COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course enables the students to recognize and appreciate the causes, symptoms and process of abnormal human behaviour. It also introduces the student to the present day treatment modalities in the light of psychological, social and cultural factors affecting human behaviour. This course helps the student to learn principles of mental health and psychiatric nursing and to develop beginning skills in the management of the mentally ill in hospital and community.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of course, the student will

1. Identify and describe the philosophy and principles of mental health nursing.
2. Describe the historical development of mental health and psychiatric nursing.
3. Classify mental disorders.
4. Develop skill in history taking and performing mental status examinations.
5. Describe etiological factors, psycho-pathology, clinical features, diagnostic criteria and treatment methods used for mental disorders.
6. Manage the patients with various mental disorders.
7. Communicate therapeutically with patients and their families.
8. Identify the role of the nurse in preventive psychiatry.
9. Identify the legal aspects in practice of mental health and psychiatric nursing.