MSN NURS662: Psychiatric—Mental Health
Diagnosis and Management Practicum I
Syllabus
Note: Log in to the course to view activities, videos, and presentations.
Course Description
This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to
persons with psychiatric illness and their families. Relevant theories will be
integrated into the clinical management of targeted acute and chronic psychiatric
symptoms and disorders. A variety of psychotherapeutic strategies will be explored.
Evidence-based practice and research-based clinical decision making will be
emphasized in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of DMS-5
diagnoses among adult and older adult clients.
Course Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, you will be able to do the following:
1. Develop effective clinical interviewing skills that facilitate the development of
a therapeutic relationship with the adult and the older adult client and their
family. (Program Outcome: 1, 2) (MSN Essentials: I, VIII, IX)
2. Apply evidence-based research findings to psychiatric–mental health
interventions for the adult and the older adult with psychiatric illness.
(Program Outcome: 3, 4) (MSN Essentials: 4)
3. Develop collaborative relationships with other health professionals in the
planning, implementation, and evaluation of mental health interventions and
advocacy issues for adults and the older adult and their families. (Program
Outcome: 4, 6) (MSN Essentials: VII)
4. Utilize information technology, the patient classification systems, and other
technology in the delivery of mental health interventions to all adults and
their families. (Program Outcomes: 2, 4) (MSN Essentials: V, VII)
5. Manage the care of the adult and the older adult with psychiatric illness
using the most up-to-date practice guidelines. (Program Outcomes: 2, 3, 6)
(MSN Essentials: VIII, IX)
6. Conduct group and family evidenced-based psychotherapy with all adults
experiencing psychiatric illness. (Program Outcomes: 2, 5) (MSN Essentials:
VIII, IX)
7. Implement pharmacological assessment and evaluate pharmacological
agents for adult and the older adult clients with psychiatric illness. (Program
Outcomes: 2, 3, 5, 6) (MSN Essentials: VIII, IX)
8. Develop an understanding of the role and responsibilities of the family
psychiatric and mental health NP in the comprehensive care management of
,MSN NURS662: Psychiatric—Mental Health
Diagnosis and Management Practicum I
adults and older adults and their families. (Program Outcomes: 2, 3, 6) (MSN
Essentials: VIII, IX)
9. Apply ethical principles and solutions to comprehensive clinical issues related
to individuals, families, and systems of care. (Program Outcomes: 2, 3, 5)
(MSN Essentials: VIII, IX)
MSN Essentials
The following represent the core content for all master's programs in nursing and
"provide curricular elements and framework, regardless of focus, major, or
intended practice setting" (AACN, 2011, p.3). The reference and the link for these
essentials are provided for you at the end of the document. These essentials
"delineate the knowledge and skills that all nurses prepared in a master's nursing
program acquire" (AACN, 2011, p.4), and you should see evidence of these
essentials in each of the courses in the MSN-NP curriculum. Below are brief
descriptions of each essential and can be found on pages 4 and 5 of
the Essentials document. In the document, you will find a deeper discussion of each
of them, as well as expected student outcomes and sample content.
Essential I: Background for Practice from Sciences and Humanities
Recognizes that the master's prepared nurse integrates scientific findings from
nursing, biopsychosocial fields, genetics, public health, quality improvement,
and organizational sciences for the continual improvement of nursing care
across diverse settings.
Essential II: Organizational and Systems Leadership
Recognizes that organizational and systems leadership are critical to the
promotion of high quality and safe patient care. Leadership skills are needed
that emphasize ethical and critical decision making, effective working
relationships, and a systems-perspective.
Essential III: Quality Improvement and Safety
Recognizes that a master's-prepared nurse must be articulate in the methods,
tools, performance measures, and standards related to quality, as well as
prepared to apply quality principles within an organization.
Essential IV: Translating and Integrating Scholarship into Practice
Recognizes that the master's-prepared nurse applies research outcomes within
the practice setting, resolves practice problems, works as a change agent, and
disseminates results.
Essential V: Informatics and Healthcare Technologies
, MSN NURS662: Psychiatric—Mental Health
Diagnosis and Management Practicum I
Recognizes that the master's-prepared nurse uses patient-care technologies to
deliver and enhance care and uses communication technologies to integrate
and coordinate care.
Essential VI: Health Policy and Advocacy
Recognizes that the master's-prepared nurse is able to intervene at the system
level though the policy development process and to employ advocacy strategies
to influence health and health care.
Essential VII: Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and
Population Health Outcomes
Recognizes that the master's prepared nurse, as a member and leader of
interprofessional teams, communicates, collaborates, and consults with other
health professionals to manage and coordinate care.
Essential VIII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving Health
Recognizes that the master's-prepared nurse applies and integrates broad,
organizational, client-centered, and culturally appropriate concepts in the
planning, delivery, management, and evaluation of evidence-based clinical
prevention and population care and services to individuals, families, and
aggregates/identified populations.
Essential IX: Master's-Level Nursing Practice
Recognizes that nursing practice, at the master's level, is broadly defined as any
form of nursing intervention that influences health outcomes for individuals,
populations, or systems. Master's-level nursing graduates must have an
advanced level of understanding of nursing and relevant sciences as well as the
ability to integrate this knowledge into practice. Nursing practice interventions
include both direct and indirect care components.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2011). The essentials of
Master's education in nursing (PDF). Washington, DC.
MSN Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, the graduate will be able to:
1. Synthesize concepts and theories from nursing and related disciplines to
form the basis for advanced practice.
2. Demonstrate beginning level competence in a defined area of advanced
practice.
3. Use the process of evidence-based practice to validate and refine knowledge
relevant to advanced nursing knowledge.
4. Demonstrate leadership and management strategies for advanced practice.
Diagnosis and Management Practicum I
Syllabus
Note: Log in to the course to view activities, videos, and presentations.
Course Description
This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to
persons with psychiatric illness and their families. Relevant theories will be
integrated into the clinical management of targeted acute and chronic psychiatric
symptoms and disorders. A variety of psychotherapeutic strategies will be explored.
Evidence-based practice and research-based clinical decision making will be
emphasized in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of DMS-5
diagnoses among adult and older adult clients.
Course Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, you will be able to do the following:
1. Develop effective clinical interviewing skills that facilitate the development of
a therapeutic relationship with the adult and the older adult client and their
family. (Program Outcome: 1, 2) (MSN Essentials: I, VIII, IX)
2. Apply evidence-based research findings to psychiatric–mental health
interventions for the adult and the older adult with psychiatric illness.
(Program Outcome: 3, 4) (MSN Essentials: 4)
3. Develop collaborative relationships with other health professionals in the
planning, implementation, and evaluation of mental health interventions and
advocacy issues for adults and the older adult and their families. (Program
Outcome: 4, 6) (MSN Essentials: VII)
4. Utilize information technology, the patient classification systems, and other
technology in the delivery of mental health interventions to all adults and
their families. (Program Outcomes: 2, 4) (MSN Essentials: V, VII)
5. Manage the care of the adult and the older adult with psychiatric illness
using the most up-to-date practice guidelines. (Program Outcomes: 2, 3, 6)
(MSN Essentials: VIII, IX)
6. Conduct group and family evidenced-based psychotherapy with all adults
experiencing psychiatric illness. (Program Outcomes: 2, 5) (MSN Essentials:
VIII, IX)
7. Implement pharmacological assessment and evaluate pharmacological
agents for adult and the older adult clients with psychiatric illness. (Program
Outcomes: 2, 3, 5, 6) (MSN Essentials: VIII, IX)
8. Develop an understanding of the role and responsibilities of the family
psychiatric and mental health NP in the comprehensive care management of
,MSN NURS662: Psychiatric—Mental Health
Diagnosis and Management Practicum I
adults and older adults and their families. (Program Outcomes: 2, 3, 6) (MSN
Essentials: VIII, IX)
9. Apply ethical principles and solutions to comprehensive clinical issues related
to individuals, families, and systems of care. (Program Outcomes: 2, 3, 5)
(MSN Essentials: VIII, IX)
MSN Essentials
The following represent the core content for all master's programs in nursing and
"provide curricular elements and framework, regardless of focus, major, or
intended practice setting" (AACN, 2011, p.3). The reference and the link for these
essentials are provided for you at the end of the document. These essentials
"delineate the knowledge and skills that all nurses prepared in a master's nursing
program acquire" (AACN, 2011, p.4), and you should see evidence of these
essentials in each of the courses in the MSN-NP curriculum. Below are brief
descriptions of each essential and can be found on pages 4 and 5 of
the Essentials document. In the document, you will find a deeper discussion of each
of them, as well as expected student outcomes and sample content.
Essential I: Background for Practice from Sciences and Humanities
Recognizes that the master's prepared nurse integrates scientific findings from
nursing, biopsychosocial fields, genetics, public health, quality improvement,
and organizational sciences for the continual improvement of nursing care
across diverse settings.
Essential II: Organizational and Systems Leadership
Recognizes that organizational and systems leadership are critical to the
promotion of high quality and safe patient care. Leadership skills are needed
that emphasize ethical and critical decision making, effective working
relationships, and a systems-perspective.
Essential III: Quality Improvement and Safety
Recognizes that a master's-prepared nurse must be articulate in the methods,
tools, performance measures, and standards related to quality, as well as
prepared to apply quality principles within an organization.
Essential IV: Translating and Integrating Scholarship into Practice
Recognizes that the master's-prepared nurse applies research outcomes within
the practice setting, resolves practice problems, works as a change agent, and
disseminates results.
Essential V: Informatics and Healthcare Technologies
, MSN NURS662: Psychiatric—Mental Health
Diagnosis and Management Practicum I
Recognizes that the master's-prepared nurse uses patient-care technologies to
deliver and enhance care and uses communication technologies to integrate
and coordinate care.
Essential VI: Health Policy and Advocacy
Recognizes that the master's-prepared nurse is able to intervene at the system
level though the policy development process and to employ advocacy strategies
to influence health and health care.
Essential VII: Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and
Population Health Outcomes
Recognizes that the master's prepared nurse, as a member and leader of
interprofessional teams, communicates, collaborates, and consults with other
health professionals to manage and coordinate care.
Essential VIII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving Health
Recognizes that the master's-prepared nurse applies and integrates broad,
organizational, client-centered, and culturally appropriate concepts in the
planning, delivery, management, and evaluation of evidence-based clinical
prevention and population care and services to individuals, families, and
aggregates/identified populations.
Essential IX: Master's-Level Nursing Practice
Recognizes that nursing practice, at the master's level, is broadly defined as any
form of nursing intervention that influences health outcomes for individuals,
populations, or systems. Master's-level nursing graduates must have an
advanced level of understanding of nursing and relevant sciences as well as the
ability to integrate this knowledge into practice. Nursing practice interventions
include both direct and indirect care components.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2011). The essentials of
Master's education in nursing (PDF). Washington, DC.
MSN Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, the graduate will be able to:
1. Synthesize concepts and theories from nursing and related disciplines to
form the basis for advanced practice.
2. Demonstrate beginning level competence in a defined area of advanced
practice.
3. Use the process of evidence-based practice to validate and refine knowledge
relevant to advanced nursing knowledge.
4. Demonstrate leadership and management strategies for advanced practice.
