Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Mental Health Nursing

Apply to Longford College of FE

Overview

The purpose of mental health nursing is to promote mental health and wellbeing for individuals experiencing mental illness and psychological distress. This includes working collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team to plan, support and deliver individualised nursing care.

Mental health nurses also play a role in supporting families and communities in responding to mental health challenges. Care is provided for people of all ages, across a range of settings, including acute environments such as hospitals, as well as in people’s homes and community-based services. Supporting ongoing recovery is a central and essential role of mental health nursing.

Incorporating the Level 5 Nursing Studies with the BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing gives students the opportunity to start their preparation for the Mental Health Nursing degree programme in the FE sector.

This programme is five years in duration. Year one will be delivered under Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) in the location of Longford College of Further Education (LCFE), Connally Campus. Students who successfully complete this year will be awarded an NFQ Level 5 QQI Major Award in Nursing Studies (5M4349).

Students will then progress to TUS Athlone where they will start in year one of a four-year degree programme leading to a BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing.

The aim of the programme is to provide students with an opportunity to learn the essential knowledge, skills and competencies associated with mental health nursing. Students will develop fundamental nursing skills to enable them to provide care in a variety of healthcare environments.
Students who successfully complete this five-year programme will be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).

Provider Locations and Structure

Year 1 based in the following ETB location:

• Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) – Longford College of Further Education, Connally Campus, Longford.

Years 2 to 5 based in the following TUS campus:

• Department of Nursing & Healthcare, Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Athlone Campus, University Road, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, N37HD68

Course Content – For All Years

Year 1: –LCFE, Connally Campus, Longford

Students will study the following modules:
• Work Experience (5N1356)

• Safety & Health at Work (5N1794)

• Communications (5N0690)

• Anatomy & Physiology (5N0749)

• Care Skills (5N2770)

• Human Growth & Development (5N1279)

• Nursing Theory & Practice (5N4325)

• Social Studies (5N1370)

Care Support (5N0758) (Optional)

Year 2: TUS Athlone – Students will study the following:

Semester 1

• Anatomy, Physiology & Microbiology

• Evidence Based Practice for Healthcare

• Preparation for Practice (Mental Health Nursing)

• Principles & Practice of Mental Health Nursing Care

• Psychology and Communication

• Clinical Placement I

Semester 2

• Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health

• Professional Legal and Ethical Issues in Mental Health Nursing

• Sociology and Health

• Community Mental Health Nursing

• Clinical Placement II

Year 3: TUS Athlone – Students will study the following:

Semester 1

• Mood and Emotional Disorders

• Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

• Health Studies

• Care of the Older Person (Mental Health Nursing)

• Care of the Adult in the General Hospital

• Clinical Placement III (Mental Health Nursing)

Semester 2

• Specialist Adult Care Groups

• Enduring Mental Health Difficulties

• Groups and Group Therapies

• Emergency Care in Mental Health Nursing

• Clinical Placement IV (Mental Health Nursing)

Year 4: TUS Athlone – Students will study the following:

Semester 1

• Physical Health and Mental Illness

• Bereavement and Loss

• Therapeutic Approaches and Counselling Skills

• Research Appreciation

• Clinical Placement V (Mental Health Nursing)

Semester 2

• Sociology and Psychology Applied to Mental Health Nursing

• Personality and Personality Disorder

• Biomedical Treatments in Mental Illness

• Challenging Legal and Ethical Issues in Mental Health Nursing

• Clinical Placement VI (Mental Health Nursing)

• Social and Community Engagement (Elective Module)

• Coping Strategies for Confinement (Elective Module)

• Nursing Healthcare Informatics (Elective Module)

• Recovery Narratives (or Education) in Action (Elective Module)

Year 5: TUS Athlone – Students will study the following:

Semester 1

• Health and Social Policy

• Integrated Mental Health Nursing Practice

• Clinical Placement VII (Mental Health Nursing Pre-internship)

• Preparation for Internship (Mental Health Nursing)

• Leadership, Management, Educational and Professional Issues in Mental Health Nursing

Semester 2

• Clinical Placement VIII (Mental Health Nursing Internship)

Accreditation and Embedded Awards

This tertiary programme is designed to support academic success over a five-year period. However, if a student leaves before completing the final year, this programme offers embedded awards that formally recognise learning achieved during a student’s time on the programme.

The following are the embedded awards associated with this programme:
• After successfully completing Year 1 of 5: NFQ Level 5 QQI Major Award in Nursing Studies 5M4349, 120 FET Credits.

• After successfully completing Year 3 of 5: NFQ Level 6 Higher Certificate in Mental Health Studies, 120 ECTS Credits from TUS.

• After successfully completing Year 4 of 5: NFQ Level 7 BSc in Mental Health Studies, 180 ECTS Credits from TUS.

• After successfully completing Year 5 of 5: The final NFQ Level 8 BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing is awarded by TUS, which is equivalent to 240 ECTS Credits.

Planned Intake (Number of Places)

5 Places

Entry Requirements and Eligibility

Prospective students wishing to be accepted onto this programme must meet the following minimum entry requirements:
Education: Students must have previously achieved at least an NFQ Level 4 Major Award, or equivalent.

English Language Requirement: All applicants whose first language is not English and who have not been educated through the medium of English must demonstrate CEFR proficiency at B2 for access. An Irish Leaving Certificate/Leaving Certificate Applied/QQI qualification achieved through English meets this requirement.

Mature Students: Those that do not meet the minimum entry requirements and who are aged 23 years or over (on the 1 January of the calendar year they commence the programme) may be assessed on their merits, taking into account their life experience, work or community experience, and prior learning.

Non-EU/EEA Applicants: Additional requirements may apply to non-EU/EEA applicants, and they may be subject to full international fees. Further information relating to this is available from TUS Admissions Office.

Additional Information:

Applicants to the programme will be invited to attend a short interview to ascertain their suitability for the programme.

Applicants will also be asked to write a 500 – 1,000-word personal statement outlining why they have an interest in this area of learning and why they wish to study in LWETB.

During this interview applicants will have an opportunity to ask questions about the programme and explain why they would like to be a student starting their degree with Longford and Westmeath ETB.
The interview will also give applicants the opportunity to demonstrate their communication skills, which are essential for working as a mental health nurse. Applicants should also show empathy and patience, the ability to work well with others, and the capacity to solve problems and remain calm in stressful or emergency situations.

Applicants should also note that some aspects of this programme are physically demanding.

Learners interested in this course should enjoy working in a dynamic and constantly evolving environment. They should enjoy working with others and be committed to delivering supportive care to people. Learners must also have an interest in mental health and recovery, along with good communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.

Garda Vetting: This programme requires students to be Garda Vetted; as a vetting disclosure is valid for three years only, over the course of the programme, students will be vetted more than once.

Onward Pathways

On successful completion of this programme, graduates may apply to register as a Psychiatric Nurse to the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), the profession’s regulatory body.

After registration, graduates will be ready to start work as qualified psychiatric nurses in a variety of clinical settings, including hospitals and community mental health facilities.

Further Study:

Students who successfully complete this programme may be eligible to continue their academic progression in other disciplines of nursing or undertake taught postgraduate studies with TUS or another HEIs providing they meet the requisite entry requirements.

Those who achieve a first or 2:1 Honours degree may be eligible to undertake an MSc or PhD by research in nursing or a similar discipline within the Faculty of Science and Health at TUS.

Special Features

To progress to TUS, Athlone from LCFE, Connolly Campus, Longford. Students must achieve the full QQI Level 5 Nursing Studies Award (5M4349), with a minimum of five distinctions which must include two of the following:

• Anatomy and Physiology, and
• Nursing Theory & Practice or Care Support.