NURSING 774 : Nursing People in Acute Mental Health Crisis

Medical and Health Sciences

2025 Semester Two (1255) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The concept of recovery forms the basis of exploring nursing care of people in states of acute crisis. The course focuses on models of acute care, collaborative care, risk assessment and management, and maintaining a safe, non-coercive environment. Students will be expected to engage in critical reflection and analysis of practice issues and case studies.

Course Overview

There is significant support in the national and international literature of the need to develop a specialty area of practice for mental health nurses working with people in acute mental health crisis. 

Nurses work with people in acute mental health crisis in a range of settings, including home, respite facilities, services providing alternatives to acute admission, and inpatient services. This course draws on evidence from social science and biomedical research to equip nurses for the care and treatment of service users in acute mental health crisis.  This course emphasises the importance of reflection, critical thinking, self-awareness, ethical-legal deliberation, recovery concepts, models of practice, and clinical expertise. Students will be expected to engage in critical reflection and analysis of practice issues and case studies.   

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Course Contacts

Course Coordinator - Colette Adrian 
Email - c.adrian@auckland.ac.nz
 
Course Administrator - Rubaiyat Afroze
Email - rubaiyat.afroze@auckland.ac.nz  

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Master of Nursing

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Critically reflect on your experiences of nursing people in acute mental health crisis (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3)
  2. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the issues that impact on quality of care for service users who require acute care (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3)
  3. Demonstrate the application of ethical and legal principles in the clinical care of service users in acute crises (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3)
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of nurses’ contribution to the recovery journey of service users in acute crisis (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.2, 3.3, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3)
  5. Apply nursing models to recovery focused service innovation (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2, 8.1 and 8.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Case Studies 30% Individual Coursework
Assignments 30% Individual Coursework
Presentation 40% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Case Studies
Assignments
Presentation
Two assignments and one classroom presentation make up the assessments for this course.  The assignments are linked to the learning outcomes and to the content focus of the study days. Generic grading guidelines are used as for other courses. 

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 42 hours of lectures, 180 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 72 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience or Online

This course is offered as a blended course delivery mode.  The activities for the course are scheduled as block delivery. The first and last block class days are on campus and the middle block is delivered online.

Campus Experience and Online Class Days

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and tutorials to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials may be available as recordings.
The course may include extra live online events including group discussions/tutorials.
Where possible, study material will be available at course commencement and be released progressively throughout the course.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

There are no required course texts. Recommended readings are available on Canvas. Students are expected to develop their own set of readings relevant to the themes chosen for the assignments. 

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

There was no feedback from students in 2024 about improvements or changes that could be made.  

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 05/11/2024 09:05 a.m.