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BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing

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RS2725 Open Day (5) (2)
UCAS code: 
B760
Institution code: 
S82
Location: 
Ipswich

Hospital Placement Locations: 
Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust
Duration: 

Three years full-time.

September intake only

Typical Offer: 

2023-24 and 2024-25 entry; 112 UCAS tariff points (or above), BBC (A-Level), DMM (BTEC), Merit (T Level).

 

 

  • Nursing students will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year from September 2020.
  • This course includes clinical placements to gain practical skills and experience.
  • The team works very closely with local practice partners and service users who are involved in all aspects of curriculum development, course delivery and collaborative projects to support students.
  • The programme is delivered by a team composed of Mental Health Lecturers from a range of clinical backgrounds including specialist practitioners and therapists.
  • There is 100% employability within the local trust.
  • Our brand new Health and Wellbeing building, with dedicated specialist nursing facilities.

Introduction

Mental Health Nursing students will be encouraged to develop the skills of independent learning, critical analysis, leadership, management and decision making. Students develop the knowledge, values, understanding and skills required to care for individuals to enhance recovery from mental illness and promote mental health wellbeing.

Mental health nursing means working with individuals within a close professional relationship to help them achieve self-care and independence. This is a development process for the person being cared for and requires that the nurse has the highest levels of interpersonal and intrapersonal skill.

Personal insight and emotional maturity are essential characteristics of the qualified mental health nurse. This course aims to develop both as essentials to effective practice.

The School of Health and Sports Sciences is committed to embedding the NHS Constitution Values into everything we do; they define the behaviours and expectations of all our staff and students underpinning the work we do in the university and in the practice setting.

This course offers students the opportunity to focus on the specific health needs of service users and their family/carer(s). The nature of nursing means that students will be involved in working with the variety of people who access the services provided by the health care system. This will range in both the age of the patient and for a variety of reasons, either short or longer term mental health experiences and with the associated complexity of physical, social and emotional needs.

Further information about the University's relationship with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is available in the PSRB register

Course modules

Each semester consists of 50% practice and 50% theory. The focus is to develop core skills and knowledge on meeting the needs of service users and their family/carer(s) as well as promoting health and wellbeing.

Emphasis will be placed on keeping the service user at the centre of care delivery by supporting them to make informed choices and promoting individual recovery and wellbeing. A range of interventions and approaches, that address a wide range of short, acute and longer-term health conditions and that are used by both nurses and other members of the wider health and social care professional team, will be considered. 

Full downloadable information regarding all University of Suffolk courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Record.

Introduction to Professional Values for Mental Health Nurses
Early Intervention to Optimise Mental Health and Wellbeing
Creative Interventions in Mental Health to Support Person Centred Care
Fundamental Biosciences and Physical Health Care for Mental Health Nurses
Mental Health Nursing Practice: Part 1
Service User Led Assessment, Care Planning and Recovery
Research for Mental Health Nurses
Medication Management for Mental Health Nurses
Core Psychological approaches and Counselling Skills for Mental Health Nurses
Mental Health Nursing Practice: Part 2
Leading and Managing Care in an interprofessional context
Politics and Contemporary Nursing Practice
Dissertation

The dissertation module enables students to consolidate their learning throughout the curriculum, and apply the principles of research in an area related to practice enquiry. It further develops students’ understanding on how evidence is generated, retrieved, critically appraised and applied to practice. As a student progresses to registration they will be able to use clinical reasoning skills to guide and inform best practice decisions, and develop evidence-based practice for service users.

Delivering Complex Care
Mental Health Nursing Practice: Part 3

Career opportunities

Mental Health Nursing students are very employable and gain a range of skills throughout their degree. Graduates can progress in to a variety of careers including those in community and hospital settings, education and research. There are numerous opportunities for continued professional development and progression to higher degree study.

What our students say


"I was attracted to mental health nursing because of the values of personal self-determination, respect for the individual and the ethical practice that it promotes. Although psychiatry has had its uses it has not always promoted mental health. Contemporary mental health nursing however does and it in this area I want to work after I qualify. This course is equally as demanding as it is rewarding, the more you put in the more you get out. I have learned so much about people and like myself and them so much more as a result." Peter is at the end of the second year of the programme.
 

Fees and finance

2023-24

  • UK full-time tuition fee: £9,250 p.a
  • International full-time tuition fee: £17,768 p.a (inclusive of placement fee)

Further Information

At University of Suffolk, your tuition fees provide access to all the usual teaching and learning facilities that you would expect. However, there may be additional costs associated with your course that you will need to budget for. 

Entry requirements

Staff

Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing

Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing

Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing

Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing

Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing

Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing

Facilities and Resources

The clinical skills laboratory and the use of sophisticated computerised technology enable students to practice clinical skills in a safe environment. 

The course delivers a blended approach to teaching and learning at the Ipswich Waterfront Campus. Other approaches to learning include; clinical skills teaching; use of a virtual learning environment; large group teaching; small group teaching, presentations and private study. 

There is a range of clinical placements across Suffolk including acute inpatient units, psychiatric intensive care, a forensic unit and a range of community teams. Theoretical sessions are based at Ipswich for all mental health students. All clinical placements throughout the three year course are person focussed.

When working in practice you complete a 37½ hour a week, this includes early shifts, late shifts, long days, weekends and night shifts depending on where you are placed.

Please note: You are expected to work on placement during the whole seven day week period. Shift hours vary according to where you are based. You will be expected to work some night shifts across all three years.

 

View the below video to find out more about our brand new Health and Wellbeing building, opening early 2022.