COURSE CURRICULUM

The Mental Health Nursing programme is structured to develop the advanced clinical knowledge, professional values and practical competencies required for registration as a skilled and compassionate mental health nurse. A key component of the curriculum is A Partnership in Care – Valuing the Experts by Experience, which develops students’ understanding of qualitative research methods and interpretative approaches used in healthcare and applied psychology. Students explore research methodologies including phenomenological, ethnographic, social constructionist, discursive and narrative approaches while gaining practical experience in interview design, data collection and advanced qualitative data analysis techniques such as Grounded Theory, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and discourse analysis. The module concludes with the completion of a substantial qualitative research proposal and feasibility study. Biopsychosocial Assessment and Decision Making in Mental Health Nursing builds upon previous learning to further develop students’ clinical reasoning and decision-making skills across the age continuum, enabling them to assess and manage complex caseloads, lead multidisciplinary teams and deliver care for individuals, families and carers in a range of healthcare settings. Contemporary Public Health in Nursing Practice develops understanding of public health principles and the role of nurses in improving health outcomes at local, national and global levels while examining health inequalities, legislation and public health policies that influence wellbeing. Developing a Skilled and Compassionate Mental Health Nurse runs throughout the academic year and supports the integration of theoretical learning with clinical practice, helping students strengthen practical nursing skills and prepare for placements in hospital and community settings. Leading Innovative Evidence-Based Nursing focuses on research utilisation, leadership and service improvement by requiring students to identify a clinical issue, develop an evidence-based solution and demonstrate the leadership skills necessary to implement sustainable improvements in practice. The Integrated Evidence-Based Decision Making in Mental Health Nursing module introduces students to evidence-based practice frameworks and decision-making theories that support safe, effective and person-centred care in diverse mental health settings. Together, these modules prepare graduates to become confident, resilient and future-ready mental health nurses capable of delivering high-quality compassionate care and leading positive change within modern healthcare services.