Therapeutic Relations IV

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
PNUR 3421
Descriptive
Therapeutic Relations IV
Department
Nursing - Psychiatric
Faculty
Health Sciences
Credits
1.50
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15
Max class size
8
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Lecture: 2 hours/week

Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Learning activities

In this course, students may engage in the following learning activities: discussion, group work, problem-solving, peer-review, role play/simulation, and self-awareness exercises. 

Course description
This course focuses on developing advanced therapeutic communication skills for working with clients experiencing episodic mental health challenges. Students will practice empathy, assertiveness, limit setting, conflict resolution, de-escalation, and points of disengagement when working with confused, distressed, aggressive, agitated, or resistant clients. Emphasis is placed on self-awareness, critical reflection, constructive feedback, professional documentation, and sharing information with clients as an individual or as a family.
Course content
  • Phases of the nurse-client relationship 

  • Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework 

  • Mental status exam 

  • Limit setting, conflict resolution, de-escalation, and risk assessment 

  • Self-awareness, critical reflection, and constructive feedback 

  • Professional documentation and communication in accordance with British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) Professional and Practice Standards 

  • Advanced therapeutic communication skills for interviewing patients experiencing episodic mental health challenges or variances in wellness, including:

    • Cognitive impairment 
    • Mood instability 
    • Eating disorders 
    • Altered personality patterns 
    • Altered emotional patterns (irritability, anger, and verbal/physical aggression)
    • Acute psychosis 
    • Abuse and trauma-related experiences 
Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:   

1. Apply advanced therapeutic communication skills including empathy, assertiveness, limit setting, conflict resolution, de-escalation, and points of disengagement in client interactions; 

2. Integrate the application of the mental status exam and risk assessment when working with clients experiencing mood instability, eating disorders, altered personality and emotional patterns, and acute psychosis; 

3. Demonstrate self-awareness, critical reflection, and constructive feedback in therapeutic relationships;

4. Use effective collaboration to manage aggression and physical violence, de-escalate crises, and safely use seclusion; 

5. Demonstrate professional documentation of psychiatric nursing assessments and therapeutic interventions of clients who are confused, distressed, aggressive, agitated, or resistant; and 

6. Implement cultural humility and cultural safety practices in therapeutic communication with clients and their families.  

Means of assessment

Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. This is a graded course.

Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in the course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor’s Course Outline. This is letter-graded course.

 

Textbook materials

Textbooks and materials are to be purchased by students. A list of required textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of the semester.  

Prerequisites

Students registered in the BSPN Degree program - PNUR 3301 and PNUR 3321 and PNUR 3330 and PNUR 3350 and PNUR 3361.

Students registered in the LPN Access to Psychiatric Nursing Degree program - PNUR 3402 and PNUR 3171 and PNUR 4575.

Students in the BSPN and LPN Access programs are required to maintain a minimum grade of 65% in all courses in order to progress in the program.

 

Corequisites

Students currently active in the BSPN Degree program are required to take PNUR 3401 and PNUR 3403 and PNUR 3430 and PNUR 3441 and PNUR 3462

Students currently active in the LPN Access to Psychiatric Nursing Degree program are required to take PNUR 3321 and PNUR 4573 and PHIL 3125

Equivalencies

None