4 Year Nursing Degree Programme (BSc Cur) Mental Health Nursing
NU2P05 -Psychopharmacology (5 ECTS)
Learning Outcomes
Following completion of this module the student should be able to:
- Explain the mode of action, desired effects, contraindications and side effects of the main drugs commonly used to treat mental illness
- Discuss the role of the nurse in the pharmacological treatment of people with mental illness in hospital and community settings
- Discuss the benefits and risks associated with using pharmacological treatments in the care of people with a mental illness.
Module Learning Aims
The aim of this module is to provide students with an introduction to key knowledge and principles
underpinning psychopharmacology in contemporary mental health nursing practice. Throughout this
module the emphasis is placed on the psychotropic medications commonly used in mental health
practice and the role of the nurse in their administration, the monitoring of their effects, contra indications
and side effects and adverse effects. This module will also introduce students to some of the issues
surrounding the use of psychiatric medication to alleviate mental distress.
Recommended Reading List
Essential Reading
- Healy D. (2009) Psychiatric Drugs Explained. 5th edn. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh.
Recommended Reading
- British Medical Formulary and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
- (2010) British National Formulary 59. London, British Medical Formulary and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.
- Gray R & Robson D. (2009). Medication Management In Mental Health Nursing: An evidence-based approach. (Newell R. and Gournay K., eds). 2nd Edn. Churchill Livingston, Edinburgh, pp 109-129.
- Mutsatsa S. (2011) Medicines Management in Mental Health Nursing. Learning Matters, Exeter.
- Patton D. (2008) Treatment modalities in psychiatric nursing practice In Psychiatric mental health nursing: An Irish Perspective. (Morrissey J., Keogh B., Doyle L. eds) Gill and Macmillan, Dublin, pp 156-171.
* Additional readings will be given for each unit of learning.