Course Outline of Record

Item	Value
Eff Term	Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	05/06/2025
Top Code	123010 - Registered Nursing (CTE)
Units	2 Total Units (Lecture Units 2)
Hours	36 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 36)
Total Outside of Class Hours	72
Total Student Learning Hours	108
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S)

Course Description

This course focuses on the care of adults suffering from mental health disorders in a variety of settings. The Nursing Process will be used as a tool to direct nursing care. Concept-based curriculum provides the structure of the curriculum and is threaded throughout the course. PREREQUISITE: NURS G160 and NURS G160C. COREQUISITE: NURS G295C. Transfer Credit: CSU.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

1. Examine the theoretical basis and procedures for a mental status assessment based on a patient suffering from mental health problems.
2. Analyze pertinent assessment data to determine priority of care, potential risk behaviors and provide patient safety.
3. Explain how to collaborate with other interdisciplinary professionals to coordinate patient care and management.

Course Objectives

• Describe a nursing history and physical that includes psychological, developmental, sociocultural and physiological functioning on a patient with mental health problems that reflects current evidence-based nursing practice using informatics and technology in applying the nursing process.
• Identify patient assessment data to establish priority nursing care.
• Select specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely (SMART) goal(s) based on assessment data that could be accomplished through evidence-based nursing intervention(s).
• Formulate a conclusion as to whether or not the application of patient care met the established patient goal for improvement.
• Utilize interdisciplinary collaborative teams when providing patient care for the patient with mental health problems.
• Justify the design of priority care on a patient with mental health problems that adheres to legal, ethical, and professional standards.

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Lecture Content

A. Overarching standards that will be addressed in each concept: Patient-centered Care: Utilizing the nursing process to provide compassionate, culturally sensitive care that is based on the physiological, psychological, sociological, spiritual, and cultural needs, preferences, and values of the patient. 1. Safety and Quality Improvement (QI): The minimization of risk factors that could cause harm while promoting quality care and maintaining a secure environment for patients, self and others in order to improve health care services and better meet the needs of patients. 2. Nursing Judgment/Evidence Based Practice (EBP): The use of current knowledge from research and other credible sources, in consideration of the nurse’s clinical expertise and patient preferences, to make nursing clinical judgments and provide patient, family and community centered care. 3. Teamwork and Collaboration: The delivery of patient care in partnership with nursing and interdisciplinary teams to achieve continuity of care and promote patient outcomes. 4. Informatics and Technology: The use of information and technology as a communication and data gathering tool that supports clinical decision making and safe, scientifically based nursing practice. 5. Professional Identity: The adherence to legal, ethical, and professional standards of practice to provide nursing care for patients across the lifespan. 6. For the following concepts, apply the nursing process and collaborative management for improved patient outcomes focusing on patients with mental health disorders: B. Cognition: Thinking skills including language use, calculations, perception, memory, awareness, reasoning, judgment, learning, intellect, social skills and imagination. 1. a. Nursing assessment to identify patients at risk for/with cognitive deficits. b. Nursing interventions to care for patients with cognitive deficits. c. Collaborative management of geriatric patients with cognitive deficits. 2. Fluid & Electrolytes/Acid-base: The physiological mechanisms that maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. Nursing care of patients with common electrolyte imbalances that affect a patient's cognitive functions a. Grief and Loss: A series of responses that occur following a physical and/or psychological insult with a goal of returning to homeostasis. 3. a. Nurses’ role in care of families experiencing a situational loss. 4. Metabolism: All biochemical processes that occur within the body. a. Collaborative care of mental health patient with chronic alterations in metabolism. b. Teaching regarding chronic alterations in metabolism. Mood/Affect: Mechanisms that influence the emotional state of an individual and its outward manifestations: 5. a. Collaborative care of adult/geriatric patients with severe mood/affect disorders. b. Nurses' role in the care of patients with chronic alterations in their emotional state. Nutrition: The process by which the body ingests, absorbs, transports and uses nutrients and food. 6. a. Collaborative care of patients with severe, chronic eating disorders. b. Nurses' role in the care of patients with severe nutritional deficiencies.

Method(s) of Instruction

• Lecture (02)
• DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
• DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

Seminar style instruction Class participation and discussion Group and Individual presentations Case studies Exams Pop quizzes

Reading Assignments

Textbook

Writing Assignments

Nursing care plans Presentations Critical thinking exercises Short essays and/or professional papers

Out-of-class Assignments

Reading assingments from required texts and online resources View audio-visual material as needed Internet research for evidence-based articles

Study Non-Contact Hours Recommended

72

Methods of Student Evaluation

• Short Quizzes
• Written Assignments
• Objective Examinations
• Report
• Problem Solving Exercises
• Oral Presentations

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Students will demonstrate critical thinking by applying the Nursing Clinical Judgement Model to assignments and class discussions. Students will assess clinical data to define patient needs, determine and prioritize clinical problems, formulate the nursing care plan, employ nursing interventsions, and evaluate patient outcomes.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Application of the nursing process for exams, quizzes, and case studies.

Eligible Disciplines

Nursing: Master's degree in nursing OR bachelor's degree in nursing AND master's degree in health education or health science OR the equivalent OR the minimum qualifications as set by the Board of Registered Nursing, whichever is higher. Master's degree required.

Resources Subscreen

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Eligible Discipline(s)

• Nursing: Master’s degree in nursing OR bachelor’s degree in nursing AND master’s degree in health education or health science OR the equivalent OR the minimum qualifications as set by the Board of Registered Nursing. Master's degree required.