people with a mental disorder are also considered.

The approaches considered promote recovery-focused mental health nursing to address complex health needs and include: partnerships between experts by experience and experts by profession; development of collaborative therapeutic relationships with individuals and their families/carers; therapeutic communication and interviewing skills development, therapeutic communication with people who hear voices; and reflective practice, including professional supervision.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
A. Identify the complex mental health needs of specific populations, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; people diagnosed with: a first episode of psychosis, co-existing mental health and substance use disorders, eating disorders, co-existing physical and mental health disorders, and a mental disorder whom are homeless (RN Standard 1).
B. Identify therapeutic communication skills for collaborative and strengths-based assessments of people who have complex mental health needs (RN Standards 2,4).
C. Examine the application of the principles of recovery when planning collaborative mental health nursing care for individuals who have complex health needs and their families (RN Standard 5).
D. Examine a range of therapeutic interventions to support the recovery of individuals with complex mental health needs (RN Standards 5 & 6 ).
E. Examine the effects of voice-hearing and consider the therapeutic communication and other skills nurses use to support people who hear voices (RN Standards 2 & 3).
F. Demonstrate the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively, and consider the application of collaborative nursing practice with healthcare consumers, their families and the inter-professional healthcare team (RN Standard 2 & 4).
G. Consider the importance of self-care practices and self- awareness for one’s own health and wellbeing and its relationship to effective nursing practice (RN Standards 1 & 3 ).
H. Simulate the application of reflective practice and group professional supervision, within varied nursing practice contexts (RN Standard 3).

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:

  • Engage in person-centred care that is appropriately sensitive to the needs of individuals, families and communities (2.0)
  • Communicate and collaborate effectively and respectfully with diverse groups (3.0)
  • Inquire critically to assess a body of evidence to inform practice (4.0)

Teaching and learning strategies

In this subject, you will participate in a range of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to encourage you to engage with complex mental health nursing.

Face-to-Face and Online Lectures and Tutorials
This subject benefits from the real time delivery of content. Face-to-face lectures enable students to quickly clarify complex concepts, descriptions and terminology. Tutorials comprise structured, collaborative learning activities and much of the content is supported by online pre-work.

Seminars and Oral Presentations
Seminars involve students in groups providing presentations to the class. Students receive feedback from peers and teachers not only on their knowledge of a subject area, but also their ability to communicate relevant information in a clear, coherent, and confident manner.

Simulation
Students participate in a voice-hearing simulation to experience what it might be like for people who hear voices and other sounds. Students undertake everyday activities whilst listening to the simulated voices to develop awareness of this experience and consider therapeutic nursing responses.

Academic Writing
Demonstrating information literacy and technology skills, students search and synthesise the professional literature to answer an essay question. Students comply with academic writing practices and use information ethically, legally and respectfully.

Content (topics)

Content will include: Mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; Mental health needs of individuals diagnosed with: a first episode of psychosis, co-exisitng mental health and substance use disorders, eating disorders, mental disorder whom are homeless; Physical health needs of people diagnosed with a mental disorder who are treated with psychotropic medications; Health promotion and education for people diagnosed with a mental disorder and their families/carers; Principles and practices of collaborative, recovery-focused mental health nursing with individuals and their families; Therapeutic communication for strengths-based assessment of individuals who have complex mental health needs, including engagement, rapport building, active listening, and therapeutic use of self; Simulated experience of voice-hearing and its effects on daily living; Self-care and self-awareness for effective mental health nursing practice.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Online Quizzes

Intent:

To test students' recall and application of knowledge.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

A, B, D and E

This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):

2.0, 3.0 and 4.0

Type: Quiz/test
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 25%
Length:

There will be two quizzes. The first quiz is worth 10% and consists of 20 questions relating to weeks one to two's learning materials. The second quiz is worth 15% and consists of 30 questions relating to week three to eight's learning materials. Students will have 20 minutes to complete the first quiz and 30 minutes to complete the second quiz.

Assessment task 2: Group Presentation

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Group, group assessed
Weight: 30%
Length:

25 minutes

Assessment task 3: Reflective essay regarding the personal recovery for people who hear voices

Intent:

In this assessment, you will learn about the differences between clinical and personal recovery and therapeutic communication that fosters personal recovery for people who experience a psychotic condition.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

A, C, D and F

This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):

2.0, 3.0 and 4.0

Type: Reflection
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 45%
Length:

1800 words

Recommended texts

Evans, K., Nizette, D; & O'Brien, A. (eds.) (2016) Psychiatric and mental health nursing, 4th (ed). Elsevier-Mosby.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2016). Mental health and experiences of homelessness, Australia 2014. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra.

Australian College of Mental Health Nurses. (2013). Scope of practice of mental health nurses in Australia 2013. ACMHN, Canberra.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2018). Mental health services in Australia. AIHW, Canberra.

Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council. (2013). A national framework for recovery-oriented mental health services: policy and theory. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.

Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council. (2013). A national framework for recovery-oriented mental health services: a guide for practitioners and providers. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.

Centre for Aboriginal Health. (2012). NSW Aboriginal health plan 2013-2023. NSW Ministry of Health, Sydney.

Costello, L., Thomson, M; & Jones, K. (2013). Mental health and homelessness. Final report. Mental Health Council NSW, Sydney.

Daya, I. (2020, July, 1). Witness statement of Indigo Daya for Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://rcvmhs.archive.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Daya_Indigo.pdf

Department of Health and Ageing. (2013). National practice standards for the mental health workforce. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.

Department of Health and Ageing. (2010). National standards for mental health services, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.

Hungerford, C., Hodgson, D., Clancy, R., Monisse-Redman, M., Bostwick, R; & Jones, T. (2015). Mental health care: an introduction for health professionals in Australia. Wiley.

Meadows, G., Farhall, J., Fossey, E.,Grigg, M., McDermott, F; & Singh, B. (2012). Mental health in Australia: collaborative community practice (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Mental Health Coordinating Council. (2013). Recovery oriented language guide, MHCC.

National Mental Health Commission. (2018). Monitoring mental health and suicide prevention reform: National Report 2018. National Mental Health Commission, Sydney.

National Mental Health Commission. (2013). A contributing life: the 2013 national report card on mental health and suicide prevention. NMHC, Sydney.

SANE Australia. (2013). A life without stigma: A SANE Report. SANE Australia, Melbourne.

Slade, M. (2013). 100 ways to support recovery: a guide for mental health professionals (2nd ed.). Rethink Mental Illness, London.

Slade, M. & Longden, E. (2015). The empirical evidence about mental health and recovery: how likely, how long, what helps, MI Fellowship, Victoria.

Stein-Parbury, J. (2017). Patient and person: interpersonal skills in nursing (6th ed.). Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Tandora, J., Miller, R., Slade, M; & Davidson, L. (2014). Partnering for recovery in mental health, Wiley.

Winterson, L. (2016). The girl in the mirror, XLibris.

Other resources

UTS Student Centres
Building 10
Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm
Tel: 1300 ASK UTS (1300 275 887)

Details for student centres: www.uts.edu.au/current-students/contacts/general-contacts
For other resources/information refer to the Faculty of Health website (www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-health) and Canvas at: https://canvas.uts.edu.au/.

UTS Library
The Library has a wide range of resources, facilities and services to support you including textbooks, subject readings, health literature databases, workshops and bookable study rooms. There is also a team of librarians to help you with your questions available via online chat, phone and in person. W: lib.uts.edu.au, Facebook: utslibrary, Twitter: @utslibrary Tel: (02) 9514 3666.

Improve your academic and English language skills
Marks for all assessment tasks such as assignments and examinations are given not only for what you write but also for how you write. If you would like the opportunity to improve your academic and English language skills, make an appointment with the HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support) Service in Student Services.

HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support)
HELPS provides assistance with English language proficiency and academic language. Students who need to develop their written and/or spoken English should make use of the free services offered by HELPS, including academic language workshops, vacation intensive courses, drop-in consultations, individual appointments and Conversations@UTS (www.ssu.uts.edu.au/helps). HELPS staff are also available for drop-in consultations at the UTS Library. Phone (02) 9514 9733

Please see www.uts.edu.au for additional information on other resources provided to students by UTS.

The Accessibility and Financial Assistance Service
The Accessibility Service can support students with disabilities, medical or mental health conditions, including temporary injuries (e.g., broken limbs). The Accessibility Service works with Academic Liaison Officers in each Faculty to provide ‘reasonable adjustments’ such as exam provisions, assistive technology, requests and strategies for managing your studies alongside your health condition. If you’re unsure whether you need assistance, we recommend getting in touch early and we can provide advice on how our service can assist you. Make an appointment with an Accessibility Consultant (AC) on +61 2 9514 1177 or Accessibility@uts.edu.au.

The Financial Assistance Service can assist you with financial aspects of life at university, including Centrelink information, tax returns and budgeting, interest-free student loans and grants to assist with course-related costs. Check eligibility and apply online and make an appointment on +61 2 9514 1177 or Financial.assistance@uts.edu.au.