Field Specific Handbook

(Mental Health)

ContentsPage Number

Introduction3

Field team philosophy3 - 4

Structure and organisation of the field5

Aim of the field6 - 8

-Level 4 modules

-Level 5 modules

-Level 6 modules

Roles and responsibilities9 - 11

Student

Personal academic guide (PAG)

Field lead

Module co-coordinator

Senior lecture-practice (SL-P)

Mentor in clinical practice

Student support12 - 14

Field team

About your studies

Services and facilities for students

Student support services

Centre for academic practice (CfAP)

Student union

Policies, guidelines & forms

NILE

Personal development planning - NUPAD

Assessment15 - 17

Extensions

Mitigating circumstances

Plagiarism & academic misconduct

Confidentiality

Submission of course work

Results

Conclusion18

References19

Introduction

The course team would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on gaining a place on the course at the University of Northampton (UN) and extend our welcome to the field of nursing that focuses on the needs of adults. The field specific team hope you will enjoy your learning experience and personally find the course enriching and rewarding.

The BSc (Hons) Nursing Mental Health award aims to produce a graduate who has key skills in leadership, management and team working, which will enable them to lead and work in partnership with patients and other members of health and social care teams to ensure the delivery of safe, evidence based care. Within this context the field team believe that each patient is a unique individual who participates actively within their own health care experience.

Mental Health Nurses are fundamental to the management and delivery of high quality healthcare since they are significantly involved in most interventions, treatments or healthcare programmes (DH, 2010). The delivery of high quality care requires nurses to be appropriately educated and autonomous at the point of registration and beyond if the health needs of society are to be continually met.

Mental Health nursing is a discipline within its own right and the nurse will engage with the public within primary, community and secondary health settings, which may involve the patient’s own home, nursing homes and the acute/critical hospital environment.Within these areas the nurse may also engage in the care of patients from the other nursing fields and midwifery. The theoretical and practice components of the course have therefore been designed to ensure the field specific nurse, at the point of registration, is able to confidently assess the needs of these client groups, plan a programme of care and make appropriate referral (NMC, 2010).

Field Team Philosophy

The philosophy underpinning the field specific pathway reflects the NMC Standards of Competence (2010) with the teaching and learning focusing on the NMC’s identified domains, which are:

  • Professional Values
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Nursing practice and decision making
  • Leadership, management and team working

Considering the above domains we believe the mental health field programme of study should promote:

  • caring attitudes and compassion
  • the therapeutic value of being non-judgemental and empathic
  • promote self-awareness, ensuring that students adopt an all- inclusive approach to service delivery

The mental health nursing programmes mission is to develop, support and encourage student nurses who are:

  • autonomous, self-reliant, safe and respectful of the rights of the individual;
  • are knowledgeable practitioners who can use an evidence based approach to person centred care
  • put service users at the heart of service delivery

The field team also believe that learning is a life-long process and that you will begin this journey within a preregistration programme where the field specific content aims to develop students who have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. These skills will enable you to form effective partnerships with practice partners, patients and their carers’.

Structure and Organisation of the Field

The curriculum structure is underpinned by the belief that holistic, effective adult focused care requires knowledge from many inter-related disciplines (such as biosciences, psychology, sociology, professional bodies and ethics).

Contributions to development of the curriculum were made by students, service users, academics, including senior lecturers with a practice focus, nursing staff, mentors and advanced practitioners.

Module teams were developed according to areas of expertise to ensure current and informed delivery.

During the development of the field specific curriculum, the team were conscious that the future field specific nurse would need to act autonomously within diverse and changing areas of practice with the ability to respond to planned and unexpected situations. With this in mind you will undertake a journey of development through the following levels:

Level 4

Participate in the delivery of identified plans of care

Level 5

Recognise and initiate appropriate and timely interventions through discussions with a first level nurse

Level 6

Manage care using appropriate leadership, time management and decision making skills which incorporate a sound evidence base and rationale

To facilitate your progress throughout these levels the field has utilised a modular framework. Within each level you will initially undertake a Preparation for practice modulefollowed bytheoretical and practice modules.

At level four two of the theoretical modules are shared across nursing fields and the third module along with the two practice learning opportunities are field specific.

At levels five and six all modules (with the exception of the dissertation module) are field specific

Examples of health care environments that you may experience throughout your journey include:

  • Community – this includes non-bedded hospital environments, district nurse placements, nursing homes, prisons, urgent care centres, hospices
  • Hospital – this includes inpatient acute wards and critical care facilities.

In addition to these formal hubs you will be expected to negotiate informal spokes with your mentors. These areas will be related to your hub and enable to you gain additional knowledge and skills to enhance your delivery and management of holistic patient-focused care.

Aim of the Field

To prepare mental health nurses who are able to work flexibly within changing environments. Through effective leadership the adult nurse will be able to manage, organise and deliver care which has a sound evidence base(NMC, 2010).

To achieve this you will be able to:

  • Work in partnership to ensure the rights and choices and wishes of all patients within your care are met
  • Demonstrate active listening skills in a caring and empathic manner
  • Understand the roles and responsibilities of other health and social care professionals, and work collaboratively to ensure the holistic needs of all patients are met
  • Accurately assess patients of all ages using appropriate diagnostic and decision-making skills. This will require an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the sciences and artistry of the field of nursing in order to ensure dependency and complex needs of patients are met
  • Co-ordinate patient care through the use of effective communication, teamwork and leadership skills

Brief module overviews:

Year 1 – Level 4

NPR1016 – Practice Development – Pam Roke

The module will enable you to:

  • Participate in care delivery and consolidate safe participation in the delivery of essential skills

Assessment

Theoretical portfolio of evidence

NPR1015 -Development of Personal and Professional Self –Peter Stuart

The module will enable you to:

  • Acquire and develop the skills and attitudes needed to engage in undergraduate study
  • Explore the professional knowledge base required for undertaking your future nursing role

Assessment

Theoretical portfolio of evidence

NPR 1018- Foundations in Mental Health Nursing-Stepthen Gregory/Roger Keenoo

The module will enable you to:

To appreciate the significance of service users' experience and the bio-psycho-social factors which contribute to effective and sensitive care.

To have the opportunity to explore a range of skills and therapeutic interventions to assist the individual to optimum wellbeing within hospital and community settings.

Assessment

Multi-choice examination

Enquiry based learning essay

Year 2 - Level 5

NPR2057 – Practice Development – Rosemarie Boyle

The module will enable you to:

  • Make the transition from a participant to an initiator of care

through the consolidation of essential skills

Assessment

Theoretical portfolio of evidence

NPR2056 – Applied Research in Public Health – Jacquie Ridge

The module will enable you to:

  • Explore the concept of the research process as a vehicle for developing knowledge, skills and professional curiosity in order to inform public health practice within clinical pathways

Assessment

Public health research proposal & Poster presentation via DVD

NPR2061 – Primary and Secondary Mental Health Care –Andy Peel

The module will enable the you:

  • To develop and be able to demonstrate an increased awareness and critical understanding of common mental health disorders.
  • To develop a critical understanding regarding the role of the clinician in the detection, assessment and management of these disorders within both the Primary and Secondary health care settings.

Assessment

Individual presentation(20 minutes) andan essay (3,000 words)

Year 3 – Level 6

NPR3027 – Practice Development – Win Hughes

The module will enable you to:

  • Consolidate your skills in preparation for leading the delivery of

care in practice

  • Manage the transition to registered nurse

Assessment

Theoretical portfolio of evidence

NPR3029 – Enhancing Service Delivery within Specialist Mental Health Care –Tania Morris

The module will enable you to:

  • To gain skills and knowledge in the specialist areas of forensic mental health, substance misuse, and childhood mental health.
  • Provide a broad and comprehensive skill and knowledge base to allow you to work effectively within a clinical team once registered
  • Develop your existing knowledge and skill base during the transition phase from student nurse to registered nurse

Assessment

Seen Exam and an essay (3000 words)

NPR4003 – Dissertation-Practice Focused Project – Cindy O’Dell

The module will enable you to:

  • Utilize a previously approved project plan within practice to evaluate/ audit an existing service or standard of care
  • Develop a collaborative research partnership with colleagues in practice

Assessment

Dissertation

Practice Modules

Year 1 - Level 4 - NPR1017P – Nursing Practice 1

The module will enable you to:

  • Demonstrate that they have achieved the skills and professional behaviours identified at the first progression point by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2010)
  • Demonstrate the ability to participate in holistically delivered patient-centred compassionate care in a wide range of settings.

Year 2 - Level 5 - NPR2058P – Nurisng Practice 2 -Samantha Gray

The module will enable you to:

  • Demonstrate that they have achieved the skills and professional behaviours identified at the second progression point by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2010).
  • Demonstrate the ability to initiate holistic patient-centred compassionate care in a wide range of settings.

Year 3 – Level 6 – NPR3028P – Nursing Practice 3 – Claire Clinker/Emma Dillon

The module will enable you to:

  • Demonstrate that they have achieved the competencies needed to meet the criteria for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010).
  • Demonstrate management and leadership in the provision of care in a wide range of settings.

Assessment

Practice Portfolio/Ongoing Achievement Record

Roles and Responsibilities

All aspects of student support require clearly defined roles and responsibilities, which have been outlined below:

Student:

As a student you have primary responsibility for your own learning and to make the appropriate people aware if you are experiencing difficulties. You also have responsibility to:

-Meet the theoretical and practical requirements of your programme along with assignment deadlines

-Behave in a professional manner at all times toward your profession and others – Student code (NMC,)

-Report and produce the required documentation for periods of sickness and absence

-Complete module evaluations and contribute to the National student survey (NSS)

-A professional requirement of the course is that you demonstrate that you have undertaken night duty in order to meet the 24 hour needs of clients. You will be expected to work a minimum of 100 hours of night duty, but no more than 200 hours, over the three year course. It is expected that 35-45 hours of this will take place in the third year.

You can use twilight shifts to achieve this. If you work 16.00 -24.00 then the hours between 20.00 and 24.00 would count as night hours

The National Student Survey collects data on an annual basis and mainly focuses on final year undergraduates in the UK. It is your opportunity to give your opinions on what you liked about your time at the University, as well as things that you felt could have been improved.

The questions allow you to provide feedback on a range of items, including what you thought about the academic support you received during your studies and how you felt about the organisation and management of your course. There's also space at the end for any positive and/or negative comments you have about the whole experience. Were you satisfied with the way cancelled lectures were handled? What were your thoughts on the advice and support available through your course? Write it down and let the University know! The National Union of Students (NUS) fully supports the NSS and sees it as an opportunity for students to shape the future of higher education. During January, eligible students will be sent an invitation email to complete the survey by Ipsos MORI. Later non-respondents will be contacted by post or ultimately by telephone. You can also go to to complete the survey. You may opt out of the survey at any point during the fieldwork.

To find out more visit or contact the National Student Survey team at Ipsos MORI directly at .

Whilst undertaking your studies with the UoN you may wish to undertake the role and responsibilities of student representative for your cohort. The university offers training for this role and discussion will take place during course induction. You may also consult the Student union or Student services for further information and guidance

Overall the Student Representative has responsibility for:

-Identifying issues and needs of students within their cohort and informing relevant members of staff when appropriate (e.g. module co-ordinator, field leader)

-Attending relevant meetings (e.g. Board of Study) to act as the

‘student voice’ and give effective feedback of information to their

cohort

-Act as a central point for information and guidance

-Liaise with other student representatives and the Student union. (NILE site is available within the SoH to facilitate communication and contact)

Personal academic tutor (PAT):

You will be allocated a tutor, normally from your field of intended practice, whose role will be to support and guide you throughout your course. They will be responsible for overseeing both your academic and personal progress and they will act as an important source of advice, support and guidance. You will meet early in the first term and at specified intervals and mutually agreed times, throughout your course.

Your PAT will also liaise with your mentors and the practice placement facilitator9s) to action plan informal short visits and alternative field of nursing exposure visits. If areas of concern are raised your PAG will be responsible for addressing these with you and providing appropriate support, guidance and referral if required. They will also produce your end of course reference.

Your PAT will also be responsible for assessing and providing you with appropriate and timely feedback for the following modules:

- Year1, Level 4 - Role development

- Years 1-3, Levels 4,5,6 - Preparation for practice

Field lead:

The field leader has responsibility for ensuring the academic integrity, relevance and coherence of the field specific elements of the programme and your student experience. The field lead is also responsible for monitoring your progress and achievements for the elements of the course specific to your chosen field. The field lead also has responsibility to ensure you receive appropriate academic guidance and that support mechanisms are accessible and available should you need access

Module co-ordinator:

The module co-ordinator has responsibility for maintaining the currency and standard of the module through annual review, taking into account student evaluations. This will involve a review of the teaching, learning and assessment strategies and implementation of relevant quality assurance policies.

The module lead is also responsible for the organisation, management and delivery of the module and to ensure communication to students is clear

Senior lecturer – practice (SL-P):