Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 400217

Coordinator Tracy Stanbrook Opens in new window

Description Mental health assessment is a dynamic and ongoing part of nursing role with vast potential to empower people we work with. While medical doctors often use assessment to develop an explanation by way of diagnosis for client’s presenting problems, nurses can use mental health assessment to focus on client perceptions and expectations related to their illness, hospitalisation, and care. This subject introduces a range of theories and strategies for exploring different approaches to mental health assessment and application of gathered information in clinical practice. Students will critically analyse recovery-oriented mental health assessment and have the opportunity to analyse influences of cultural diversity, legal, ethical and professional implications of mental health assessment and documentation. Collaborating with clients, family and others in decision-making processes and taking a strengths-based approach towards mental health assessment is emphasised.

School Nursing & Midwifery

Discipline Mental Health Nursing

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Postgraduate Coursework Level 7 subject

Pre-requisite(s) Prerequisite for students in 4691 4780 - NURS 3032 Professional Practice Experience 5
Prerequisite for students in 4785 - NURS 7075 Nursing Practice 3

Restrictions

Students must be enrolled in 4654 Graduate Diploma in Nursing (Mental Health), or
4719 Master of Mental Health Nursing, or
4720 Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing or 
4721 Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing, or
4785 Master of Nursing Practice (Preregistration), or
4780 Bachelor of Nursing (WSU Online), or
4691 Bachelor of Nursing or 
4693 Bachelor of Nursing (Advanced) or 
4692 Bachelor of Nursing (Graduate Entry) or 
4684 Bachelor of Midwifery

Assumed Knowledge

Students must have some basic knowledge of mental health, mental illness, and assessment processes from previous subjects or workforce experiences.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Critically analyse mental health assessment and models of care within a therapeutic recovery framework
2. Examine and analyse the influences of cultural diversity for mental health assessment
3. Critically analyse legal, ethical and professional implications of mental health assessment and documentation including the aspects of mental health recovery
4. Conduct a comprehensive mental health nursing assessment with related documentation to provide holistic consumer centred care.
5. Collaborate with the client, family and others to develop professional therapeutic relationships for decision-making processes

Subject Content

1. Overview of Mental Health Nursing Assessment
2. Principles of Assessment
- meaning, process and mechanics of assessment
- The assessment interview: principles
- dynamics of The interview
- observation of behaviour
- The history and pathways to effective planning
3. Specific Interview Techniques
- collaboration in assessment
- strengths model of assessment
- culture and assessment
- mental state Examination
- The family in assessment
- assessment of relationships problems
- assessment of The environment
- exploring psychosis
- Risk of violence
- Victimisation
- substance Abuse
- neurological Examination
- needs assessment
- assessment of mood (including Risk of suicide)
- assessment of personality Disorder
- assessment of anxiety
4. Documentation
- moral and Ethical Issues
- The whole person
5. Documentation of assessment and care plan

Special Requirements

Essential equipment

Access to an internet enabled device is essential in order to be able to: access course materials; to participate in discussion groups; and to access additional resources provided by the lecturer during the session. See http://www.westernsydney.edu.au/currentstudents/current_students/services_and_facilities/uwsonline_student_support for further information.