Nursing - Psychiatric
Course List
| Code | Course Description |
|---|---|
| PNUR 2101 | Psychiatric Nursing Concepts IThis 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. |
| PNUR 2121 | Therapeutic Relations IThis course will introduce students to communication within the context of the nurse-client relationship. Therapeutic communication skills will include warmth, respect, genuineness, empathy, use of silence and assertiveness. Students will focus on developing self-awareness and therapeutic use of self. Major course concepts include: confidentiality, self awareness, boundaries, and introduction to the Mental Status Exam. |
| PNUR 2130 | Clinical Procedures IStudents are introduced to theory and principles associated with foundational skills of psychiatric nursing practice. These include assisting clients with their activities of daily living (personal care), body mechanics involved with caring for individuals and an introduction to principles of medication administration. |
| PNUR 2170 | Trauma Informed Practices IStudents will be introduced to modern conceptualizations of trauma and examine its prevalence and influence on individuals experiencing mental health and substance use issues. The holistic impacts of trauma will be explored utilizing the Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework. Students will be introduced to fundamental principles of Trauma-Informed Practices and Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care, and their relevance to psychiatric nursing practice. The potential effects of working with trauma survivors will be highlighted, with a focus on prevention and safety as essential ingredients of trauma- and violence-informed approaches. |
| PNUR 2171 | Family Health Promotion of Psychiatric Nursing PracticeIn this course learners will be introduced to theoretical frameworks used to guide family health promotion in the context of primary health care delivery systems. Learners will examine concepts of family development, structure, and functioning in the context of the nursing process. Learners will have opportunities to apply the Douglas College Conceptual Framework and other assessment tools (e.g. Calgary Family Assessment Model), to a selected family and develop strategies to promote optimal family system stability and wellness. |
| PNUR 2175 | Psychiatric Nursing ResearchIn this course, students will understand the role and responsibilities of the psychiatric nurse within psychiatric nursing research and begin to develop an understanding of the relationship among theory, research, and evidence-informed practice. Students will focus on identifying and critically reading and evaluating relevant literature to inform psychiatric nursing practice. As well, students will start to develop an understanding of the underlying paradigms within the various research methodologies and research processes. |
| PNUR 2201 | Psychiatric Nursing Concepts IIThis course examines a person’s experience with ongoing variances in wellness throughout the life cycle and their impact on client system stability and harmony. Health care trends related to primary prevention are built upon from Semester I. The Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework is expanded upon and applied to the health assessment of the individual client. Human pathophysiology and pharmacological management related to selected exemplars will be discussed. Ongoing exploration of legal and ethical issues of psychiatric nursing practice will occur. |
| PNUR 2221 | Therapeutic Relations IIContinuation from Semester 1 Mental Status Examination (MSE) charting and documentation will be emphasized. Introduction to resistance, and strategies for handling resistance is discussed in dealing with difficult to engage clients. Discussion on normalization and sexuality, medication adherence, introduction to motivational interviewing, and conflict resolution will be explored. |
| PNUR 2230 | Clinical Procedures IIStudents will continue to build on and are introduced to theory and principles associated with foundational skills of psychiatric nursing practice. This will include skills relevant to the clinical practice setting. |
| PNUR 2261 | Psychiatric Nursing Clinical Practice IStudents will have opportunities to apply and integrate psychiatric and medical knowledge and skills in caring for individuals experiencing serious, persistent, and ongoing health challenges in mental health and medical settings. The student will be introduced to the psychiatric nursing role and focus on developing self-awareness. Students will begin to assess and set priorities to organize care with individuals in the context of family and groups. Clinical group discussions will assist with the integration of concepts and issues related to the clinical practice setting. |
| PNUR 2285 | Psychiatric Nursing in Addictions and Mental HealthThis course will provide psychiatric nursing students with current knowledge related to working with clients with substance use disorders including concurrent disordered clients. Included in this course are the historical and cultural contexts of addiction, the co-occurrence of mental health disorders with substance abuse, theoretical paradigms and principles of substance use disorders. Identification, screening and assessment techniques are explored using the Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework. Common co-occurring physiological disorders associated with substance use disorders will be presented including the role for Harm Reduction, recovery model and the trans-theoretical change model when assessing and planning psychiatric nursing care for individuals with substance use disorders. The roles and responsibilities of the psychiatric nurse in caring with diverse populations experiencing substance abuse will be explored. In addition, treatment models of substance use disorders will be discussed. |
| PNUR 3171 | Family Health Promotion of Psychiatric Nursing PracticeUsing the Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework, students will be introduced to family nursing and the impact of health and illness on all family members, including family structure, function, and process. Students will explore theory and principles of psychiatric nursing care with families, and recognize family nursing care models, assessment techniques, and variables that influence families and family nursing. Various family nursing roles are highlighted including promoting health and wellness, preventing illness risk, and managing both episodic and chronic health challenges. The student will apply a holistic approach to recognizing the uniqueness of every family system. |
| PNUR 3301 | Psychiatric Nursing Concepts III: Living with Episodic Health Challenges IThis course examines a person’s experience with episodic variances in wellness throughout the life cycle and their impact on client system stability and harmony. Health care trends related to primary prevention are built upon from semesters. The Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework is expanded upon and applied to the health assessment of the individual client. Human pathophysiology and pharmacological management related to selected exemplars will be integrated within this course. The course will provide opportunities for the ongoing development of professional relationships and for the understanding of legal and ethical issues of psychiatric nursing practice. |
| PNUR 3321 | Therapeutic Relations IIIThis course will build upon application of communication theory and skills taught in previous semesters. The focus is on assisting the student in obtaining valid and reliable data when working with clients who are experiencing episodic variances from wellness in the major areas of schizophrenia and psychotic process and affective disorders. Students will focus on developing self-awareness in relation to their way of being with each other and in offering critical feedback to peers. Students will have opportunities to participate in simulated role-plays with individuals experiencing health challenges in the context of a professional therapeutic relationship. |
| PNUR 3330 | Clinical Procedures IIIStudents will continue to develop and integrate foundational skills of psychiatric nursing practice and will be introduced to advanced practice skills relevant to the clinical practice setting. |
| PNUR 3350 | PharmacologyStudents are introduced to the theory and principles of pharmacology as they relate to psychiatric nursing practice. Students will apply their knowledge of the pharmacodynamics, pharmacotherapeutics and pharmacokinetics of medications within the Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework and the nursing process. Students will focus on understanding the classification of medications used in the management of acute (Episodic) and chronic (Ongoing) health variances and will develop a holistic perspective in examining the relationship among medications, the person and the environment. Students will examine health promotion issues related to pharmacology in the context of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention as intervention. Students will develop an understanding of the legal and legislative implications related to pharmacological management as they pertain to psychiatric nursing practice. |
| PNUR 3361 | Psychiatric Nursing Clinical Practice IIStudents will have opportunities to integrate specialized psychiatric and medical knowledge and skills in caring for persons, families, and groups experiencing episodic health challenges in medical-surgical and acute mental health care settings. The professional psychiatric nursing role will continue to be developed and strengthened. Clinical group discussions will assist with the integration of concepts and issues related to the clinical practice setting. |
| PNUR 3401 | Psychiatric Nursing Concepts IV (Living with Episodic Health Challenges II)This course continues an examination of a person’s experience with episodic variances in wellness throughout the life cycle and their impact on client system stability and harmony. The Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework is expanded upon and applied to the health assessment of the individual client. Emphasis is on the integration and application of the concepts related to episodic variances in wellness on previous concepts and patterns to broaden the scope of practice. Human pathophysiology and pharmacological management related to selected exemplars of acute variances in wellness will be presented. Professional relationships, ethical and legal issues and trends in health care will be critically examined. |
| PNUR 3402 | Psychiatric Nursing ConceptsThis course examines an individual's experience with ongoing and episodic mental health variances in wellness throughout the life cycle and the impact on system stability and harmony. The Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework is applied to the health assessment of the individual client. This course integrates human pathophysiology and pharmacological management related to selected exemplars of variances. Professional relationships, ethical and legal issues, and trends in health care will be examined in relation to psychiatric nursing practice. This is a fully online course. |
| PNUR 3403 | Psychiatric Nursing and the Older AdultStudents will develop an understanding of the complexity, rewards and challenges of working with the older adult in the context of primary and secondary health care delivery systems. Theories of aging and expected developmental paths, along with de-mystification of long-held beliefs about aging will be examined. Students will develop an understanding of the challenges faced by older adults living in the community, as well as those residing in care facilities. In addition, students will acquire knowledge of treatment modalities and psychiatric nursing care related to mental health and physiological challenges facing the older adult with a focus on specific exemplars such as Alzheimer’s disease, delirium, depression, neglect abuse, and pharmacology. The student will understand the significance of the family and loved ones in planning care for the older adult. The role of the psychiatric nurse in providing care for the older adult at all levels of intervention/prevention will be explored within the context of the Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework for Nursing and psychosocial rehabilitation concepts. Ethical and legal implications will be discussed as well as issues of caregiver support and the needs of individuals, families, friends, and nurses working with older adult patients confronting end-of-life concerns. |
| PNUR 3421 | Therapeutic Relations IVThis course will build upon application of therapeutic communication within the context of the nurse-client relationship as introduced in Semester III. The student will continue to develop their foundational skills as well as experiential learning of working with challenging behaviours. The focus will be on communicating assertively with distressed and agitated clients; using advanced therapeutic communication skills. Students will deepen their understanding of resistance. Students will apply skills of assertiveness, limit setting, and conflict resolution through experiential leaning. |
| PNUR 3430 | Clinical Procedures IVStudents will continue to integrate all previously learned skills and will develop abilities to carry out procedures related to caring for clients with complex health challenges. In addition, students will practice advanced assessment skills within a laboratory setting. |
| PNUR 3441 | Group Theory and ProcessThis course will introduce students to group theory and group process. Students explore their beliefs and values pertaining to groups and discover the relevance of this to their own learning and practice. Students will explore professional and ethical issues in the context of group work. Students examine groups in relation to types, roles, aims, barriers and opportunities as they work in groups, both in the classroom and in clinical settings. Students expand their knowledge of the history and development of groups. Students further enhance their knowledge and skill related to group structure and functioning. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate therapeutic relationship skills in group work. Students learn to establish goals and objectives for groups, and apply the underpinnings of specific group theories. Planning and implementing a psycho educational group will be the focus of this course. |
| PNUR 3462 | Psychiatric Nursing Clinical Practice IIIStudents will have opportunities to integrate specialized knowledge and skills in caring for persons, families, and groups experiencing episodic and complex ongoing health challenges in medical-surgical and older adult care settings. The professional psychiatric nursing role will continue to be developed and strengthened. Clinical group discussions will assist with the integration of concepts and issues related to the clinical practice setting. |
| PNUR 3700 | Professional Psychiatric Nursing ConceptsThis online course facilitates the exploration of the professional self-concept of the student as a psychiatric nurse. It examines the role and practice within a broad historical, developmental, and current context of psychiatric nursing as practiced in a changing mental healthcare system. The opportunity to analyze similarities and differences in nursing models and concepts and apply to psychiatric nursing practices is provided. The Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Framework and Philosophy are emphasized. |
| PNUR 4501 | Psychiatric Nursing Leadership and ManagementThe focus of this course is to introduce the learner to concepts of leadership and management theory as they relate to health care delivery systems. The learner will gain an understanding of theory and research associated with leadership and management used to support clinical psychiatric nursing practice. Course concepts are addressed in the context of primary health care, health promotion, psychosocial rehabilitation, and the Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework. |
| PNUR 4521 | Therapeutic Relations VThis course will continue to build on the application of therapeutic communication within the context of the nurse-client relationship as introduced in previous semesters. Students are introduced to the concept of working with clients with complex health challenges in the broader context of community. Students will consolidate skills previously learned with a focus on Risk Assessments and clinical decision making. Students will further develop assertive communication skills within the context of effective collaboration with colleagues. Therapeutic communication issues related to cultural competence will continue to be developed. Students will be introduced to therapeutic communication skills as relates to family and group. Students will also have the opportunity to teach DBT skills. Professional documentation will continue to be developed, and will be linked to Professional Standards for Psychiatric Nursing and the Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework. |
| PNUR 4562 | Psychiatric Nursing Clinical Practice IVStudents will have the opportunity to integrate specialized psychiatric and medical knowledge and skills in caring for persons, families, groups, and communities across the lifespan experiencing both episodic and complex ongoing health challenges in acute mental health and community settings. The professional psychiatric nursing role will continue to be developed and strengthened within the context of the health care team. Clinical group discussions assist to integrate concepts and issues related to the practice settings. |
| PNUR 4572 | Psychiatric Nursing Community ConceptsThe focus of this course is to introduce the learner to concepts related to mental health practice in the community. The continuum of community care is explored including the historical development, influencing factors, and theoretical underpinnings in providing population based nursing within a health promotion framework. Concepts provide a foundation for understanding community mental health nursing using best practices. An overview of assessment techniques related to community mental health nursing will be explored using the Community as Partner Model Systems Framework as a guide both to psychiatric nursing theory and application for working with clients and aggregate populations in community mental health. This course guides the learner to build on previous knowledge of nursing theory and experiences. The roles and responsibilities of the psychiatric nurse in caring for individuals experiencing serious and persistent mental health disorders will be explored in the context of community heath models of care. |
| PNUR 4573 | Psychiatric Nursing of Children and AdolescentsIn this course the learner will understand the roles and responsibilities of the psychiatric nurse working with children and adolescents. Learners will continue to develop their understanding and application of the Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework and the curricular threads (wellness-illness continuum, professional values, professional caring & health care delivery system). Additionally, within the context of the environment, health and psychiatric nursing domains, learners will integrate the care of the person domain (client system, psychological, physiological, sociocultural, spiritual & developmental variables) for children and adolescents experiencing severe emotional disturbances. The course is designed to develop student knowledge and skill in prevention, assessment and treatment of mental health issues experienced by children and adolescents and their families. Topics will include several classifications of mental disorders seen in children and youth including anxiety disorders, trauma and stress related disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, conduct disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders. Clinical symptoms, classification, epidemiology, the developmental progression of a disorder, causal hypotheses, risk factors and prevention as well as pharmacology will be considered. Evidenced-informed preventions and interventions will be discussed for each disorder as well as skills in assessing and interviewing the child and adolescent. |
| PNUR 4574 | Emergency Mental Health NursingThe Emergency Mental Health Nursing course provides an overview of emergency mental health practices. The professional psychiatric nursing scope of practice, within a continuum of emergency mental health nursing interventions from supportive to crisis, is explored. Legislation applicable to emergency mental health, triaging referrals, as well as, creating safe working environments within facilities and community settings is addressed. Frameworks for mental health nursing assessments, mental status assessments, and risk assessments (suicide, violence, homicide, domestic violence, and older adult abuse) are examined. Emergency mental health practices including episodic health variances (e.g. psychosis, delirium, and mood disturbances), nursing diagnosis and interventions, dispositions in the community (e.g. telephone crisis lines), and hospital settings are explored. Throughout the course, there is a focus on developing advanced psychiatric nursing interviewing skills. |
| PNUR 4575 | Psychiatric Nursing ResearchIn this course, the students will understand the role and responsibilities of the psychiatric nurse within psychiatric nursing research and begin to develop an understanding of the relationships among theory, research, and evidence-informed practice. Students will focus on identifying and critically reading and evaluating relevant literature to inform psychiatric nursing practice. As well, students will start to develop an understanding of the underlying paradigms within the various research methodologies and research processes. |
| PNUR 4576 | Trauma Informed PracticesIn this course learners will explore concepts of Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorders, Disorders of Extreme Stress and the DSM-5 changes to Trauma-Stress Related Disorder and PTSD. The prevalence of complex trauma in a variety of populations seeking treatment for serious and enduring mental illness, substance use disorder and those in diverse settings will be highlighted. Differences between Trauma Informed Care (TIC) and Trauma-Specific Services (TSS) will be explored. Trauma Informed Care in practice will be emphasized. Learners will be exposed to a variety of Trauma Specific Services. Risks for the practitioners associated with TIC, specifically Vicarious Trauma (VT) and Secondary Trauma Stress (STS) will be identified. The concept of Post Traumatic Growth will be reinforced by the completion of a self-care plan. |
| PNUR 4585 | Psychiatric Nursing in Addictions and Mental HealthThis course will provide psychiatric nursing students with knowledge related to working with clients with substance use disorders including concurrent disordered clients. Included in this course are the historical and cultural contexts of addiction, the co-occurrence of mental health disorders with substance abuse, theoretical paradigms and principles of substance use disorders. Identification, screening and assessment techniques are explored using the Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework. Common co-occurring physiological disorders associated with substance use disorders will be presented including the role for Harm Reduction, Recovery Model and the Transtheoretical Change Model when assessing and planning psychiatric nursing care for individuals. The roles and responsibilities of the psychiatric nurse in caring with diverse populations and treatment models will be explored. |
| PNUR 4661 | Psychiatric Nursing Clinical Practice V: Preceptorship ExperienceThis practicum course is a preceptorship experience where students demonstrate integration, synthesis, and application of program theoretical concepts to clinical practice in a selected clinical focus area/agency. Students will demonstrate integration of psychiatric and medical knowledge and skills in caring for persons, families, groups, and communities across the lifespan experiencing acute and complex health challenges within a variety of health settings. The professional psychiatric nursing role will be developed and strengthened within the context of the health care team including assuming aspects of psychiatric nursing leadership role. Entry to practice competencies will be demonstrated within the preceptorship experience to attain course mastery. |
| PNUR 4670 | Trauma Informed Practices IIThe course reviews trauma-informed care (TIC) and focuses on TIC clinical practices. A trauma-informed approach to screening and assessment will be emphasized. Trauma-specific services and the principles of trauma recovery and the role of relational therapies are explored. An awareness of TIC principles, focusing on clients and practitioners, is pivotal. This course will define and differentiate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), vicarious trauma (VT), secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue (CF) from similar constructs. Risk and prevention factors for VT and STS are highlighted. Integration of VT and STS concepts, as well as, the concept of post-traumatic growth (PTG) and compassion fatigue resilience (CFR) will be emphasized. |