PgDip / MSc Mental Health Nursing

Some compulsory skills sessions may take place in the evening.

You will be taught separately from the three-year undergraduate students and will study the following:

Year 1

• Assessing, planning and providing care in Mental Health Nursing
  This module will introduce students to the values, frameworks and skills that underpin mental health nursing. The module focuses on different methods and frameworks engage in holistic assessment underpinned by evidence based practice. The module is mapped against the NMC (2018) standards and prepares students to carry out fundamental nursing skills across the four fields of nursing utilising a combination of teaching methods including simulated practice.
• Applied physiology for Mental Health Nursing
  The aim of this module is to develop knowledge and understanding of basic physiology and its application in mental health. This module recognises that students may not have prior in-depth knowledge of physiology and biology. It will give an introduction to physiology and the structure and function of the body’s systems. It will explore neurotransmitters and interactions of hormones in mental ill health. Interactions between physical and mental ill health will also be explored.
• Promoting health and preventing ill health
  This module introduces public health concepts and contemporary public health issues, the principles of which can then be applied at an individual and population level and within a local, national and global context. This module of study is aligned to the NMC Standard Platform 2, Promoting health and preventing ill health (NMC 2018, Future nurse: Standards of proficiency for registered nurses).
• Pharmacology and medicines management in MH Nursing
  The modules aims to give students a core knowledge of the theory and application of drug therapy in psychiatric/mental health treatment and critically review its efficacy and safety to ensure best evidence based practice. The module recognises that students may not have prior knowledge of pharmacology and chemistry beyond basic biology learnt in semester one, and will give precedence to the applied knowledge and understanding of the practicalities and risks attached to these drugs (including adverse/side effects, contraindications and interactions), with the need for consistent monitoring and review. It will likewise promote the psycho educational approach of intelligent prescribing (i.e. with close and collaborative monitoring and service user involvement) as part of a wider model that ensures non- drug based interventions as well.

Year 2

• Enhancing and evaluating care in Mental Health Nursing
  The module develops students’ ability to utilise clinical reasoning to respond to and manage unfamiliar and complex scenarios in mental health nursing, to evaluate care that is provided and to develop the skills of other members of the team. The module is mapped against the NMC (2018) standards and prepares students to carry out fundamental nursing skills across the four fields of nursing utilising a combination of teaching methods including simulated practice.
• Research in health and social care
  The purpose of this module is to consolidate and extend students' knowledge of research approaches and methods and enhance their ability to be critical users of research evidence. The module examines philosophical and theoretical perspectives underpinning health and social care research approaches including exploration of research design and key aspects of data gathering and interpretation of both qualitative and quantitative analyses. The module will develop practical skills for identifying, critical reviewing and synthesising research evidence relevant to professional practice.
• Acute and complex care in Mental Health Nursing
  This module examines long-term complex, co-morbid health conditions. This group are the most frequent users of health care services. Despite this they often fail to get appropriate treatment for associated mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, or dementia in the case of older people. As a result of these and other co-morbidities, the prognosis for their primary long-term condition and the quality of life they experience can both deteriorate markedly. In addition, the costs of providing care to this group of people are increased as a result of less effective self-care strategies and other complicating factors related to poor mental health (Huppert, 2008; Naylor et al, 2012).
• Mother and new-born
  This virtual learning module introduces the student to the nature of normal childbirth and neonatal care. It explores the concepts of antenatal care, childbirth and postnatal care and the role of the midwife in the delivery of woman centred care. Utilising a variety of on line resources, students will share knowledge gained with their peers on labour, infant feeding and maternal care. This module ensures compliance with European Union Directive 2005/36/EC.
• Transition to Leadership
  This module will develop and build effective leadership skills in a complex and multidimensional health care setting. It will explore theoretical models of leadership, quality improvement and patient safety and provide an opportunity to explore how these concepts interrelate and impact on the delivery of care and prepare the students for their final clinical placement.

This course will equip you with the skills to work in a diverse range of mental health nursing roles across a range of settings, including the NHS and the private health care sector. Successful completion of the course fulfils the requirements for graduates to be able to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Registered Nurse - Mental Health.

Role and responsibilities

Day-to-day, the role broadly involves working in the community and hospitals taking on a variety of tasks – from giving patients medication, to assessing and supporting a patient's needs.

With experience, there are multiple opportunities for specialisation as your career progresses – such as: alcohol or substance use, forensic psychology, psycho-therapeutic interventions or working with offenders.

Employability Service

We are University of the Year for Graduate Employment for the second year in a row - The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018, 2019.

At LSBU, we want to set you up for a successful career. During your studies – and for two years after you graduate – you’ll have access to our Employability Service, which includes:

• An online board where you can see a wide range of placements: part-time, full-time or voluntary. You can also drop in to see our Job Shop advisers, who are always available to help you take the next step in your search.
• Our Careers Gym offering group workshops on CVs, interview techniques and finding work experience, as well as regular presentations from employers across a range of sectors.

Our Student Enterprise team can also help you start your own business and develop valuable entrepreneurial skills.

Personal tutoring

As a Health and Social Care student, you will be allocated a named tutor during your first three weeks at LSBU.  The role of your tutor is to be your primary contact for academic and professional development support.

Your tutor will support you to get the most of your time at LSBU, providing advice and signposting to other sources of support in the University. They should be the first person at the university that you speak to if you are having any difficulties that are affecting your work. These could be academic, financial, health-related or another type of problem.

Applicants will be considered on an individual basis but will normally require:

• A Bachelor degree with a minimum 2:2 classification. Candidates without a health or science related degree are required to complete a Life Sciences work book package to satisfy the Life Sciences element of the APL portfolio.
• In accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requirements, Maths and English GCSEs/equivalent (at C or above) are also required.

Please note that this course is not currently open to international students.

Possible fee changes

The University reserves the right to increase its fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any governmental guidance or decisions.

The fees for international students are reviewed annually and, additionally, the University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in line with the RPIX measure of inflation up to 4 per cent.

Scholarships

We offer several types of fee reduction through our scholarships and bursaries. Find the full list and other useful information on funding your studies on the scholarships and fee discounts page.

Fee status

Please check your fee status and whether you are considered a home, EU or international student for fee-paying purposes by reading the UKCISA regulations.