Adult and Mental Health Nursing MNurs (Hons) (Integrated Master's)

This module will facilitate you to explore the principles of evidence-based practice in detail. You will consider the value of interprofessional collaboration, and foundational research skills. It explores how integrating research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values improves healthcare outcomes, and prepares students to contribute to service improvement through collaborative, research-informed approaches.

Indicative content 

1. Problem solving within an interprofessional context, including evidence-based decision-making, hierarchies of knowledge and service user perspectives.
2. Interprofessional learning and collaboration: Remit, roles and responsibilities; sharing knowledge in health and social care.
3. Research: literature searching across evidence bases, research appraisal and critical thinking, ethics and governance.
4. Service improvement and innovation methodologies: audit, quality assurance, evaluation, continuous improvement, clinical governance, service user co-production.
5. Drivers influencing interprofessional health and social care: organisational and national policy, socio-political and economic drivers.

This module will focus on field specific nursing conditions with increasing complexity and service users with co-morbidities. The module will explore identification and management of risk and factors which influence this.

Aim - To provide students with practice learning opportunities which provide a range of experiences across fields. The module will build on cross field and field specific skills for nursing. The learner will actively participate in and work towards increasing confidence and competence is able to provide care.

Aim - To apply knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, principles of pharmacology and how these are applied in field specific nursing practice.

This module aims to explore health promotion and prevention of ill health in your chosen field of practice. The aim is to demonstrate understanding of enhanced communication to empower and enable service users, and work effectively across the MDT / range of settings.

Aim - To provide students with practice learning opportunities which provide a range of experiences across fields. The module will build on cross field and field specific skills for nursing. The learner will actively participate in and work towards increasing confidence and competence is able to provide care with minimal guidance.

Preparation for the year abroad will take place in Chester during level 5 and will include:

• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Host-country orientation, study methods– economic, political and social reality of the country
• Orientation specific to exchange – health, education, gender issues
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Practical matters relating to living and studying in the wider world

Theories, models and strategies of learning

• Critical thinking skills, experiential learning and models of reflection

Personal and placement-related transversal skills

• Effective self-motivation and independent resourcefulness
• Effective time management and organisational skills
• Project management – working away from University and independent study
• Self-management and personal development

Whilst abroad:

You will undertake study at one of the University of Chester's partner universities or undertake and approved work placement or virtual placement. If you are a student,  it is expected that you will choose a series of modules at the university abroad which must be agreed by the host institution and the Module Leader. you must supply details of you modules on a learning agreement within 4 weeks of arrival at the host university.

This module will enable you to critically examine the complexities of human anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology in preparation for professional registration and readiness to prescribe

Indicative content 

1. Revision of anatomy and physiology, relevant pathophysiology, homeostasis across field specific nursing and beyond.
2. Consolidate understanding of pharmacological principles in order to become prescribing ready, completion of personal formulary. Use of BNF. Application of how illness affects pharmacology, adverse drug reactions, polypharmacy, Drug Interactions - Pharmacokinetic and Pharmaco-dynamic Interactions, prescribing errors and management of field specific issues which includes the individual variation for people of all ages.
3. Understanding the role of the nurse prescriber, developing consultation skills apply knowledge of pharmacology to the care of people, the role of generic, unlicensed, and off-label prescribing and the potential risks associated with these approaches to prescribing. and consideration to the psychosocial impact. Knowledge of how prescriptions can be generated, consent, concordance, adherence and duty of care in prescribing with consideration to the psychosocial impact. Influences on prescribing including organisational and pharmaceutical companies. Preparation to progress to a prescribing qualification following registration.

This module will support you in your transition to professional registration by fostering leadership and teaching skills essential for delivering safe, effective, and forward-thinking care in 21st-century nursing

Indicative content 

The cross field content of this module is designed to enable students to meet the needs of service users and carers from all four fields of practice and as such the delivery will include examples and application to all service user groups. 

1. Continuing professional development and accountability: the role of practice supervisor, practice assessor, academic assessor and practice clinical supervision, delegation, action planning for personal development and principles of lifelong learning.
2. Supporting learning: preparation for a teaching role; learning and teaching strategies; peer supervision; skills of teaching and facilitation; Inter-professional Learning (IPL), coaching.  
3. Developing leadership through an examination of effective leadership traits, intelligent kindness, compassionate leadership, role modelling and reflection. Consideration of delegation and team working.
4. Nurturing the future generation of nurses through compassion, empathy, prevention of burnout, time management, self awareness.

This module aims to develop your understanding of the processes involved in creating a service improvement proposal, with the goal of enhancing care delivery in 21st-century healthcare settings and supporting your transition to professional registration.

Indicative content 

The cross field content of this module is designed to enable students to meet the needs of service users and carers from all four fields of practice and as such the delivery will include examples and application to all service user groups. 

1. Continuing professional development: Understanding the political drivers for 21st century healthcare, decision making strategies, types of power used in managing teams.
2. Supporting innovation: preparing the culture for innovation; change theories and models; quality and governance.  
3. Developing leadership potential: Leadership theory and styles, positive and negative leadership traits, using emotional intelligence.
4. Development of service improvement artefact.
5. Developing a business case for innovation, using evidence to support innovation, pitching and rationalising innovation. 

To provide students with practice learning opportunities which provide a range of experiences across fields. The module will build on cross field and field specific skills for nursing. The learner will actively participate in and work towards increasing confidence and competence is able to provide care with minimal guidance.

This module aims to consolidate your prior learning in numeracy throughout the nursing programme and to support you in achieving the required level of numeracy competence for entry onto the nursing register, in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards for Pre-registration Nursing Programmes (2018), Realising Professionalism: Standards for Education and Training, Part 3, Section 4.6.

The module will include the baseline skills needed to calculate medicines, measurements and other areas as required by the standards of proficiency for registered nurses (2018).

This module is designed to support you to progress to Master’s level, particularly those whose undergraduate degree falls below a 2:1 classification. The module will facilitate you to develop the academic skills necessary for success in postgraduate study to enable you to meet the assessment standards expected at Master’s level. Additionally, the module encourages the cultivation of a critical and reflective approach to both personal and academic experiences.

Indicative content includes:

Master's level writing skills, enhancing intellectual curiosity, forming an argument, drawing conclusions and making recommendations

Critical appraisal of the hierarchy of evidence and the ability to synthesise a range of  viewpoints

Critical decision making; Reflection on practice.

Analysis and evaluation, synthesis.

During this module you will apply knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, principles of pharmacology and how these are applied in mental health nursing practice. You will:

1. Relevant anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, homeostasis and the application to field specific nursing: field genomics, respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, musculoskeletal, skin, endocrine, gastro intestinal and renal. Epidemiology and demography of field specific manifestations. Altered pathophysiology including signs of deterioration and sepsis. Example mental health: Revision of anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system including effects of smoking in the client group. Effects of inactivity and high levels of cardiovascular disease including premature death. High incidence of diabetes, weight gain and sexual dysfunction and understanding the underlying physiology and helpful interventions.
2. Impact of ageing on field specific groups, altered pathophysiology and psychosocial factors affecting homeostasis, including physiological and psychosocial impact of pain, anxiety, stress and discomfort. Example mental health: positive symptom reduction in psychosis in older people, loneliness and isolation of people with mental illness, chronicity in severe mental illness, physiology of dementia.
3. Advancing pharmacology mental health field specific knowledge, introduction to and the impact of poly pharmacy, medication usage and treatments, continued completion of personal formulary, knowledge of pharmacology and the ability to recognise the effects of medicines, allergies, drug sensitivities, side effects, contra-indications, incompatibilities, adverse reactions, prescribing errors and over the counter medication usage in field specific nursing. Application of mental capacity in medicines management. Example Mental Health: compatibility of medicines used in mental health settings i.e. interaction of commonly prescribed anti-psychotics, anti-depressants and mood stabilisers with more commonly prescribed medicines in general population. Complexity of substance misuse including alcohol and the interaction with prescribed medicines (although more common in younger population). Consider education around legal highs and accessibility of drugs on line.
4. Application of the principles of pharmacology and pharmacokinetics relating to a range of field specific conditions and related to management of interventions as applied to the mental health field.

The field content of this module is designed to enable students to meet the needs of service users and carers in their fields of practice and also deliver cross field care all service user groups

1. Communication – developing therapeutic relationships with service users experiencing a range of mental health problems across all age ranges, their families and carers; empower and enable service users using collaborative approaches to achieve optimum health and wellbeing and independence; working in teams; MDT communication; documentation; handover & sharing of information; education. Using evidence based conceptualisations of specific disorders to enhance an empathetic understanding. Role modelling and the impact of self on service user & MDT outcomes; emotional intelligence; leadership; motivation; ethical considerations.
2. Application of public health and health promotion to mental health nursing, to include prevention of ill health; suicide prevention, physical health in mental health, health inequalities; impact of stigma; life experiences & choices. Socio-economic factors; impact of spirituality, culture and cultural competence brief interventions. Rural and urban perspectives.
3. Person centred care; family centred care; integrated care; collaborative working; recovery based interventions, prioritisation of care; care planning; evidence based practice in relation to mental health, therapeutic activity and use of arts and humanities in mental health nursing. Using evidence based conceptualisations of specific disorders to enhance construction and delivery of high quality & safe person centred care.
4. Coordinating complex need for people experiencing mental health problems; co-morbidities in relation to mental health, and mental health and physical health problems. Complex social needs. Recognition, assessment, observation and management of deteriorating patient, including identification of appropriate investigations, interventions & escalation. Understanding of the Care Programme Approach within mental health provision. Recognition and management of risk to self and others to ensure safe care – risk assessment tools; history gathering, safeguarding, impact of human factors; MDT approach; communication; working across different clinical & professional services.

Discharge and transition planning – simple and complex discharge; mental health care and aftercare, The Mental Health Act and Advocacy; transfer between teams; rural and urban perspectives; interagency team work, collaboration and family centred care –accurate communication and documentation.

As a student, you will be provided with practice learning opportunities which provides a range of experiences across fields. The module will build on cross-field and field-specific skills for nursing. You will actively participate in and work towards increasing confidence and competence to providing care with minimal guidance.

The field content of this module is designed to enable you to meet the needs of service users and carers in their fields of practice and also deliver cross-field care all service user groups

1. Maintaining self-care including reflective practice, reasonable adjustments in practice plan (RAPP), emotional intelligence, resilience, healthy lifestyle choices and clinical supervision. Advocacy and challenging discrimination. Record keeping, confidentiality, privacy and dignity, promoting professionalism in others. Mentoring and supervising others. Being a professional role model.
2. Completing whole body assessment using different strategies and technologies to assist. Assessing capacity and making reasonable adjustments when a person lacks capacity. Referring to other health and social care professionals and services.
3. Recognising deterioration in mental, physical, and emotional health and recognising vulnerability and reducing harm from others. Keeping accurate and legible records, symptom management with increasing complexity including pain, distress, anxiety and confusion. Working with families in partnership and using digital technologies to assist. Using advanced communication techniques and strategies.  
4. Participate in nursing procedures including assessing skin status and hygiene and providing wound care including aseptic technique, product selection and drain management, nutritional assessment and artificial hydration and nutrition including insertion and removal of nasogastric tubes, assessment and promotion of self-management in bladder and bowel continence and removal and insertion of different urinary catheters in all genders, neurological observations and seizure management, supporting mobility and managing falls, respiratory assessment including peak flow, chest auscultation and administration of oxygen via different routes. Nasal and oral Suctioning techniques, blood glucose monitoring, cardiac assessment including ECG and infection prevention and control methods. Social prescribing practice.
5. Interpretation of normal and abnormal blood profiles and venepuncture and cannulation skills. Managing transfusion of blood components, Recognising and treating sepsis, positive risk taking and risk aversion.
6. Safe and effective discharge planning across services and caseloads, negotiation and advocacy of people and making reasonable adjustments to aid assessment, planning and delivery of care. Leadership and management in own field of nursing including advanced leadership, commissioning and political understanding of the context of practice.
7. Medicines management, application in practice of knowledge of pharmacology. Preparation and administration of medications. Accurate documentation for medicines management. Medicines calculations. Recognising and escalating concerns of harm from medication administration and errors, reporting adverse events and incidents using appropriate reporting methods.