Mental Health Nursing

UCAS code: B765

Here's what University of the West of Scotland says about its Mental Health Nursing course.

Overview Get your career as a mental health nurse off on its best foot forward with UWS’s BSc Mental Health Nursing (with or without Honours) – an NMC-accredited programme with BSc Honours pathway providing a competitive, optional additional year to progress to Honours degree qualification.

You’ll gain the knowledge, skills, practical experience and confidence to treat complex health and mental health needs with a recovery-focused approach.

This programme consists of 50% theory and 50% work-based learning; allowing you to put the theory you learn into practice in real life clinical environments. Theory is delivered mainly on campus and in clinical practice placements with an expectation of independent study to support your application of theory to clinical practice.

Programme highlights • Upon graduation, you’ll achieve registration as a Registered Nurse in Mental Health with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). • This programme will provide you with the knowledge, skills, practical experience and confidence to become a mental health nurse. • You’ll be prepared for a career in one of the most complex and fascinating fields of healthcare. • An emphasis on practice-based learning means you’ll spend a 50% of your time in clinical settings putting what you’ve learnt in university into practice. • You will learn in an interprofessional context with colleagues studying adult nursing. • There is a focus on integrated practice and the programme content is evidence-based and delivered by experienced lecturers, researchers and colleagues from clinical practice. • Support is offered throughout your academic and professional studies from a wide range of lecturers, university support services and colleagues in clinical settings.

Programme details

You’ll undertake a combination of mental health field specific and shared modules in each year of your studies.

You’ll spend time on placement with local healthcare partners: • NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde • NHS Highland • NHS Lanarkshire • NHS The State Hospital • NHS Dumfries & Galloway

NB: Professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council will be linked to an exit award of BSc Mental Health Nursing or BSc Hons Mental Health Nursing.

Careers This intellectually stimulating programme will prepare you for a successful career in a wide range of mental health settings, including: • Older Adult and Dementia Care • Adult Mental Health • Child and Adolescent Mental Health • Community Mental Health • Forensic Mental Health • Drugs and Alcohol Services

UWS offers opportunities to develop further skills in mental health practice through its MSc Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programmes, MSc Forensic Mental Health, Leading People-centred Integrated Care, MSc Nursing, Advanced Clinical Practice, Drug and Alcohol Studies and/or mental health research degrees.

Modules Year 1 In Year 1 you will receive a broad introduction to mental health nursing, understanding the inter-relation of physical and mental health and the importance of treating the person, not just the illness. You will develop knowledge and clinical practice through the modules Introduction to Mental Health, Bioscience for Health, Essential Concepts in Mental Health and Values in Care. You will explore your personal, profession and academic identity in Aspire – Foundation for Success. Also, you will apply your learning in clinical practice in two placement modules in the first year. Year 2 In Year 2 you will complete ‘on campus’ modules on Bioscience for Nursing, Collaborative Care in Mental Health, Bioscience for Mental Health Nursing and Realising Recovery in Mental Health. You will also spend time enhancing your clinical skills on three practice learning modules. At the end of year 2 students will enter the BSc Honours Mental Health Nursing pathway or continue the BSc Mental Health Nursing pathway. Year 3 In Year 3 you will develop your knowledge, decision-making and practical skills as you develop the professional standards required for registration as a Registered Nurse in mental health. You will complete five ‘on campus’ modules: Leading Quality Care, Therapeutic Skills in Complex Care, Enhancing Professional Nursing, Applying Evidence to Nursing Practice and Clinical Decisions in Mental Health. In addition, you will complete three ‘in practice’ modules: Mental Health Nursing Practice 3a, Mental Health Nursing Practice 3b and Mental Health Nursing Practice 3c with Progression. Students who undertake the Honours pathway, will complete the same ‘on campus’ modules as detailed above. They will also complete Mental Health Nursing Practice 3a. Honours pathway students do not undertake Mental Health Nursing Practice 3b or Mental Health Nursing Practice 3c with Progression. Instead, they will undertake the Mental Health Nursing Practice 3b (Honours) module, with their final ‘in practice’ module moving to 4th year. Honours Year 4 You will complete four ‘on campus’ modules. This includes two core modules: The Honours Dissertation and Effective Teaching in Practice. Students will also choose two of the following option modules: Recognising and Responding to Deterioration, Delivering Relational Care, Dementia Champions: Enhanced Care Delivery, Complex Care in Aging and Frailty or Physical Issues in Mental Health Settings. In addition, you will complete one ‘in practice’ module: Mental Health Nursing Practice Honours Progression.

Assessment methods You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, practical workshops and guided laboratory work. There will also be group work, literature reports and research projects to ensure the degree provides a strong set of additional skills, such as presentational and communicative skills. The degree uses a variety of assessment methods. The below list provides a guide to the types of assessment methods you can expect on your on-campus modules: • Written examinations • Written reports • Coursework • Practical assessment • Presentations. In practice you are assessed by Practice Supervisors and Practice Assessors, who are nurses you work with in your placements.