NURSPRAC 718 : Contemporary Mental Health and Addictions Nursing Practice

Medical and Health Sciences

2024 Semester Two (1245) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Explores contemporary mental health and addictions nursing practice from both socio-political and practice-skills perspectives. Focuses on developing awareness of the unique mental health and addictions context of Aotearoa/New Zealand and the cultural and values based practices and policies which have emerged. Builds on foundational therapeutic and interpersonal skills and develops knowledge and skills in contemporary, evidence-based mental health and addictions nursing interventions.

Course Overview

NURSPRAC 718 constitutes one of two courses required for the New Entry to Specialty Practice: Mental Health and Addictions Nursing (NESP) post-graduate certificate programme. Its purpose is to prepare both newly registered nurses and nurses who are new to the specialty of mental health and addiction to achieve Level 2 (competent) mental health and addiction nursing practice.

This course explores contemporary mental health and addiction nursing practice from both socio-political and practice-skills perspectives. It focuses on developing awareness of the unique mental health and addiction context of Aotearoa/New Zealand and the cultural and values-based practices and policies which have emerged. Nurses taking this course will build on their foundational therapeutic and interpersonal skills and develop knowledge and skills in contemporary, evidence based mental health and addiction nursing interventions.

Course Requirements

Restriction: NURSING 786

Course Contacts

COURSE DIRECTOR
Helen Butler Email: h.butler@auckland.ac.nz
     Phone: 021 864258

NESP NATIONAL CO-ORDINATOR
Deborah Cracknell Email: deborah.cracknell@southerndhb.govt.nz
     Phone: 027 603 0541

COURSE ADMINISTRATOR
Betty Lin   Email: betty.lin@auckland.ac.nz> 
    Phone: 09 3737599

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. Interpret Te Tiriti o Waitangi within mental health nursing practice. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1 and 8.2)
  2. Critical analysis of paradigmatic tensions and the changing political and social context of practice. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1 and 5.2)
  3. Critical engagement with wellbeing and recovery approaches to mental health and addiction practice. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1 and 8.1)
  4. Explore and apply social determinants of health and their impact on people. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 5.1, 7.1 and 8.1)
  5. Effective engagement with service users living with the effects of interpersonal abuse and trauma and implementing trauma informed care. (Capability 1.2, 3.2, 6.2, 7.1 and 8.1)
  6. Critical analysis of human rights, the legal context of mental health nursing practice and the promotion of least coercive practice. (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1 and 8.1)
  7. Effective engagement and partnership with service users with co-existing problems and the development of motivational interviewing skills for initiating and supporting behaviour change. (Capability 3.2, 6.2 and 7.1)
  8. Critical analysis and application of the seven Te Pou Let’s Get Real Skills and the Te Pou values which underpin mental health nursing practice (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, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  9. Understanding and practicing self-care (Capability 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 8.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Essay 35% Individual Coursework
Essay 35% Individual Coursework
Presentation 30% Group Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Essay
Essay
Presentation

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 15-20 hours per week involved in each 30 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 50 hours of lectures, 150 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 100 hours of work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience or Online

This course is offered as a blended course delivery mode. The activities for the course are scheduled in 4 delivery blocks. The first, last and one of the middle block class days are on campus across 4 cohorts (Auckland A, Auckland B, Midland and Otago) and the other 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.

The results for 2023 student feedback have not been released at the time of writing. This feedback will inform the future delivery of this course.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework 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. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

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 course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.

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 students may be asked to submit 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. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.