Module: Mental Health Nursing 5

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Mental Health Nursing 5
Module Code	NUR1046 (ITS: NS328)
Faculty	Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

This module will expand students' knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes and competence in relation to the care needs of people across the lifespan who have multiple and complex needs.

Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss the mental health issues and potential difficulties encountered during significant stages of the lifespan
2. Demonstrate awareness regarding the inter and intra personal dynamics and challenges involved in working therapeutically with children, adolescents and adults who are living with multiple and complex needs.
3. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to undertake assessment and care planning which is tailored to the complex mental health needs of people across the lifespan
4. Demonstrate understanding of the value and use of strength-based approaches to working with individuals families and communities
5. Demonstrate knowledge of referral pathways and the benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary/interagency working in addressing the needs of this client group.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	32	Formal Delivery of content in the classroom
Group work	6	Reflection on practice/personal development
Independent Study	47	Prescribed reading and self directed study
Fieldwork	40	Directed reading for class discussion in lectures
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20820	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Siobhan Russell	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	n/a	100%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Mental health issues and potential difficulties encountered during significant stages of the lifespan
Deliberate self-harm, personality disorder. eating disorder, substance abuse, dual diagnosis, people in a forensic mental health setting, people across the lifespan who have/are experiencing trauma/physical abuse/neglect/, young people with mental health problems, mental health of older people.

Inter and intra personal dynamics and challenges
Challenges to therapeutic alliance; trust, bias, boundaries, transference and counter-transference in interpersonal relationship

Engagement, assessment and care planning of people across the lifespan with complex needs.
Application of assessment frameworks; Biopsychosocial mental health nursing assessment for people with complex needs, mental health assessment instruments, risk assessment, therapeutic interventions and specialist approaches, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectic Behaviour Therapy, Decider Skills.

Strengths-based approaches to working with individuals families and communities
Meaning and purpose, Hope, Control and choice, Self-management techniques, Positive Risk-taking, Relationships, Inclusion, Peer support, Recovery Principles

Referral pathways and interdisciplinary/interagency working
Working in teams and in partnership, mental health and social care voluntary and statutory agencies.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Barker: 2009, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing: The Craft of Caring., 2nd, Arnold, London,
Worden, J. W.: 2000, Grief counseling and grief therapy: a handbook for the mental health practitioner., 2nd, Routledge, London,
Evans, N. and Hannigan, B: 2016, Therapeutic Skills for Mental Health Nurses., Open University Press, London,
Gamble, C and Brennan, G: 2006, Working With Serious Mental Illness, Elsevier, Edinburgh,
Healy, D: 2009, Psychiatric Drugs Explained, 5th, Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh,
Pryjmachuk, S.: 2011, 2011 Mental health Nursing. An Evidence Based Introduction, Sage, London,
Norman, I and Ryrie, I: 2013, The Art and Science of Mental Health Nursing, 3, Open University Press, Berkshire,
Videbeck, S.L: 2017, Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, 7, Woltrers Kluwer, London,
Varcarolise E.: 2010, Manual of Psychiatric Nursing Care Planning, Saunders, London,
2006: Child and adolescent mental health nursing, Oxford, UK, MCDOUGALL, T,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None