Assessment and promotion of mental health for RN/RPN (PNRS 107)

This course is designed for Registered Nurses (RN) and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPN) who wish to enhance their skills in working with clients experiencing mental health issues and their families.

This course presents topics pertinent to mental health and mental illness such as: mental health promotion and current trends; the cultural context which includes Stigma, Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-racism. Other theoretical concepts covered are Psychosocial theory and Therapies, Self-concept, Stress, Grief and Loss, and Crisis. Psychosocial Assessment and Mental Status Assessment combined with a review of the Nursing Process applied to Mental Health Nursing is included.

RNs and RPNs may register for specific professional development purposes, or as part of the RN Mental Health Nursing or Psychiatric Nursing Refresher certificate programs. Students interested in completing a certificate program must apply for admission and be accepted into the program. Details of the required documents and program application forms are available on the program web page. Please note that up 2 courses can be taken individually without applying to the full program. 

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• define mental health and mental illness;
• identify the influence of beliefs on conceptions of mental health and mental illness; build self-awareness about personal views of mental health and mental illness;
• describe the primary health care approach and the continuum of care that is the foundation of current mental health care system;
• describe mental health promotion concepts: Psychosocial rehabilitation; recovery orientated practice; trauma informed practice; harm reduction model;
• explore the history of the treatment of mental illness and of mental health/psychiatric nursing;
• define terminology associated with cultural diversity, cultural safety, cultural humility and anti-racism;
• identify ethnocentricity in nursing practice;
• differentiate among common cultural stumbling blocks;
• identify ways to integrate cultural awareness and build self- awareness of cultural influences into own nursing practice;
• explain the basic beliefs and approaches of psychosocial theories and therapies;
• describe concepts and theory that serve as a framework for psychosocial assessment and mental status assessment – self- concept, stress and grief and loss;
• develop and apply psychosocial and mental status assessment to mental health practice; and
• explore and apply the nursing process to mental health practice.

$534.00

Textbooks not included in tuition fee. Contact the Douglas College Bookstore for prices and ordering information.

Completion of English 12 with a minimum grade of “C” or proof of equivalent.

For course taken on a stand-alone basis:  proof of RPN license status and/or proof of RPN program completion with transcript or copy of diploma/degree.

This course covers the following topics:

• assessment and promotion of mental health;
• current trends in mental health care;
• psychosocial theories and therapies;
• crisis and crisis intervention;
• self-concept;
• stress;
• grief & loss;
• psychosocial and mental status assessment; and
• nursing process in mental health nursing.

Kunyk, Peternelj-Taylor & Austin, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing for Canadian Practice (latest edition).

Available through the Douglas College Bookstore

Self-paced, instructor supported, online course in Blackboard

Due to the nature of an online delivery, the student will be expected be proficient in computer skills including email, adding attachments, navigating the internet etc. Resources for getting started with Blackboard are available online to help get the student comfortable in the Blackboard environment.

• One assignment
• Mid-term exam
• Final exam

Minimum grade to pass is C (60%).

This course may be taken for professional development or as part of the RN Mental Health Nursing Certificate or Psychiatric Nursing Refresher Certificate programs.

To register, email cehs@douglascollege.ca with your registration request.  

Payment of the tuition fee must accompany registration.

Instructions on how to access your course materials will be emailed to you by the Program Assistant within five (5) business days prior to your chosen course start date.