Keiser University

Bachelor of Science Degree

Course Prefix & Number: NUR3525

Course Title: Mental Health Concepts in Nursing

Course Format: Face –to-Face

Credit Hours: 2.0 Semester Credit Hours

Lecture Hours: 30 hours

Course Schedule: Tuesday 1430 to 1630

Prerequisites: ABSN/ FBSN: Successful completion of third semester

Nursing major courses.

Traditional: Successful completion of all Nursing major

courses from semesters one through six.

Faculty: Dr. Maureen Walls Sileo

Office Hours: By appointment

Course Description: This course evaluates the biological-behavioral concepts,

therapeutic communication, and standards of practice for
the care of psychiatric mental health nursing
situations. Critical thinking and evidenced-based practice
guides nursing responses toward effective stabilization and
long-term maintenance strategies for an improved quality
of life within the community. Legal, ethical, cultural, and
developmental considerations are integrated into patient
and family-centered care.

Program Philosophy & Mission:
The philosophy and mission of the Bachelor of Science in
Nursing (Pre-licensure) Program is congruent with that of
Keiser University. The Keiser University mission statement
and philosophy maintain that the University is a two-year,
four-year, and graduate-level institution that prepare
students of diverse backgrounds for career entry,
advancement, or degree completion. One of the primary
goals of the University is to continually change, improve,

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 and ensure the effectiveness of the University’s programs
in preparing students for successful careers. These
statements are testimony to the integral relationship of the
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Pre-licensure) Program to
the mission of Keiser University and the commitment of
the University to the Program’s implementation and
success. Educating registered nurses at the baccalaureate
level and thereby enhancing their ability to achieve growth
and success in their careers meets the criteria of one of the
major goals of the University.

This framework includes the broad competency areas of

knowledge, critical thinking, skills performance,
collaboration, caring, and professionalism. Each of these
areas are reflected in program outcomes that build upon
prior learning and incorporate competencies at the
baccalaureate level as articulated in American Nurses
Association (ANA)’s Scope and Standards of Nursing
Practice.

Program Goal(s): Keiser University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing

program enables students to provide evidence-based
collaborative care to diverse patient populations in varied
settings. At the conclusion of the program, BSN graduates
will be able to:
1. Enact leadership, clinical decision-making, and
effective communications skills to provide and evaluate
safe high quality nursing services.
2. Creatively engage in rational inquiry utilizing evidence-
based nursing knowledge in both well-defined,
relatively common clinical situations, and in complex
clinical situations.
3. Employ information management and patient care
technology knowledge and skills to enhance the
delivery of quality patient care.
4. Maintain an understanding of system and organizational
level policy to provide appropriate direct and indirect
nursing care for ethnically, culturally, and/or spiritually
diverse patients and their families within varied
healthcare systems and settings.
5. Participate in and lead interprofessional healthcare
efforts to design and manage the care of individuals and
their families.
6. Practice nursing within ethical, legal, and humanistic
frameworks, promoting nursing’s values of altruism,
autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice

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 to provide quality, cost-effective care founded on health
promotion and disease prevention principles to
individuals, families, groups, communities, and
populations across the lifespan and across the
continuum of healthcare environments

Program Student Learning Outcomes:

Keiser University’s Bachelor of Science in nursing program enables students to provide

evidence-based collaborative care to diverse patient populations in varied settings. The
Programmatic Student Learning Outcomes are a culmination of measurable competencies,
consistent with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2008) Essentials of
Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (2008), which enable graduates to
practice within a complex healthcare system.

The Programmatic Student Learning Outcomes and their applicable Essentials are:

1. CARE COORDINATION
o Utilizes effective leadership, communication and collaboration for shared
decision making with the patient and multidisciplinary healthcare providers in
the deliberate organization, design and management of safe, high quality and
high value care for culturally and spiritually diverse patients across the
continuum of healthcare environments.
 Essential I: Liberal Education for Baccalaureate Generalist
Nursing Practice.
 Essential II: Basic Organizational and System Leadership for
Quality Care and Patient Safety.
 Essential VI: Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration
for Improving Patient Health Outcomes.
 Essential IX: Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice.
2. RESEARCH AND TRANSLATION
o Engages in scientific inquiry with a spirit of creativity, utilizes evidence-based
nursing knowledge, and translates data and information into nursing practice to
address common clinical scenarios.
 Essential III: Scholarship for Evidence Based Practice.
 Essential VI: Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration
for Improving Patient Health Outcomes.

3. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
o Utilizes patient care technology and information systems to communicate,
collaborate and support clinical decision-making in the delivery of quality
patient care in a variety of healthcare settings.
 Essential IV: Information Management and Application of Patient
Care Technology.

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  Essential VI: Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration
for Improving Patient Health Outcomes.

4. ADVOCACY AND POLICY

o Integrates professional nursing values, ethical, legal, and theoretical practice
frameworks fundamental to the discipline of nursing to influence health
promotion, disease prevention, healthcare policy, and regulation across the
lifespan and practice environments.
 Essential V: Health Care Policy, Finance, and Regulatory
Environments.
 Essential VII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health
 Essential VIII: Professionalism and Professional Values.

AACN: The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional

Nursing Practice
Essential I:
Liberal Education for
Baccalaureate Generalist
Nursing Practice
Essential II:
Basic Organizational and System
Leadership for Quality Care and
Patient Safety
Essential III:
Scholarship for Evidence Based
Practice
Essential IV:
Information Management and
Application of Patient Care
Technology
Essential V:
Health Care Policy, Finance, and
Regulatory Environments
Essential VI: Interprofessional
Communication and
Collaboration for Improving
Patient Health Outcomes
Essential VII:
Clinical Prevention and
Population Health
Essential VIII: Professionalism
and Professional Values
Essential IX:
Baccalaureate Generalist
A solid base in liberal education provides the cornerstone for
the practice and education of nurses.
Knowledge and skills in leadership, quality improvement, and
patient safety are necessary to provide high quality health
care.
Professional nursing practice is grounded in the translation of
current evidence into one’s practice
Knowledge and skills in information management and patient
care technology are critical in the delivery of quality patient
care.
Healthcare policies, including financial and regulatory,
directly, and indirectly influence the nature and functioning
of the healthcare system and thereby are important
considerations in professional nursing practice.
Communication and collaboration among healthcare
professionals are critical to delivering high quality and safe
patient care.
Health promotion and disease prevention at the individual
and population level are necessary to improve population
health and are important components of baccalaureate
generalist nursing practice.
Professionalism and the inherent values of altruism,
autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice are
fundamental to the discipline of nursing.
The baccalaureate-graduate nurse is prepared to practice with
patients, including individuals, families, groups,

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 Nursing Practice communities, and populations across the lifespan and across
the continuum of healthcare environments.
The baccalaureate graduate understands and respects the
variations of care, the increased complexity, and the
increased use of healthcare resources inherent in caring for
patients.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2008). The Essentials of baccalaureate education for professional
nursing practice. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/order-form/baccalaureate-essentials

Course Objectives: Upon completion of NUR3525, the student will:

1. Distinguish key components of mental health concepts that impact nursing care of
clients with mental health disorders. (CCNE Essential I)
2. Differentiate between psychotherapeutic techniques that are commonly used to assist
individuals with psychiatric conditions or who are in emotional distress. (CCNE Essential
I).
3. Utilize critical thinking and evidence-based nursing interventions in the care of
culturally diverse patients with psychiatric/mental health disorders. (CCNE Essential III)
4. Evaluate legal and ethical issues inherent in the care of patients with psychiatric/mental
health disorders. (CCNE Essential V, VIII)
5. Integrates and evaluates cultural, ethnic, and spiritual influences in designing a
treatment plan for patients with mental health diagnoses and psychiatric disorders.
(CCNE Essential I)
6. Discuss effective interdisciplinary collaboration toward improved clinical outcomes for
populations with psychiatric/mental health disorders and crisis intervention scenarios.
(CCNE Essential VI)
7. Apply appropriate therapeutic communication techniques for assessment and care of
patients with psychiatric conditions and/or in crisis situations. (CCNE Essential VI)
8. Advocates for equitable mental health services and care for all populations. (CCNE
Essential II, IX)
9. Analyze the role of the nurse in mental health prevention/promotion for persons of all
developmental stages. (CCNE Essential VII)

Grading and Evaluation Methods:

Evaluation Percent of Total Grade
Exams 30%
Assignments/projects 20%
ATI Exam: Mental Health 15%
HealthHealth
Quizzes 10%
Final Exam 20%
Post Test % 5%
Total Percentage: 100%
To advance in the nursing major of the program students are required to:
 Earn a minimum course grade of “B” with an 80.00% or higher.
 Earn a minimum score of 92% on each dosage calculation test (when applicable
& within two attempts)

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  Pass each critical skills performance for each major course (when applicable
& within two attempts)
 Pass each clinical component for each major course (when applicable)

Grading Scale
Letter Grade Numeric Grade
A 90.00-100.00%
B 80.00-89.99%
C 70.00-79.99%
D 65.00-69.99%
F Up to 64.99%

Required Textbook(s):
American Nurses Association. (2020). Essentials of
Nursing Practice Package (4th ed.). Silver Spring, MD:
ANA. FNDN2021

Townsend, M. C. (2020). Davis Advantage for Psychiatric

Mental Health Nursing. (10th ed.). FA Davis. ISBN:
9780803699670

Other Required Course Material:

ATI Nursing. (2019). Content mastery series review
module: Mental Health. (11th ed.). Stilwell, KS: ATI
publishing

Shadow Health Mental Health Digital Clinical Experience

ISBN: 9780989788854

Scholarly, peer-reviewed nursing journal articles when

applicable.

Topical Outline/Course Assignments/Calendar:

Course Guidelines and Policies

Academic Integrity
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic conduct, professional
honesty, and personal integrity. Plagiarism, cheating, and other misconduct are serious violations
and will not be tolerated, and may result in academic penalties, including suspension or
dismissal.

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Attendance
Students are expected to contact the instructor or leave a phone message with the Keiser
University receptionist before the start of the class if they will not be able to attend or will be
arriving late. The message should include the reason (e.g., illness, family emergency). Students
who leave class early will be responsible and accountable for all materials missed. Prior to class
the student must inform the instructor of the time they will be leaving. Students are expected to
notify their clinical instructor at least 60 minutes in advance of the clinical start time if they will
not be able to attend clinical or anticipate a late arrival. A documented emergency will be taken
under consideration by the Program. Note: Both the clinical instructor and/or preceptor (if
applicable) must be notified.

Participation
Participation is a basic requirement for an effective learning community. Class participation is
demonstrated by arriving to class early; paying attention during lectures and discussions;
respectful listening when someone else is speaking; being engaged in the class and in your
learning without distractions.

Testing Policy
Quizzes: students will not be able to makeup quizzes. Exams: makeup exams will be allowed
only with pre-approval of the instructor or with an acceptable, documented reason and Director
approval. Acceptable reasons for makeup exams include severe illness, family emergency or
other unavoidable events. Exam format for makeup exams may be different than the original
exam but the content for the exam will not change. Once an exam has begun; the student will not
be allowed to leave the classroom for any undocumented reason. Should the student leave the
testing environment, the exam must be turned in, will be considered complete, and will be graded
as such. No additional time will be given due to tardiness. Exam reviews will be conducted at the
discretion of the instructor or by appointment only. Performance check off: An unsuccessful
first attempt at a skills lab competency requires individual remediation during open lab hours
prior to a second and final attempt. Missed skills lab competency appointments will equate to an
unsuccessful attempt.

Late Assignments
Assignments are due at the start of class on the day noted. Late assignments will not be accepted.
Students with extenuating circumstances should discuss turning in work with their instructor in
advance of the due date whenever possible.

Grades
Grades will be posted on blackboard in accordance with Keiser University policies and
procedures. Students are expected to monitor their grades and progress. For questions regarding
grades, students are to make an appointment with their instructor within a reasonable time frame
of the grade posting.

Civility/Professionalism
This class is a community of learners, which means we will depend upon each other for support
and information. To learn, we must be open to the views of people different than ourselves.

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Please honor the uniqueness of your classmates and appreciate the opportunity we must learn
from one another. Please respect each other’s’ opinions and refrain from personal attacks or
demeaning comments of any kind. It is of the utmost importance to communicate with courtesy
and professionalism. Professional courtesy includes respecting other’s opinions, being courteous
and respectful, and working together in the spirit of cooperation. Professional behavior is defined
by the instructor. Cell phones or electronic devices are not permitted during class time and
should be off/ or on vibrate. It is up to the individual instructor whether they will allow recording
of their instruction or not. Each student is entitled to a positive learning environment.

Dress Code
Adherence to the dress code is always expected. Should a student choose not to be dressed as
stated in the Nursing Student Handbook, they may be asked to leave the classroom and be
directed to the Nursing Program Director for further instruction and advisement.

Communication
Blackboard will be utilized for course materials, resources, and updates. Students are also
encouraged to check their Keiser E-mail accounts on a regular basis. This will be the only E-mail
utilized in accordance with Keiser University policy.

University and Program Policies

Students are expected to abide by the policies set forth in the University Catalog and the Student
Program Handbook/Manual. The University Catalog is available electronically at
http://www.keiseruniversity.edu/catalog/. The Program Student Handbook/Manual is available
electronically at the direction of your instructor.

Disability Accommodations:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), students who require reasonable
accommodations due to a disability to properly execute coursework must complete the
application process and receive approval from the review committee. The first step is to consult
with the Campus President or Dean of Academic Affairs.

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