MENTAL HEALTH NURSING

PREREQUISITE: NURU2020 AND NURU2000, GRADE OF C OR BETTER This course is designed to introduce students to the concepts of mental health-mental health illness across the lifespan. Utilizing the nursing process as a framework, students will care for patients experiencing mental health problems. Therapeutic communication, developmental theories, and changes in behavior patterns are presented and explored. Students will be guided in the application of principles from biologic and behavioral sciences and nursing to assist the patient and family to adapt to stressors and disruptions in mental health and mental health disorders. Health promotion and disease prevention as well as socio-cultural perspectives related to mental health will be reviewed. The 90-hour clinical experience is structured to provide students the opportunity to care for patients and families in the mental health setting.