This course focuses on nursing concepts foundational to mental health and wellness across the lifespan. This includes common mental illnesses, nursing interventions, pharmacotherapeutics, therapeutic relationships, crisis intervention, coping with acute and chronic illness, and stress management.

• Videbeck, Shelia L. (2023). Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (9th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. ISBN: 978-1-9751-8477-3

• Content Mastery Series Review Module. RN Mental Health Nursing: Edition 11.0. Stilwell, KS: Assessment Technologies Institute. ISBN-10: 1565335708/ISBN-13: 9781565335707

Associated Course Texts/References

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-V-TR.
• Available in instructors office and the general nursing office

A listing of learning outcomes for this course appears below. You will demonstrate your competence on various assignments and exams (listed under Assessment Criteria in this table). Use the feedback from these experiences to improve your understanding of the topics covered in this course.

• Apply factors that create a culture of caring and advocacy in providing safe & high-quality patient-centered care for individuals, families, and communities experiencing mental health challenges.

• Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in assessing, planning, and implementing comprehensive mental health care.

• Apply self-knowledge gained through reflection on one’s own beliefs and values to therapeutically interact with patients and demonstrate informed empathy skills & practices.

• Demonstrate competency to successfully pass the NCLEX as it pertains to mental health in nursing.

Assignments & Grading Weight

Passing Grade

A cumulative score of 75% or higher is needed to successfully complete nursing courses with a passing grade.

Grading Scale

Description of Graded Assignments

1. Attendance Quiz’s

Each week there will be a quiz. This will cover the pre-class text reading and class content for the day. If you leave class early you may receive a zero. These quizzes are your participation points for the class. Most attendance quizzes will be done in class in canvas. They will be set up similar to ATI with 1 minute per question. The quiz will be a follow up to what you have learned in the pre-class & class content, and they will cover the subject areas for the class that day as specified on the course calendar.

2. Unit Exams **

You will have four unit exams. These exams may cover assigned readings as well as class content and/or include ATI exams. Exams may include a variety of formats including multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the blank, and short answer.

ALL EXAMS ARE TO BE COMPLETED ON YOUR OWN.

ATI exams:
Some unit exams will be ATI which can be found on the ATI website under Learning System RN 3.0. The calendar specifies which weeks these will be due, and which quiz will be due.

Submit a copy of your results in Canvas and the score you submit will correspond to the grade you receive (e.g., 77% on ATI = 77% for your grade on that quiz in Canvas). Feel free to submit these as early as you want, but any received after the deadline will receive a zero.

3. Terminology List

You will find a terminology list on Canvas which covers important mental health specific terms to help you study for the exams and ensure you become familiar with the specialized terminology within mental health. You will provide definitions for each term to receive points. The goal is for you to understand and know the terms, so they are to be paraphrased in your own words. However, the definitions must appropriately match the terms as they relate to mental health care (e.g., compensation should not include a definition referencing money). They can be handwritten or typed (tip: you learn better from handwritten). Make sure you dedicate time to do them throughout the course. It is your responsibility to manage your time appropriately so that you are not rushing to get them all done right before they are due -- time management is a critical nursing skill.

I have carefully and very intentionally curated this list of terms for you to know. While you are completing this and/or using this list to study, make sure you can understand why I have given you each term. For example, I didn't assign priapism or agranulocytosis randomly; they are each associated with certain drugs. Know which conditions and/or drugs are associated with the terms describing symptoms (e.g., ataxia, echolalia, etc.). They don't all match with conditions or drugs (e.g., ethical principles, defense mechanisms) but for the ones that do have associated drugs/conditions, it's not enough to know what the terms mean, you need to know what they match with.

4. ATI Practice Exams

The assigned practice ATI exam with a score of 90% or better will be your “ticket in” to take the mid-semester ATI exam and will be required prior to testing and due according to the course calendar. Submit your completed practice exam and upload to the assignment link in Canvas. Plan accordingly as you will only be able to “attempt” every 24 hours and they are due one or more days in advance of the scheduled exam. If you do not submit a “ticket in” by the exam date/time you will not be permitted to take that exam and will receive a zero on that ATI exam. Use these to your advantage as preparation for the ATI exams. Thoroughly review them to make sure you understand the questions including both the correct and incorrect answers. ATI Learning RN quizzes mentioned above also fall in this graded section.

5. ATI Exams

You will have two comprehensive ATI exams on Mental Health Nursing content in this course:

ATI Assessment Date & Location of Exam Date/Time Ticket In Due
Mental Health ATI Exam #1
Mental Health ATI Final

The doors close right at the beginning of the scheduled testing time. If you are late to the test and the door is closed you will need to contact the Professor to set up a time to take the test, do not knock or open the door. You are not allowed to have anything with you during the exam except a pencil and paper which will be provided. All personal electronics including smart watches must be left at the front of the classroom.

Current ATI Proficiency levels for the exam are:

• Level 3: 85.0% - 100%

• Level 2: 66.7% - 84.9%

• Level 1: 56.7% - 66.6%

• Below Level 1: 0.0% - 56.6%

ATI Proficiency Level Definitions*

LEVEL 1 = Scores meeting the Proficiency Level 1 standard can be considered to meet the absolute minimum expectations for performance in this content area and likely to just meet NCLEX-RN® standards in this content area.

LEVEL 2 = Scores meeting the Proficiency Level 2 standard can be considered to exceed minimum expectations for performance in this content area and fairly certain to meet NCLEX-RN standards in this content area. LEVEL

LEVEL 3 = Scores meeting the Proficiency Level 3 standard can be considered to exceed most expectations for performance in this content area and likely to exceed NCLEX-RN standards in this content area.

Grades will be assigned according to proficiency level achieved and are as follows:

For students that reach Level 3 their grade will be 100%
For students that reach Level 2 their grade will be 85%
For students that reach Level 1 their grade will be 70%
For Students who get Below Level 1 their grade will be equivalent to the score they achieved. (i.e. if achieved 53% that is the score they will get for the ATI.

Remediation: for Level 1 and below level 1 scores
Any student that gets a LEVEL 1 or BELOW LEVEL 1 proficiency score on the first ATI exam must do remediation consisting of a professor approved study plan that is a minimum of 8 hours. Remediation time will be tracked through your online access. You are responsible for logging this time & emailing the log to the professor weekly before class. This time is in addition to course assignments/exams and any time spent doing course assignments/ATI exams (e.g., exam tickets or exams) will not count towards this required remediation time. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with the professor within 3 business days of taking the ATI to develop an approved study plan. You must come prepared with a SMART goal plan to present. You must meet with the professor weekly to discuss your progress. Remediation must be completed at least one week prior to the next ATI exam date/time. Failure to complete remediation for any ATI exam or failure to meet with the professor will jeopardize your likelihood of passing the course.

6. Nursing Mental Health Presentation

Working in groups of four, you will create an information pamphlet, write a case study and 2 NCLEX style questions on your assigned topic. You will present the case study in class to advance everyone’s knowledge and clinical judgement through experience and sharing.

You will prepare a focused, approximately 10-minute (8-12) presentation including a case study.

The pamphlet needs to include the following:

• 1. BRIEF overview of the condition/topic – what do we NEED TO KNOW?

• 2. Common or expected signs/symptoms (S/S) (DSM-5 criteria)

• 3. What conditions/etc. can mimic these S/S or present similarly (i.e., what other causes should be considered or ruled out?)

• 4. Most relevant/important pharmacological measures

• 5. Most relevant/important non-pharmacological measures

• 6. Potential issues/complications

• 7. Nursing assessment & intervention priorities.

You present your assigned topic on the corresponding assigned date, or the late policy will apply. You upload your work onto Canvas by 11:59pm the Sunday BEFORE you present, or you will lose points. The associated grading rubric for this assignment is on Canvas. Please also email the instructor post your pamphlet. Do not include the NCLEX style questions on your pamphlet but you may include them in your presentation. They will be used in quizzes.

Mental Health Presentation Rubric

Total Points

TOTAL POINTS: 100

Assignments are due at the time designated by faculty. Due dates/times are posted in the syllabus/course calendar. If you know you will miss a class in advance of the due date/time submit materials early IF the assignment permits. No assignments, quizzes or exams will be extended beyond the posted deadline. Anything submitted after the deadline may earn a zero.

Regular attendance of all classes is expected and required in course-related clinical experiences. You will not be allowed to take the daily quiz if you are not in class and will lose attendance points for that day.

The syllabus is an important source of information about your course. It is the contract between the student and the instructor about expectations for learning and performance. Students are responsible for reviewing the syllabus to ensure that assignments are submitted in a timely manner and meet the specified requirements for this course as explained in the syllabus. “Information contained in this syllabus, other than grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor” (Course Syllabus Policy 6.36, SUU). It is your responsibility to determine changes to the syllabus or assignments announced in your absence.