PNRS – Psychiatric Nursing
PNRS 152
Foundations in Nursing Practice
6 Credits Total (45-30-75)
Students develop and integrate foundational nursing knowledge and skills within classroom, laboratory, simulation, and health care settings, for basic client-centred care with an individual patient/client. Students receive an introduction to the nursing process and explore principles of teaching and learning within the context of promoting health, safety and comfort. Developmental and physiological considerations related to activities of daily living across the lifespan are discussed. Students incorporate communication skills in the development of a nurse-patient/client relationship, establishment of professional boundaries, and collaboration with other health care providers in the organization and implementation of direct care.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in HLST 154, HLST 159, NURS 150.
PNRS 155
Mental Health Nursing I
4 Credits Total (45-0-40)
Students develop the foundational knowledge, skills and attitudes required to provide client-centred, evidence-informed nursing care to clients in mental health settings. Students focus on recent trends, legislation, and selected ethical-legal and professional issues in mental health nursing; therapeutic milieu; and the application of therapeutic communication techniques across the lifespan. Students further examine nursing models and mental health theory applicable to mental health nursing. Students explore selected mental health pathologies, interventions, therapies, and basic counselling skills. Students apply communication theory and skills for the establishment of therapeutic nurse-client relationships in selected settings.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in PNRS 152.
PNRS 252
Mental Health Nursing II
4 Credits Weekly (4-0-0)
Students develop in-depth knowledge as well as the skills and attitudes required to provide client-centred, evidence-informed, holistic nursing care for persons experiencing selected common chronic and acute mental health issues and disorders. Students examine the related mental health pathologies, interventions and therapies, including psycho-pharmacology, psychosocial and alternative therapies. Students also explore selected ethical and legal issues. Students extend knowledge of group process and crisis intervention. The focus is on care of the individual within the context of family, community, and environment, and adaptations of nursing care across the lifespan.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in PNRS 155, PSYC 104, PSYC 105.
Prerequisites or Co-requisites: HLSC 220, HLSC 222, NURS 252.
PNRS 255
Psychiatric Nursing Practice, Adult Populations
5 Credits Total (10-0-143)
Students focus on the application of knowledge, skills, and attitudes for holistic, client-centred, evidence-informed psychiatric nursing care of adult clients experiencing a broad range of chronic and acute mental health problems and disorders, in an in-patient setting. Students establish therapeutic relationships and collaborate with clients, their families, and members of the interprofessional and intersectoral teams to promote optimal health and provide ethical, culturally sensitive, age-appropriate, client-centred psychiatric nursing care.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in HLSC 220, HLSC 222, NURS 251, NURS 252, and PNRS 252.
PNRS 259
Psychiatric Nursing Practice, Special Populations
5 Credits Total (10-0-143)
Students focus on the application of knowledge, skills, and attitudes for holistic, evidence-informed psychiatric nursing care of special populations, for clients experiencing a broad range of chronic and acute mental health problems and disorders. Students establish therapeutic relationships and collaborate with clients, their families, and interprofessional and intersectoral team members to promote optimal health and provide culturally sensitive, age-appropriate, ethical, client-centred psychiatric nursing care in a variety of settings.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in HLSC 220, HLSC 222, NURS 251, NURS 252 and PNRS 252.
PNRS 320
Trends and Issues in Mental Health Care
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Learners focus on evolving trends related to the management of complex mental health care problems experienced by at risk groups across the lifespan. Consideration is given to culturally diverse individuals and groups with acute and chronic mental health issues. Emphasis is also placed on analyzing how legislative, technological, economic, and social forces impact health care planning and decision making in settings where mental health services are delivered.
Prerequisites: RPN or minimum grade of C- in PNRS 252.
PNRS 321
Child/Adolescent Mental Health
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Learners focus on evidence-informed holistic care of the child/adolescent with a mental health issue or disorder within the context of family and community. Also explored are the role and responsibilities of the psychiatric/mental health nurse in promoting optimal wellness with children, adolescents, families and communities that are affected by a mental health issue. Learners examine selected trends and issues specific to child/adolescent mental health.
PNRS 352
Mental Health Nursing III
4 Credits Total (60-0-0)
Students develop in-depth knowledge as well as the skills and attitudes required to provide client-centred, evidence-informed nursing care for clients experiencing selected complex mental health issues and disorders. Students examine the related mental health pathologies, interventions, and therapies, including psychopharmacology, psychosocial, and alternative therapies, as well as related ethical and legal issues. Focusing on care of the individual within the context of family, community, and environment, students explore adaptations to nursing care across the lifespan. Knowledge and skills in group process, counseling, and crisis intervention are further enhanced. Transition to the role of the practicing psychiatric nurse is explored.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in NURS 255, PNRS 255, and PNRS 259.
PNRS 355
Clinical Preceptorship
7 Credits Total (12-0-375)
Students focus on extension and consolidation of knowledge and skills related to the roles, functions, and competencies of the entry level psychiatric nursing graduate in a selected setting. With guidance and mentoring from a professional nurse preceptor, students gradually assume the role and responsibilities of that position while working within clinical practice guidelines for nursing students.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in PNRS 352.
PNRS 420
Community Mental Health
4 Credits Total (45-0-30)
Learners explore and apply theories and concepts related to community-based mental health nursing and examine health care initiatives applicable to community mental health. Emphasis is placed on health promotion/wellness, risk reduction, and therapeutic management across the lifespan within a framework that incorporates interprofessional and intersectoral collaboration.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in NURS 341 and HLST 320.
PNRS 421
Mental Health and the Law
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Learners analyze moral, ethical, legal, and regulatory issues impacting psychiatric/mental health nursing practice as it interfaces with legislative standards at the provincial and federal levels. Learners gather, research, and analyze several pieces of legislation affecting mental health clients at the macro level. They extend this knowledge to their local clinical/community level by examining operational /legal/ regulatory issues from their local nursing practice.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in HLST 321.
PNRS 422
Leadership for Psychiatric Nursing Practice
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Learners explore leadership models, theories and styles and examine the relationship between leadership and management. A further emphasis is placed on the development and characteristics of effective leadership within the context of psychiatric/mental health nursing practice as well as professional and societal trends that influence psychiatric/mental health nursing practice and advancement of the profession. Consideration is also given to techniques for fostering creativity, influencing health policy, engaging in the change process, nurturing relationships and creating and maintaining a healthy workplace environment.
Prerequisites: RPN OR minimum grade of C- in NURS 255, PNRS 255, PNRS 259 & a 3-credit university level ENGL course (excluding ENGL 111).
PNRS 423
Capstone Course
4 Credits Total (15-0-90)
Learners synthesize acquired knowledge and skills and extend their depth and breadth in a selected area of psychiatric/mental health nursing. Through supervision by a faculty member and facilitation by approved community professionals, students formulate and operationalize an individual capstone project. Learners undertake a field experience that may take a variety of forms, including research, education, leadership and management in a setting where mental health services are delivered. Learners complete a comprehensive literature review related to their selected topic and a substantive scholarly report/paper.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in PNRS 320 and PNRS 321, and NURS 341 or NURS 344.