| CODE | MNH2007 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Applied Clinical Skills 3 | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 2 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Mental Health | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will provide psychiatric nursing students with foundational knowledge and practical skills in conducting neurological assessments and understanding the application of the Mental Health Act in clinical settings. Students will learn to perform thorough neurological assessments, recognizing key signs and symptoms of neurological disorders that may impact mental health. The study-unit will also cover the principles of the Mental Health Act, its legal framework, and its significance in the care and management of individuals with mental health conditions. Students will explore how the Act applies to psychiatric nursing practice, including the rights of patients, involuntary treatment, and ethical considerations in the context of mental health care. Through a combination of theoretical lectures, case studies, and practical workshops, students will develop the ability to assess patients' neurological status effectively and navigate the legal and ethical complexities of mental health nursing practice. This study-unit will prepare students to apply these skills in real-world psychiatric settings, ensuring patient safety and the delivery of high-quality care. Study-Unit Aims: - To develop students' knowledge and skills in performing comprehensive neurological assessments; - To enhance students' understanding of the legal and ethical principles of the Mental Health Act; - To integrate neurological assessment findings with psychiatric care; - To develop students' critical thinking and decision-making abilities; - To promote ethical and compassionate practice in psychiatric nursing. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Develop students' knowledge and skills in performing comprehensive neurological assessments; - Enhance students' understanding of the legal and ethical principles of the Mental Health Act; - Integrate neurological assessment findings with psychiatric care; - Promote ethical and compassionate practice in psychiatric nursing. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Apply in practice the current Mental Health act (2012), Maltese and EU legal implication in relation to mental health nurse functioning within the Maltese mental health services; - Discuss the Mental Health Act (2012) including the legal rights and responsibilities of both clients and staff and Mental Health Schedules with particular attention to schedules 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9; - Demonstrate awareness of related forms and documents such as the appointment of responsible carer, consent to treatment, client complaint or suggestion forms; - Perform a neurological assessment including: 鈥� Patient History - Chief complaint: Understanding the reason for the assessment; - Medical history: Previous neurological conditions, surgeries, and family history of neurological disorders; - Present symptoms: Any complaints of headaches, dizziness, numbness, weakness, seizures, etc. 鈥� Mental Status Examination: - Orientation: Checking awareness of person, place, time, and situation; - Cognition: Assessing memory (short-term, long-term), attention, concentration, and problem-solving abilities; - Language: Evaluating speech, comprehension, and ability to communicate (e.g., aphasia, dysarthria); - Mood and behavior: Assessing for signs of depression, anxiety, or unusual behavior patterns. 鈥� Cranial Nerve Examination: Tests the function of the 12 cranial nerves, which control functions like sight, hearing, facial movements, and swallowing. This includes: - Optic nerve (CN II): Visual acuity, visual fields, and fundoscopic examination; - Oculomotor, trochlear, and abducens nerves (CN III, IV, VI): Eye movements, pupil reaction to light and accommodation; - Trigeminal nerve (CN V): Sensation to the face and motor function (e.g., jaw movements); - Facial nerve (CN VII): Facial symmetry and strength of facial expressions; - Vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII): Hearing and balance; - Glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves (CN IX, X): Gag reflex, ability to swallow, and voice quality; - Accessory nerve (CN XI): Shoulder shrug and head turn resistance; - Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII): Tongue movements and strength. 鈥� Motor System Examination: - Muscle strength: Testing for weakness or paralysis by asking the patient to move different parts of the body (e.g., arm and leg movements); - Muscle tone: Checking for rigidity or flaccidity; - Coordination: Assessing fine motor skills (e.g., finger-to-nose test, heel-to-shin test); - Gait: Observing how the patient walks, looking for abnormalities such as ataxia or shuffling. 鈥� Sensory System Examination: - Light touch: Using a cotton ball or fingertip to assess the sensation on various body parts; - Pain (pinprick): Using a pin or similar object to assess sharp/dull sensation; - Temperature: Checking for heat or cold sensations (if needed); - Proprioception: Testing for the sense of body position (e.g., moving fingers or toes up or down and asking the patient to identify); - Vibration sense: Using a tuning fork to assess the ability to feel vibration. 鈥� Reflexes: - Deep tendon reflexes (DTRs): Testing for responses to tapping tendons, such as the patellar (knee-jerk), Achilles, and biceps reflexes; - Superficial reflexes: Assessing for responses like the abdominal reflex and the plantar reflex (Babinski response); - Pathological reflexes: Assessing for abnormal reflexes, such as the Babinski sign (toes fanning out when the bottom of the foot is stimulated, which can indicate neurological damage). 鈥� Autonomic Nervous System Examination: - Pupillary reflexes: Checking for responses to light and accommodation; - Blood pressure: Assessing for orthostatic hypotension (a drop in blood pressure when standing) or abnormal blood pressure changes; - Sweating and temperature regulation: Observing for unusual patterns of sweating, temperature changes, or skin colour. 鈥� Postural Control and Balance: - Romberg test: Asking the patient to stand with feet together, eyes closed, and observing for signs of imbalance; - Heel-to-toe walk (tandem gait): Assessing for coordination and balance. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Armitage, A. (2020). Advanced practice nursing guide to the neurological exam (1st ed.). Springer Publishing Company. - Government of Malta. (2012). Mental Health Act (Act No. 22 of 2012). Government Printing Press. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite Study-unit: MNH1010 | |||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Practical and Tutorials | |||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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