Study Guide

Objective

MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE NURSING 7 ECTS MIPÄ
The study unit includes 2 ECTS of studies arranged in English
Objectives
Students will
• Acknowledge the role of promoting mental health as the basis for all mental health work
• Become familiar with the mental health and substance abuse service system and be able to work in a networked multiprofessional environment
• Know how to identify mental health and substance abuse patients’ needs for care, address any problems and instruct the patient to seek appropriate care,, document the needs for care, plan and administer care, evaluate the effectiveness of care and draw the necessary conclusions
• Be able to identify common mental disorders and know the basis of treating these disorders
• Be able to recognize the needs for care and backgrounds of patients of different ages
• Know how to promote occupational and patient safety in the treatment of mental health and substance abuse patients
• Understand how ethical guidelines, values, principles and legislation steer the treatment of mental health and substance abuse patients
• Know how to use mental health and substance abuse treatment methods while observing the principles of recovery orientation
• Understand the significance of working in a patient-nurse relationship and the meaning of work supervision and know how to guide the patient and their family members
• Know how to administer different modes of biological treatment safely and effectively, including pharmacotherapy, and how to provide psychosocial care in the treatment of mental health and substance abuse patients
• Have the resources to deal with aggressive or violent customers
• Understand how crises are part of normal human development and know how to define the needs for care of trauma-focused patients
• Understand the importance of expertise by experience in the development of comprehensive treatment

Content

Contents
Basics of mental health nursing
• Concept of positive mental health
• Mental health in society and components of mental health
• Care-related interaction (attitudes, ethics, professional interaction)
• Service system expertise
• National and international projects that aim to promote mental health
• Mental health legislation
o Process of involuntary treatment
o Seeking treatment voluntarily
• Empowering approach and Recovery model
• Facing a psychotic patient
• Crisis work
Children, adolescents and their families
• Childhood development and mental health
• Common mental health problems of children and adolescents
• Family support
The elderly
• Common mental health challenges and disorders of the elderly
• Substance abuse problems of the elderly
Preclinical training contents
• Motivational interview and mini intervention
• Instructing the patient to seek appropriate care and minimal use of enforcement
• Facing an aggressive patient
PSYCHIATRY and Pharmacology, 1 ECTS
• Psychoactive medications
• Common mental disorders and how to diagnose and treat them
o Depression
o Bipolar disorder
o Anxiety disorders
o Self-destructive behaviour
o Personality disorders
o Psychosis and schizophrenia
o PTSD
• Addictions
• The health effects and excessive use of alcohol
• Common narcotic substances, how to identify their usage