The Principles of Mental Health Nursing Practice is a Year 1, 20 credit module of the pre-registration Nursing (Mental Health) Programme, delivered across semester 1. This module will provide students with the foundational knowledge, which is fundamental to mental health nursing practice. The module aligns with the expectations outlined by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the professional regulator for nurses, midwives, and nursing associates in the UK. The NMC set standards of education, training, conduct and performance to ensure that nurses are educated to a high standard in order to deliver safe and effective care at the point of entry to the professional register (NMC, 2018). Available at https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code/
Within the module, key elements of nursing practice will be explored, including the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) professional standards that nurses, midwives and nursing associates must uphold in order to be registered to practise in the UK.
This module is structured around four themes – prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety and promote professionalism and trust. Topics also covered will include reflection and health service delivery models, an introduction to health policy and collaborative working practices. Importantly, relevant legal, professional regulatory and ethical frameworks, safeguarding and raising concerns will be incorporated, in order that students have knowledge of the core components of Nursing. This module also includes anatomy and physiology, genomics and behavioural sciences knowledge to understand human development, commonly encountered mental health conditions and recognising deteriorating health needs to inform person-centred care.
In order to set the context for this introductory module of the MSc pre-registration nursing programme, users of services are invited to share their personal healthcare journeys to ensure the authentic alignment from theory to practice.