Psychiatric Nursing

The Regional Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing consists of 8 semesters with integrated clinical experiences throughout, starting in Semester 2. Upon completion of the seventh semester, you will participate in a Final Practicum experience (Semester 8). All theory courses throughout the program are taught in an online environment, using Moodle as the online learning platform.

• Semester One is 16-weeks in length and begins with a face-to-face orientation focused on orienting students to the program overall and the online learning environment.
• Semester Two is 15-weeks in length and is delivered online and also marks the start of your clinical experience.
• Semester Three is 16-weeks in length and includes both online theory as well as a clinical experience.
• Semester Four is 16-weeks in length and includes both online and clinical experiences.
• Semester Five and Six are both 15-weeks in length and include both online and clinical experiences.
• Semester Seven is 14-weeks in length and includes both theory and clinical experiences.
• Semester Eight is your consolidated psychiatric nursing practice. During this semester you will be completing your Final Practicum where you will be consolidating the skills and theory learned. Finally, you will be given access to a number of exam preparation materials as well as critical thinking exercises, exam tips and practice exams to prepare you for your RPNCE (Registration Examination).

Please click the course title below to scroll to the course description:

Semester One

Semester Two

Semester Three

Semester Four

Semester Five

Semester Six

Semester Seven

Semester Eight

Semester One

Basic Concepts and Contexts of Psychiatric Nursing

The basic concepts of psychiatric nursing will be introduced in this course, as well as describing psychiatric nursing within a number of relevant contexts. Content will include the concepts of mental health and mental illness, the historical context of mental health/ill health, historical and contemporary political contexts of mental health care, and sociological and cultural aspects. The course will cover differing perspectives of mental health, the genesis and development of psychiatric nursing through the years, theoretical underpinnings of mental health care and psychiatric nursing, principal theories of psychiatric nursing, treatment and care paradigms of the person with mental health problems. The psychiatric nursing roles from micro to macro and the interpersonal focus of psychiatric nursing will be examined.

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Therapeutic Relationships and Communication Skills

In order to help students form therapeutic relationships, this course will provide students with an introduction to the theory, practical skills, and development of the personal qualities required to be an effective RPN. Students will be introduced to theories and models of communication skills which will be enhanced by practicing in communications skills labs. The theoretical content will include Peplau’s (1988) theory of interpersonal nursing, Altschul’s (1970) work on nurse-client interaction, models of therapeutic relationship formation such as Egan’s (1975) ‘Skilled helper’, ‘ending’ in nurse-client relationships, John Heron’s Six Category Intervention Analysis, Transactional Analysis (Berne, 1962), different types of helping, giving and receiving feedback, proxemics, and therapeutic use of self. A high priority of the course is the development and enhancement of one’s own self-awareness. Accordingly, some work will focus on methods and exercises to increase one’s own self-awareness and help students monitor themselves during interactions.

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Study Skills

The Study Skills course has multiple goals, with the overall aim being to directly enhance student success in the on-line program. The course includes technical, personal and academic skills development so that the student can fully participate in the program and contribute to the building of a strong and vibrant on-line learning community. During the orientation sessions, students will be instructed in computer techniques (e.g. using Moodle effectively, conducting online database searches) and will have workshops to increase self-awareness and develop effective study skills. In the on-line segments, students will further their student success skills and discover effective study habits based on their own personal learning styles.

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Anatomy and Physiology

The Anatomy and Physiology course is an introduction to human structures and functions, focusing on basic physiological principles and normal human body functions and maintenance; the systems of the human body; and organ, cell, and tissue structures. In addition, students will be introduced to the utility and application of these basic concepts within a psychiatric nursing context.

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Introduction to Philosophy: Analysis and Reasoning

This course will introduce the concepts, origins and development of philosophy. It will include the analysis of the current state of science and specifically nursing science, ways of knowing, models of knowledge generation, criteria for causation and argumentation. Students will learn to analyze and evaluate arguments and theories commonly met with in everyday life. Elementary formal logic will be introduced along with the learning how to apply fundamental rules and standards of logical reasoning to the sorts of arguments encountered in nursing practice.

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Clinical Procedures I & Block Lab Practice

This course will assist students in gaining knowledge of essential nursing procedures. Students will develop skills in collecting data, diagnosis recognition, assisting in the assessment, planning and implementation of nursing care plans, performing basic nursing procedures, handling equipment and documenting patient outcomes. This 7-week online course will be followed by one week in a laboratory environment to practice skills and prepare for the clinical experience in Semester 2.

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Semester Two

Pathophysiological Concepts

This course will focus on pathological mechanisms and processes of altered human states of physiology. Content will include the topics of etiology, metabolism, and age-related alterations to body function and functional changes. Specific diseases, especially those commonly encountered in nursing situations, will be examined and discussed, in addition to the application of these basic concepts within a psychiatric nursing context.

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Professional Practice and Leadership in Psychiatric Nursing: Part I

The course will introduce students to the rudiments, principles and practices of professional practice and leadership within psychiatric nursing. Content includes: definitions of professional practice; the historical origins of leadership in psychiatric nursing, the value and utility of professional leadership for psychiatric nurses; the principles supporting entry level competencies and standards of practice – including, roles and responsibilities, boundaries and skills. Importantly, students will also be introduced to the principles and practice of reflection. The course will demonstrate how professional practice and leadership as well as engaging in meaningful reflection on practice are inextricably linked introducing students to the practice of keeping a reflective journal.

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Pharmacology I: Foundations of Pharmacology

This course will provide students with an introduction to the basics of pharmacology and its role and function within general & psychiatric nursing. The course will focus on the mechanisms and actions of common pharmacological agents used and encountered in nursing practice. The therapeutic effects and side-effects of these agents will be examined, as will drug interactions and the notion of “polypharmacy”. The various routes of administration and safe administration practices will also be covered.

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Older Adult Mental Health Nursing Theory

This theory course will introduce the basic principles and practices of psychiatric/mental health nursing care of the older adult. Through examination of required readings you will develop an awareness of the holistic changes in a person who experiences a psychiatric disorder associated with older adults (e.g. Alzheimer-type dementias, Parkinson’s disease). The key theories of providing care to these people will be covered. Crucial overarching positions (e.g. Kitwood’s work on retaining and promoting the older adult’s “personhood”), current and historical problems of this psychiatric/mental health nursing domain (e.g. recruiting adequate numbers of appropriately trained psychiatric/mental health nurses to this “Cinderella” service), and future issues related to this domain (e.g. the significantly increased numbers of older adults expected to develop psychiatric problems) will be covered.

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Older Adult Mental Health Nursing Clinical Practice

This course will introduce the principles and practices of nursing care of the older adult, enabling students to gain the basic knowledge and ability required. Clinical practice occurs in a range of residential care settings and with a variety of older adult client populations requiring nursing care, treatment, and intervention. Students will be expected to apply previously learned theory and begin to acquire and apply clinical skills. Students are provided with the opportunity to practice basic interpersonal communication skills, and physiologically oriented interventions, in a safe, and monitored environment.

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Clinical Procedure II & Block Lab Practice

This course will assist students in gaining knowledge of more essential nursing procedures. Students will continue to build on foundational skills in in psychiatric nursing clinical practice. This 7-week online course will be followed by one week in a laboratory environment to practice skills and prepare for the clinical experience in Semester 3.

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Semester Three

Pharmacology II: General Pharmacology

This course will build on the previous pharmacology course preparing students to dispense medication to patients. The focus will be on drug classifications, concepts and principles of pharmacology with specific consideration for the role of the nurse in developing a comprehensive approach to the clinical application of drug therapy through the use of the nursing process. Nursing implications relative to the utilization of drug therapies will be examines and dosage calculations will be evaluated for competency.

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Perspectives on Aboriginal Health and Culture in Canada

The culture, beliefs, history, and social/political realities that continue to impact on Aboriginal Canadians are introduced in this course. Specific historical and contemporary aboriginal issues will be covered, framed around the stages of history as described by the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, Separate Worlds, Contact and Cooperation, Displacement and Assimilation, and Negotiation and Renewal. Students will also focus on the health of First Nations Canadian populations, cross-cultural and indigenous approaches to health and healing will be covered, as well as issues of offering western society’s approaches to healthcare. Issues of offering culturally specific mental health care to these populations will also be covered. Specific attention will be given to demystifying and de-romanticizing indigenous medicine. You will also learn about local indigenous beliefs and knowledge, preparing you to practice in a culturally sensitive way.

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Introduction to Microbiology

This course will complement pathological concepts by explaining the characteristics of micro –organisms and their role in the transmission of disease. The content will explore the differences between pathogens and non-pathogens, describing and differentiating between bacteria and viruses. It will be exploring micro-organisms within the healthy and non-healthy human body and the relationship between micro-organisms and the processes of inflammation, infection and healing. This course will also be explaining the concepts of asepsis as it relates to micro-organisms.

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Ethics and Law in Healthcare: Part I

This course provides an introduction to ethics and law within the context of mental health care. The major ethical approaches are examined (e.g. deontology, consequentialism, and others), as are the historical and current mental health legislation in BC and other parts of Canada. This course is not intended to provide answers to the awkward and ethically problematic scenarios encountered in psychiatric nursing practice, but students will be expected to consider these scenarios from a number of different ethical positions.

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Therapeutic Relationships II: Therapeutic Communication Skills

This course builds upon the capabilities in communication and interpersonal relationships learned in Therapeutic Relationships I. Students will learn the communication processes in the healthcare environment and will explore the role of basic attending and listening skills, the fundamental principles and practice of the communication process and its influence on the nurse-patient relationship. Therapeutic communication skills will focus on the use of warmth, genuineness, respect and empathy and developing self-awareness through the therapeutic use of self.

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General Medical Nursing Clinical Practice

This course will continue with the principles and practices of nursing care of the older adult, enabling students to gain more advanced knowledge and ability required to care for chronic, progressive illnesses. Clinical practice occurs in a range of medical sub-acute care settings and with a variety of older adult client populations requiring more advanced nursing care, treatment, and intervention. Students will be expected to apply previously learned theory and acquire and apply more advanced clinical skills. Students are provided with the opportunity to practice interpersonal communication skills, and physiologically oriented interventions, in a safe, and monitored environment.

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Clinical Procedure III & Block Lab Practice

This course will continue to build on and integrate foundational clinical practice skills. Students will also be introduced to the advanced practice skills required in the medical/surgical nursing environment. This 7-week online course will be followed by one week in a laboratory environment to practice skills and prepare for the clinical experience in Semester 4.

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Semester Four

Pharmacology III: Psychotropic Pharmacology

The purpose of this course is to examine pharmacotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of psychiatric illness and the promotion, maintenance and restoration of mental wellness in diverse individuals across the lifespan. Emphasis is on the principles of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenetics in the treatment of mental illness. The focus is on concepts of safe administration and monitoring the effects of psychopharmacotherapeutic agents.

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Therapeutic Relationships III: Advanced Therapeutic Communication Skills

This course continues to build upon the skills learned in Therapeutic Relationships I & II. The focus will be on assisting student to collect reliable data through a variety of health assessment tools. The various documentation techniques will be also examined. Introduction to specialized communication skills such as conflict resolution, managing resistance and the difficult client through the use of motivational interviewing and role play will be used. Specific attention will be paid to increasing self-awareness, information and knowledge, and more advanced therapeutic communication skills.

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Introduction to Psychology

This theory course will introduce the many different perspectives from which psychologists try to understand human behavior. Throughout this course student will become familiar with biological, clinical, cognitive, developmental, personality, social and abnormal psychology perspectives.

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Medical/Surgical Nursing Practice – Theory

This theory course will introduce the key concepts, principles, and practices of medical/surgical nursing relevant in an acute care setting with various client populations across the life span. Specific content will include problem solving, management of complex client situations, organization of care, and a deepened understanding of the professional role of the nurse. Students will be introduced to nursing care theory pertaining to the more commonly encountered physiological conditions and diseases.

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Medical/Surgical Nursing Practice – Clinical

This clinical course will introduce the principles and practices of medical/surgical nursing, enabling students to consolidate and extend knowledge and ability in acute care nursing practice. Clinical practice occurs with client populations requiring acute medical/surgical care, treatment, and intervention. Students will be expected to apply previously learned theory and clinical skills, and they will have an opportunity to learn and practice the basic psychomotor skills that are involved in providing care to the person in need of medical/surgical nursing.

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Clinical Procedure IV & Block Lab Practice

This course will continue to build on and integrate foundational clinical practice skills. Students will also be introduced to the practice skills required in the acute psychiatric nursing environment. This 7-week online course will be followed by one week in a laboratory environment to practice skills and prepare for the clinical experience in Semester 5. Students will be given the opportunity to role play therapeutic communication skills in various simulated scenarios.

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Semester Five

Therapeutic Relationships IV: The Group Process

Students will gain insights into the rudiments, principles, and practices of groups and group work within mental health care. They will explore how to plan, organize, participate in, and utilize a variety of groups within psychiatric/mental health nursing. The context of group relations within a social setting will be covered. Specific therapeutic factors, processes, qualities, and interventions that can be utilized within groups will also be explored. In addition, theoretical elements of groups and group work will be covered, including the stages of group development, roles within groups, aspects of group leadership/facilitation, types of groups, beginning and ending in groups, and appropriate forms and mechanisms of supervision.

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Addictions: Assessment and Intervention

This course is designed to help students develop an understanding of addictions across the lifespan. The addictive process and recovery will be explored including the reciprocal interaction between addicted individuals and the various social systems they are a part of. Students will develop awareness of key issues related to addiction in psychiatric nursing practice care including: the notion of “dual-diagnosis” or “co-morbidity”, the holistic experience of “withdrawal”, the practices of substance use throughout history, the concept of recovery, socio-political perspectives of addictions, examination of one’s own attitudes, community and social support systems, reducing stigma and attention to the broader macro psychiatric nursing role. Further key theories of providing care to these people will be covered including the approaches of “harm reduction” and “abstinence” (and the twelve step program), sliding scale pharmacological regimes, the value of various therapeutic and support groups and the concepts of trauma informed care, biological and genetic factors in the etiology of addiction, family issues and community responses will also be reviewed. This course will draw on current research in the field of addictions, and will emphasize critical thinking and analysis of the current controversies in the field.

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Ethics and Law in Healthcare: Part II

This course continues with concepts of ethics and law within the context of mental health care. Students will be required to begin to apply ethical and legal positions to a variety of clinical psychiatric nursing situations and the concept of the “ethical dilemma” will be used as a means to help students explore ethical structure and thought. Importantly, rather than being an exercise in academic thinking, students will be encouraged to explore how they can become an ethical practitioner. Specific focus will be on the BC mental health act and the rights of patients and responsibilities that psychiatric nurses have to advocate for these individuals.

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Acute Psychiatric Nursing Practice – Theory

This theory course will introduce the basic principles and practices of acute psychiatric/mental health nursing. Through examination of specified readings, you will develop an awareness and knowledge of a range of important issues. The key aspect here is not to provide simplistic answers to nursing-related questions, nor is it to equip you with automatic responses to care situations and problems, but to help transform you into a more thoughtful, more critical, and more judicious practitioner.

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Acute Psychiatric Nursing Practice – Clinical

This clinical course will introduce the principles and practices of acute psychiatric nursing, enabling you to gain the basic knowledge and ability required. Clinical practice occurs with a variety of client populations requiring acute psychiatric nursing care, treatment, and intervention. You will be expected to apply previously learned theory and begin to acquire and apply clinical skills. You will be provided with the opportunity to practice the basic interpersonal communication skills that are involved in providing care to a person in need of acute psychiatric nursing.

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Clinical Procedure IV & Block Lab Practice

This course will continue to build on and integrate foundational clinical practice skills. Students will also be introduced to the practice skills required in a psychosocial recovery environment. This 7-week online course will be followed by one week in a laboratory environment to practice skills and prepare for the clinical experience in Semester 5. Students will be given the opportunity to role play therapeutic communication skills in various simulated scenarios.

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Semester Six

Introduction to Nursing Research

This course will focus on the use of the research process in the development of nursing knowledge and practice. Steps of the research process are reviewed for both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Research questions are explored with regards to nursing theory including methods of data collection, analysis, and the interpretation and use of study findings in the care of individuals, families, and communities. Published, peer reviewed research reports are critically analyzed to determine the usefulness of finding in psychiatric nursing practice. The roles and responsibilities of psychiatric nurses as researchers and scholars are examined.

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Professional Practice and Leadership in Psychiatric Nursing: Part II

The course will continue introducing students to the rudiments, principles and practices of professional practice and leadership within psychiatric nursing. The course will also continue to demonstrate how professional practice and leadership are important roles for psychiatric nurses.

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Sociology of Mental Health and Illness – Theory

This course will encourage you to explore sociological theories to add depth to your understanding of the Bio-psychosocial model of mental health. Knowledge of causes, effects, treatment and outcome from a sociological perspective will all be explored. You will learn about concepts that underlie a client’s presentation such as the impact of childhood experience, gender differences, stigma, social class, ethnicity as well as social competence and aging.

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Psychosocial Rehabilitation Psychiatric Nursing Practice – Theory

The course will introduce the basic principles and practices of psychosocial rehabilitative in psychiatric/mental health nursing care. Through examination of certain specified texts, you will develop an awareness of key issues related to psychosocial rehabilitative psychiatric nursing care including the concept of recovery, the importance of the concept of hope and ways to inspire/instill hope, the notion of empowerment, and ways to encourage individual choice. Key theories of providing care to this client group will be covered including consumer/significant other involvement, the reacquisition of life skills, community and social support systems, reducing stigma, and attention to the broader macro psychiatric nursing role.

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Psychosocial Rehabilitation Psychiatric Nursing Practice – Clinical

Clinical practice will enable you to extend and consolidate your knowledge and ability in the principles and practices used with client populations requiring psychosocial rehabilitative psychiatric/mental health nursing care, treatment, and intervention. You will be expected to apply previously learned theory and clinical skills, and they will be provided with the opportunity to enhance your interpersonal communication skills, and the skills, attitudes, and interventions geared towards meeting the social, intellectual/emotional, and spiritual needs of the person engaged in psychosocial rehabilitation.

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Clinical Procedure IV & Block Lab Practice

This course will continue to build on and integrate foundational and advanced clinical practice skills. Students will also be introduced to the practice skills required in a counselling environment. This 7-week online course will be followed by one week in a laboratory environment to practice skills and prepare for the clinical experience in Semester 6. Students will be given the opportunity to role play counseling skills in various simulated scenarios.

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Semester Seven

Health Policy in Canadian Nursing Practice

Learning about Canadian health policy will provide essential context material with regards to how health policy is formed and amended. It will enable students to examine how health policy has both a direct and indirect impact on psychiatric/mental health nursing practice. In considering the macro aspects of it, students will begin to critique, discuss, and consider the particular values underpinning certain health policies and their construction. Students will be encouraged to ask questions around why these policies and not others, and whose needs/interests does the policy serve?

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Therapeutic Relationships V: Introduction to Counselling Skills

Students will be introduced to the rudiments, principles, and practices of the common theoretical approaches to counselling and will explore how to use counselling theory and skills within Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse practice, and the differences between formal counselling practice, working in a “counselling way”, and using counselling skills. Content includes definitions of counselling, the historical origins of counselling within psychiatric/mental health nursing, and the three principle theoretical approaches: psychodynamic (psychoanalytical), cognitive-behavioural, and humanistic (person-centered). Key attitudes and skills that are associated with these approaches are setting up counselling (including contracting), values of the relationship, roles and responsibilities, negotiating boundaries, and working towards healthy endings.

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Introduction to Women and Gender Studies – Theory

This course offers an introduction to women’s and gender studies, an interdisciplinary field that explores critical questions regarding the meaning of gender in society. The primary goal of this course is to introduce students to the central issues in the feminist realm. The history of the feminist movement will be explored as well as key issues, questions, and debates in women’s and gender studies scholarship. Students will analyze themes in a range of social spheres including law, culture, education, work, nursing, social policy and the family. Students will also explore the concept of power-to versus power-over in the education of nurses.

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Advanced Psychiatric Nursing Theory

This theory course will introduce the principles and practices of specialist area psychiatric/mental health nursing. Specialist practice refers to those areas including (but not restricted to) child and adolescent, forensic settings, street-based outreach, emergency room psychiatric nursing, learning disability settings, school-based psychiatric nursing, and psychotherapy in individual and group settings. You’ll focus on concepts and practices relevant to specialist area psychiatric nursing in various care settings with various client populations across the life span. Through examination of certain specified texts, supplemented by additional appropriate readings, you will develop an awareness of key psychiatric nursing practice issues related to the specialist areas including: dealing with violence/aggression, family care approaches, mental health promotion, and managing a case load.

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Advanced Acute Psychiatric Nursing Practice – Clinical

This clinical course will continue with the principles and practices of acute psychiatric nursing, enabling students to gain further knowledge and ability required to practice in a psychiatric nursing environment. Clinical practice occurs with a variety of client populations requiring acute psychiatric nursing care, treatment, and intervention. You will be expected to apply previously learned theory and begin to acquire and apply clinical skills. You will be provided with the opportunity to practice the basic interpersonal communication skills that are involved in providing care to a person in need of acute psychiatric nursing.

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Semester Eight

Career Search Strategies

This course is offered in a combined online and classroom delivery format. Students learn to network effectively (online and in person), to search and apply for jobs and to prepare targeted resumes and cover letters. Students will be introduced to effective job-finding approaches and are also provided with coaching and individualized instructor feedback on their resume, cover letter, and interview skills.

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Personal & Professional Development Workshop Series

Responding carefully to the needs of today’s employers, a series of Personal and Professional Development Workshops have been integrated throughout the program to develop critical thinking and soft skills. Workshops include Giving and Receiving Feedback, Conflict Resolutions, Active Listening, Providing Quality Service and Building Rapport, Leadership, and Employability Skills.

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Final Practicum

The course will introduce you to the principles and practices of psychiatric/mental health nursing care of the person who uses/misuses substances. This course enables you to consolidate and extend knowledge and ability in this area of psychiatric/mental health nursing practice. Clinical practice occurs with client populations requiring psychiatric/mental health nursing care, treatment and intervention. You will be expected to apply previous learned theory and clinical skills. Additionally, you will be provided with the opportunity to enhance your interpersonal communication skills, skills and interventions geared towards meeting the physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual needs of the person with substance use/misuse issues. The course will introduce you to the principles and practices of psychiatric/mental health nursing as it occurs in special settings/contexts. This course enables you to consolidate and extend knowledge and ability in psychiatric/mental health nursing practice in such settings/contexts; the precise nature of both the theory and clinical covered by each of you will be slightly different given the wide and varied range of clinical placements involved in this course. Clinical practice occurs with various and different client populations in various and different care settings (some of which may traditionally not have been associated as psychiatric/mental health settings) you will be expected to apply previous learned theory and clinical skills. Additionally, you will be provided with the opportunity to enhance your interpersonal communication skills, skills and interventions geared towards meeting the physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual needs of the person in these special settings.

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Psychiatric Nursing Exam Preparation

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