Psychiatric Nursing Concepts I

Curriculum Guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course Code
PNUR 2101
Descriptive
Psychiatric Nursing Concepts I
Department
Nursing - Psychiatric
Faculty
Health Sciences
Credits
4.50
Start Date
End Term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester Length
15
Max Class Size
40
Contact Hours
Lecture 6.0
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Learning Activities

It is the intent of faculty to facilitate student learning, foster ways of knowing and promote critical thinking through a variety of teaching/learning methods including lecture, audio-visual aids, group discussion, case study analysis, computer assisted learning programs and group and/or individual research and presentations. 

Course Description
This course examines the student’s personal meaning of health and relationships in relation to the individual, family and groups. Health assessment & promotion, roles & responsibilities within the profession of psychiatric nursing will be introduced. Health care trends related to primary health care, determinants of health and wellness are examined. The Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework will be introduced. A review of human physiology and pathophysiology will be presented. Basic principles of pharmacology will also be integrated within this course. Concepts of Crisis, Comfort, Hope, Loss, Power, Resiliency and Connectedness will be introduced.
Course Content

In this course, within the context of the Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing philosophy and conceptual framework, students will first focus on developing the psychiatric nursing role and promoting health in clients through an understanding, acquisition and utilization of psychiatric nursing theory.  Students will next begin exploring variances of wellness and learn to develop the Psychiatric Nursing role in promoting health in clients experiencing chronic conditions.

Specific concepts that will be addressed are:

VARIABLES

  • Physiological Variable
    • Metabolism
    • Oxygenation
    • Circulation
    • Cellular Dynamics
    • Elimination
    • Mobility
    • Reproduction
    • Neuro-sensory
    • Protection
Exemplars:
  • Alzheimers, dementia
  • Psychosis, hallucinations, delusions
  • Early psychosis intervention
  • Psychological Variable
    • Self-concept (self-esteem, body image, identity, self-ideal, roles, sexuality)
    • Emotion (affect, mood)
    • Communication (verbal/non-verbal, speech patterns, use of gestures, language proficiency, accent)
    • Cognition (thinking processes, insight, judgment, intelligence, abstraction, orientation, memory)
    • Perception (perceptual abilities/deficits, meaning-making, alterations: hallucinations, delusions, illusions)

Exemplars:

  • intro to anxiety, withdrawal, stigma, crisis and Mental Status Exam (as tool for assessment).
  • Sociocultural Variable
    • Relationships; significant others
    • Social history: family, education, work
    • Awareness of diversity issues, into to culture, sub-culture
    • Genogram, ecomap, lifeline (as tools for assessment)
  • Spiritual Variable
    • Purpose & meaning
    • Interconnectedness
    • Faith
    • Forgiveness
    • Religion
    • Creativity
    • Transcendence
  • Developmental Variable
    • Growth
    • Lifespan
    • Transition

CURRICULAR THREADS

  • Wellness-Illness Continuum
    • Holism
    • Determinants of Health
    • Variance from Wellness
    • Prevention as Intervention--Primary, Secondary, Tertiary
    • Universal Experiences: Crisis, Comfort, Hope, Loss, Power, Connectedness, Resiliency
  • Professional Values
    • Professional attributes: Compassion, Comportment, Commitment, Conscience, Competence, Confidence, Collegiality
    • Legal & Ethical issues & guidelines
    • Professional Standards for Psychiatric Nursing
    • Professional Role
    • Cultural Competence
    • Advocacy
  • Professional Caring
    • Nursing Process
    • Therapeutic Use of Self
    • Clinical Skills
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Group Process
  • Health Care Delivery System
    • Primary Health Care
    • Psychosocial Rehabilitation
    • Case Management
    • Interprofessional Collaboration
    • Leadership
    • Information Technology (Informatics)
    • Program Management

RELATED PHARMACOLOGY

  • Cursory application of pharmacological principles to exemplars

DOUGLAS COLLEGE PSYCHIATRIC NURSING CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK  

  • Variables
  • Client system
  • Basic structure, process, function
  • Environment
  • Health, Wellness-Illness continuum
  • Prevention as Intervention
  • Stressors, stability
  • Recovery
Learning Outcomes

In this course students will use the Psychiatric Nursing Curricular Threads (wellness-illness continuum, professional values, professional caring & health care delivery system), and in the context of the environmental, health and psychiatric nursing domains, will integrate the care of the person domain (client system, psychological, physiological, sociocultural, spiritual & developmental variables).  

Means of Assessment

The course evaluation is consistent with Douglas College evaluation policy.  An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. 
 
This is a graded course.

Textbook Materials

 A list of required and optional textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of each semester. 

Prerequisites

Students in the BSPN program are required to maintain a passing grade of 65% (C+) in all courses in order to progress in the program.

Equivalencies