Unit Outline
CNA740
Foundations of Mental Health Nursing Theory 1
Semester 1, 2024
Denise McGarry
School of Nursing
College of Health and Medicine
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
Unit Coordinator
Denise McGarry
Email: Denise.McGarry@utas.edu.au
 
What is the Unit About?
Unit Description
This unit provides a theoretical foundation upon which to critically explore specialist mental health nursing practice. Students will analyse the impact of social and historical factors, and explore key legal and ethical issues, as they relate to contemporary mental healthcare and recovery-oriented practice. The unit emphasises the importance of therapeutic engagement, and holistic and lived experience perspectives, in the assessment and treatment of common mental health issues.
Intended Learning Outcomes
As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1.
Critically analyse factors impacting the provision of recovery-oriented nursing practice.
2.
Evaluate key legal and ethical issues within mental health care and appraise their relevance to recovery-oriented nursing practice.
3.
Apply therapeutic engagement skills required to provide care for common mental health disorders.
4.
Integrate holistic and lived experience perspectives to inform the provision of recovery-oriented nursing care.
5.
Communicate mental health nursing concepts to professional audiences through oral and written formats.
Alterations as a result of student feedback
No alterations have been made as a result of student feedback.
 
 
Teaching arrangements
ATTENDANCE MODE
TEACHING TYPE
LEARNING ACTIVITY
CONTACT HOURS
FREQUENCY
Online
Individual Study
Individual self-directed learning - 10 hours per week.
10
StudyPeriod 13 times
Online Class
Online webinar - 3 x 1 hour.
1
Study Period 3 times
Attendance / engagement expectations
If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.
 
 
 
 
How will I be Assessed?
 
For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.
Assessment schedule
ASSESSMENT TASK #
ASSESSMENT TASK NAME
DATE DUE
WEIGHT
LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:
Evidence summary: Social determinants of mental health
Week 5
20 %
LO1, LO4, LO5
Assessment Task 2:
Group discussion: legal and ethical issues in mental healthcare
Week 8
35 %
LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Assessment Task 3:
Video demonstration: Therapeutic engagement to identify treatment options
Week 12
45 %
LO1, LO2, LO3
 
Assessment details
    
Assessment Task 1: Evidence summary: Social determinants of mental health
Task Description:
Prepare an evidence summary to explain key social determinants of mental health for the client population of a specific service and how principles of recovery-oriented practice are relevant to care in relation to those social determinants.

Task Length:
500 words + search process table as appendix
Due Date:
Week 5
Weight:
20 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Analyse the relevance of social determinants in relation to a specific service context.
LO1
2
Examine the application of recovery principles to addressing the lived experience of identified social determinants.
LO4
3
Develop an evidence summary to communicate mental health nursing concepts to a professional audience.
LO5
 
Assessment Task 2: Group discussion: legal and ethical issues in mental healthcare
Task Description:
Facilitate and engage in group discussions via MyLO to identify and explore key legal or ethical issues in mental healthcare and to collaboratively identify strategies to care for a consumer impacted by one of those issues.

Discussion Board opens on Week 5a
Discussion Board closes on Week 7
Submission on Week 8

Task Length:
1500 words
Due Date:
Week 8
Weight:
35 %
 
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Engage in group discussions to critically examine the significance of legal and ethical issues in the context of recovery-oriented nursing within mental health care.
LO2
2
Facilitate a group discussion to engage professional audiences.
LO5
3
Discuss the application of therapeutic engagement skills to promote recovery-oriented practice.
LO3
4
Integrate lived experience perspectives to analyse legal and ethical issues in mental health care.
LO4
 
Assessment Task 3: Video demonstration: Therapeutic engagement to identify treatment options
Task Description:
Simulate engagement with a consumer to identify and discuss a range of evidence-informed treatment options in relation to a common mental health disorder.

Task Length:
10 minute video + 500 word reflection
Due Date:
Week 12
Weight:
45 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Integrate individual and social factors in identifying and discussing relevant treatment options for a specified mental health disorder.
LO1
2
Analyse the impact of key legal and ethical issues within recovery-oriented nursing practice.
LO2
3
Use therapeutic engagement skills to explore treatment options for a specified mental health disorder
LO3
4
Critically reflect on the application of therapeutic engagement skills to provide care for common mental health disorders.
LO3
 
 
 
How your final result is determined
To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.
 
Submission of assignments
Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.
 
Requests for extensions
If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.
 
A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.
 
The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Late penalties
Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.
 
Review of results and appeals
You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.
 
 
 
Required Resources
Required reading materials
Required Readings will be provided by your Unit Coordinator via the Reading List link in MyLO, or the unit Reading List on the University Library website.
 
Recommended reading materials
Recommended Readings will be provided by your Unit Coordinator via the Reading List link in MyLO, or the unit Reading List on the University Library website.
 
Hercelinskyj, G. J., & Alexander, L. (2022). Mental health nursing: Applying theory to practice. 1st Enhanced Edition. Cengage Learning Australia.
Procter, N., Wilson, R. L., Hamer, H. P., McGarry, D. E., & Loughhead, M. (2022). Mental Health: A Person-centred Approach (3 ed.). Cambridge University Press.
 
Other required resources