Program Overview

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Unit Overview

The unit NRSG655 - Reflective Practice and Clinical Supervision in Mental Health Nursing is designed to provide students with an opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of reflective practice and clinical supervision and apply these principles in their own practice setting.

Unit Rationale, Description, and Aim

Best practice in mental health requires that mental health nurses are able to reflect on and develop understanding of their practice as members of the multidisciplinary team. Clinical supervision is identified as a core component of contemporary professional mental health nursing practice in a number of professional standard documents. This unit explores the principles underpinning personal and professional development and reflective practice, in order to promote the development of higher order critical thinking supportive of professional mental health nursing practice at an advanced level.

Learning Outcomes

To successfully complete this unit, students will be able to:

• Explain the principles underpinning personal and professional development, clinical supervision, peer mentoring, and reflective practice
• Apply principles of clinical supervision, mentoring, and peer debriefing within the context of mental health practice
• Analyse the principles and skills of emotional intelligence/literacy to build positive relationships, maintain mental and physical well-being, and achieve personal growth and professional goals
• Develop a commitment to the need for continuing professional development and clinical supervision activities to enhance the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes needed for safe and effective mental health practice

Unit Content

Topics will include:

• Theoretical frameworks of therapeutic communication and self-awareness within interpersonal relationships
• The use of emotional intelligence/literacy
• Professional/personal development and reflective practice
• Professional/personal development and clinical supervision

Assessment Strategy and Rationale

The assessments used in this unit include:

• Assessment Task 1: Critical Practice Example Reflection (50%)
• Assessment Task 2: ePortfolio (50%) Assessments are designed for students to cumulatively demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome.

Learning and Teaching Strategy and Rationale

This unit uses an active learning approach to support students in the exploration of knowledge essential to the discipline. Students are provided with choice and variety in how they learn. Active learning opportunities provide students with opportunities to practice and apply their learning in situations similar to their future professions.

Representative Texts and References

• Foster, K., Marks, P., O'Brien. A. & Raeburn, T. (2022). Mental health in nursing, 6th ed. Elsevier
• Health & Community Services Union (2017). Clinical supervision for mental health nurses: A framework for Victoria.
• Hercelinskjy, G. & Alexander, L. (2022). Mental health nursing: applying theory to practice, Revised ed. Cengage: Singapore.
• King, C., Edlington, T. & Williams, B. (2020). The "ideal" clinical supervision environment in nursing and allied health. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 13: 187-196.
• Martin, P., Copley, J. & Tyack, Z. (2014). Twelve tips for effective clinical supervision based on a narrative literature review and expert opinion. Medical Teacher, 36: 201-207.
• O'Toole, G. (2020). Communication: Core interpersonal skills for healthcare practitioners, 4th edition. Elsevier.
• Victorian Government (2022). Victorian Allied health clinical supervision framework.

Unit Details

• Locations: Online
• Credit points: 10
• Year: 2026