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School of Nursing & Midwifery

4 Year Nursing Degree Programme (BSc Cur) Mental Health Nursing

NU2P07 -Facilitating Phtsical Health and Wellbeing in Mental Health (5 ECTS)

Learning Outcomes

Following completion of this module the student should be able to:

  • Discuss the incidence and prevalence of physical health problems in people with severe mental illness
  • Discuss the risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of physical illness in people with severe mental illness
  • Discuss the pathophysiology and resultant signs and symptoms of the main physical health problems occurring in people with severe mental illness
  • Outline the main group of drugs used in the treatment of dysfunctions of some of the main disorders of the immune, cardiovascular, respiratory, haematological, endocrine and
    gastrointestinal and nervous systems
  • Discuss lifestyle factors that can affect the physical well being of people with severe mental illness and how can these be addressed during a physical health assessment
  • Explore the role of the mental health nurse in the physical assessment and care planning for clients with physical conditions – this will include identifying training needs and identifying barriers to physical care

Module Learning Aims

This module aims to enhance the physical care knowledge and skills of students necessary in caring for
clients with physical conditions. The emphasis is on physical health and well being in a specific mental
health context. This will enable students to provide comprehensive care for mental health service users.

Recommended Reading List

Essential Reading

  • Brown S, Birtwistle J, Roe L et al (1999): The unhealthy lifestyle of people with schizophrenia. Psychological Medicine, 29, pp697–701
  • Cormac, I., Martin, D. & Ferriter, M. (2004) Improving the Physical Health of Long-Stay Psychiatric In-Patients. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 10, 107-115
  • Crouch A and Meurier C (eds) (2005): Vital notes for nurses: Health Assessment. Blackwell Publishing
  • Garden G (2005): Physical examination in psychiatric practice Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2005), vol. 11, 142–149
  • Harris E & Barraclough B (1998): Excess mortality of mental disorder The British Journal of Psychiatry 1998 173, pp11-53
  • Nash M (2010): Physical Health and Well-Being in Mental Health Nursing. Clinical Skills for practice Open University press
  • Waugh A and Grant A (2010): Ross and Wilson Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Illness 11th Ed. Churchill Livingstone
  • Robson D and Gray R (2007): Physical Health Problems in People with Serious Mental Illness. International Journal of Nursing Studies 44 3 457-66
  • Ryan, F. Keogh, B. & Doyle, L. ‘Physical Health and Mental Health Nursing, in: J. Morrissey, B. Keogh, &
    L. Doyle, (2008) Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: An Irish Perspective. Dublin: Gill and MacMillan.

* Additional readings will be given for each unit of learning.