BSc (Hons) - Mental Health Nursing

Year one

• Applied Biological Sciences for Health
  This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental concepts of anatomy and physiology essential for clinical practice. You will explore key homeostatic mechanisms and the anatomical and physiological aspects of human body systems, including cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal and more. The module emphasises how biological sciences underpin clinical decision-making and practice. Upon completion, you will be able to effectively describe body system regulation, identify anatomical structures, and demonstrate the application of biological knowledge in clinical settings, enhancing your capability to inform and support health-related decision-making.
• Professional Practice and Accountability
  This module explores the legal, ethical and professional principles essential for effective decision-making in health and social care. You will examine relevant legislation, ethical frameworks and the complexities of professional accountability. Key topics include legal duty of care, safeguarding and the role of professional regulatory bodies. By completing this module, you'll be equipped to apply legal and ethical standards to practice, navigate professional responsibilities, and uphold high standards of accountability and conduct within health and social care settings.
  
• Developing Evidence-Based Practice
  This module focuses on honing your skills for critically evaluating the evidence that underpins nursing practice. You will learn to identify and utilise a range of information sources, appreciate various research methodologies, and apply these to clinical practice. By the end of the module, you'll be able to integrate research into practice, promoting informed decision-making and enhancing professional practice.
• Introduction to Communication and Interpersonal Skills
  In this module, you will develop essential communication and interpersonal skills crucial for delivering culturally sensitive and compassionate nursing care. You will learn techniques for effective conversations, gather and convey sensitive information accurately, and enhance self-awareness in dynamic healthcare environments. By the end of the module, you'll be proficient in using communication strategies to build therapeutic relationships and manage interactions with empathy and professionalism.
• Concepts of Health and Social Policy
  This module examines the multifaceted determinants of health, including biological, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual factors, and their influence on wellbeing throughout life. You will explore holistic health concepts and apply principles of health promotion and prevention within diverse populations. The module also covers health policy, literacy and economics, offering insights into the social and political contexts of healthcare. By integrating these perspectives, you will develop the skills needed to promote person-centred care and address the complex needs of individuals across different cultural settings.
• Introduction to Mental Health Nursing
  This module provides an essential foundation in mental health nursing, equipping you with knowledge and understanding of the key principles underpinning the field. By the end of the module, you will be able to discuss different models and philosophies of mental health nursing practice, consider and apply legal and ethical frameworks to assessment and care planning, and explain the values and evidence base essential for working with individuals, families and carers. The module covers theories and approaches, risk assessment, common mental health conditions, person-centred care, ethical and legal considerations, and therapeutic relationships.

Year two

• Pharmacology and Medicine Therapeutics
  This module focuses on equipping you with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage medication within clinical practice. You will explore pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, understand drug safety and therapeutic monitoring, and apply these principles to diverse health conditions. By the end of the module, you'll be able to apply medicine therapeutics to patient care, ensure safe and effective medication management, and comply with relevant legislation and policies.
• Living with Long Term Conditions Across the Lifespan
  This module provides a comprehensive understanding of the causes, presentations and management of long-term conditions throughout life. You will examine the pathogenesis of common disorders, explore relevant policy frameworks, and discuss the holistic management of conditions in partnership with patients and their families. By the end of the module, you'll be skilled in recognising and addressing deterioration in mental, physical, cognitive and behavioural health, ensuring effective and empathetic care in diverse settings.
• Learning from the Lived Experience
  This module immerses you in the analysis of personal narratives to deepen your understanding of health and social care. By engaging with real-life accounts, you will critically examine how individual experiences reflect contemporary policies and care frameworks. You will develop skills in thematic analysis and reflect on how these narratives can shape your future practice and enhance interprofessional collaboration. By the end of the module, you will be skilled in integrating lived experiences into your professional approach, fostering a more empathetic and informed care practice.
• Communication and Relationship Management in a Therapeutic Context
  This module equips you with the skills to effectively manage communication and build therapeutic relationships within healthcare settings. You will critically evaluate different communication strategies, including motivational interviewing and cognitive behaviour therapy techniques, and apply them to enhance therapeutic interactions. By exploring theoretical concepts and evidence-based approaches, you'll learn to navigate complex communication scenarios, such as delivering difficult news and addressing distress. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to employ appropriate strategies to foster supportive relationships with individuals, families and multidisciplinary teams, ensuring professional and empathetic engagement in therapeutic contexts.
• Contemporary and Complimentary Approaches to Mental Health
  Explore a diverse range of contemporary therapeutic interventions in mental health nursing with this module. You will critically analyse the principles behind therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness and ecotherapy. You will evaluate the roles of both therapist and client within these interventions, and investigate the relationship between problem formulation and treatment methods. By the end of the module, you will be equipped to understand and apply different therapeutic approaches, enhancing your ability to provide comprehensive mental health care.
• Developing Mental Health Nursing Skills
  This module is designed to deepen your understanding of advanced mental health practice and specialised areas within the field. You will explore how the therapeutic relationship supports the assessment, planning and implementation of evidence-based mental health interventions. Psychosocial and cultural factors affecting mental health and well-being will be critically examined. Topics include the social and cultural dimensions of mental health, risk management, self-harm, emergencies, and specialised areas such as substance misuse and perinatal mental health.

Year three

• Clinical Decision Making and Complex Care
  You will focus on consolidating your professional competence in clinical decision making for managing complex care within contemporary health and social care settings. This module will enhance your understanding of providing integrated care across mental, cognitive, behavioural and physical health. You'll learn to synthesise knowledge for delivering safe, effective and person-centred care for individuals with co-morbidities and complex needs. By the end of the module, you'll be equipped with the skills necessary to address the challenges of pharmacology and prepare for a prescribing qualification following registration.
• Contemporary Issues and Change Management in Professional Practice
  Consolidate your knowledge to enhance service quality in professional practice. This module enables you to critically examine evidence, synthesise it, and build a case for change in your area of practice. You will justify strategies for change with a critical understanding of theories, models and the psychology of change. Topics include literature search techniques, research methodologies drivers for change, change theories, planning and implementing change, the role of change agents, and evaluation of clinical practice through audits and feedback from service users and staff.
• Public Health
  Explore and evaluate public health and social care agendas and their impacts on individuals, groups and communities. This module equips you to critically discuss health inequalities, analyse the roles of health professionals in public health, and develop skills in data interpretation to address community health needs. Key topics include health concepts, political influences, community empowerment, digital health technology, public health policies, disaster management, genomics, health metrics, and collaborative public health interventions.
• Leading and Managing Health and Social Care
  This module prepares you to work professionally within an organisation, enabling you to lead and manage care in a dynamic environment. You will explore organisational cultures, leadership and management models, emotional intelligence, communication and relationship-building. Key areas include coaching, supervision, risk assessment, clinical governance, learning from errors and performance management. This module also covers political awareness and the impact of organisational behaviour on care delivery.
• The Art of Mental Health Nursing
  On this module, you will critically evaluate the influences on mental health from various perspectives, including individual, family, community and societal levels. You will also learn to demonstrate how mental health promotion can improve well-being by addressing protective and risk factors. Additionally, the module will help you appraise and refine your skills in delivering effective mental health-promotion activities. Through an exploration of policy frameworks, social inclusion, advocacy and resilience, you will develop a comprehensive approach to fostering positive mental health across different settings.