Coordinator: Beth Phoenix, RN, PhD
The Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Minor is offered to students in other specialties who wish to increase their understanding of mental health problems and their management, and to develop additional skills in this area.
To meet minor requirements, students must take at least three psychiatric nursing courses in addition to the required core course (N257). Coursework for the minor must include N227 Theories of Mental Illness, and, at least one of the courses on psychotherapeutic treatment (N243A, N243B, N243C, or N252B).
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Specialty Area courses are listed below.
Email beth.phoenix@nursing.ucsf.edu for more information.
Required Core Course
N257. Assessment/Management of Common Psychiatric Symptoms. (2)
Course introduces students to common psychiatric symptom presentations and related conditions that are encountered by advanced practice nurses in primary care and specialty settings. Course discusses clinical presentation, underlying causes and appropriate management for patients across the life span.
Courses
N206A. Research on Management of Psychiatric Conditions. (3)
Analyzes research on current practice approaches to adults with mental illness and children with severe emotional disturbance. Emphasis is on psychotherapeutic and psycho-educational interventions and long-term management of psychiatric symptomatology. This course fulfills the School of Nursing requirement for coursework in research utilization.
N227. Theories of Mental Illness. (3)
Examines major theories of mental illness and their implication for understanding the etiology and treatment of psychiatric conditions. Neurochemical, neuroendocrine, genetic, cognitive/behavioral, psychodynamic, attachment, and humanistic theories will be analyzed and applied to the assessment and management of mental health problems. Ethical issues raised by different theoretical perspectives will be discussed.
N231A. Substance Use and Mental Illness. (2)
Examines causes and consequences of substance use disorders among the severely mentally ill and service delivery models developed for harm reduction and to promote recovery among high-risk populations. Emphasis is on culturally competent services for diverse groups.
N243A. Family Therapies. (2)
Examines theories of family therapy and their application to the practice of psychiatric nursing. Particular areas of emphasis are work with families of the seriously mentally ill and families experiencing trauma. Family assessments and supportive, educational, and therapeutic interventions will be described and evaluated.
N243B. Group Psychotherapies. (2)
Course examines and discusses theories and practice of various group modallities in current use. Emphasis is on understanding and promoting therapeutic processes in types of groups commonly facilitated by advanced practice nurses.
N243C. Adult Psychotherapeutic Treatment Modalities. (2)
Focuses on principles of supportive psychotherapies with adults experiencing a range of psychiatric problems. It also reviews models of crisis intervention, behavioral, cognitive behavioral, and motivational interventions. It is designed to use clinical case materials as the basis for discussion of assessment, goal setting and intervention.
N 244. Treating Psychological Responses to Traumatic Events.
Course examines theories from social, behavioral, and neuroscience that explain human responses to different types of trauma and applies developmental theories to understand effects of traumatic events on persons across the lifespan. Explores assessment and intervention with individuals, families and populations with past or current experience of physical, sexual, or emotional violence, as well as disaster or terrorism victims. Emphasizes approaches to address both acute and chronic responses.
N252A. Mental Health & High Risk Families (2)
Analyzes the effects of impoverished environments, sociocultural factors, and mental health problems in the family on the mental health of children and other family members.
N252B. Psychotherapeutic Techniques with Children & Youth. (2)
Provides an introduction to the psychotherapeutic treatment of cognitive, emotional and behavioral problems experienced by children and adolescents. Content builds upon client-centered, cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic therapies.
N232.04C. Management of Psychotropic Regimens. (2)
Course will focus on the development of effective clinical judgment in the psychopharmacological treatment of patients with mental illness. It will cover the major mental illnesses, as well as treatment considerations of special populations.
Revised: Sept. 2010
School of Nursing
University of California, San Francisco