Program Overview

Advanced Assessment Skills in Specialist Mental Health Nursing Practice

Module Overview

The Advanced Assessment Skills in Specialist Mental Health Nursing Practice module aims to develop the competencies necessary for therapeutic engagement with individuals and their families, friends, and/or supporters within the context of a holistic mental health assessment. The module focuses on applying theory to inform therapeutic skills, advanced assessment strategies, formulation of shared treatment goals, and effective inter-disciplinary communication in a clinical context.

Module Content

The module covers advanced assessment skills, including:

• Effective communication and engagement skills
• Bio-psycho-social-spiritual and cultural assessment
• Integration of recovery principles
• Standardized methods and tools of assessment
• Strengths-based assessment
• Multi-disciplinary assessment
• Risk assessment
• Recovery assessment
• Understanding the application, meaning, and impact of diagnosis
• Working with medication

The module also examines attitudes, values, and responses towards individuals who experience mental distress and involves different agencies and family, friends, and/or supporters in caring for the person experiencing mental distress.

Module Objectives

The module objectives include:

• Developing a successful therapeutic relationship through advanced interpersonal skills and critical awareness of the assessment process
• Executing a comprehensive mental health assessment and developing collaborative care plans
• Discriminating and selecting assessment strategies, methods, and tools appropriate to the person, situation, setting, and context
• Demonstrating critical awareness of research-based psychosocial and pharmacological interventions
• Considering the specific needs of marginalized groups within the assessment process

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate a high level of competence in applying theoretical knowledge to clinical practice
• Develop a successful therapeutic relationship through advanced interpersonal skills
• Execute a comprehensive mental health assessment and develop collaborative care plans
• Discriminate and select assessment strategies, methods, and tools
• Demonstrate critical awareness of research-based interventions
• Consider the specific needs of marginalized groups

Module Details

• Code: NU6172
• Duration: 12th January 2026 - 6th March 2026
• Teaching Mode: Part-Time
• Fees: 1,300
• Closing Date: 12/12/2026
• Credits: 15
• Start Date: 12/01/2026

Additional Teaching Mode Information

The module includes 24 hours of lectures and workshops, 48 hours of directed study, and 276 hours of other activities, such as distance learning, discussion board preparation and participation, required reading, assignment preparation and submission, and self-directed learning.

Schedule

Workshop dates are scheduled as follows:

• 12th January 2026, 09:00-17:00, BHSC
• 20th January 2026, 09:00-16:00, BHSC
• 27th January 2026, 09:00-16:00, BHSC
• 9th February 2026, 09:00-17:00, BHSC

Rooms are to be confirmed, and dates are subject to slight changes.