SOC 191 - Psychosocial Issues in Healthcare

Credits: 5
Variable Credit Course: No

Lecture Hours: 55
Lab Hours: 0
Worksite/Clinical Hours: 0
Other Hours (LIA/Internships): 0

Course Description: Explores aspects of psychosocial issues in healthcare. Explores societal, cultural and personal attitudes as they impact access to mental health and medical care. Examines healthcare disparities for individuals with mental illness. Explores legal, ethical and safety issues regarding rights of the individual and the community. Applies the nursing process to the care of individuals from wellness to acute and chronic mental illness. Includes substance abuse, disorders of anxiety, mood, bipolar, eating and thought along with related disorders across the lifespan. Identifies treatment approaches, including communication, collaboration and advocacy, by applying knowledge from psychology and related fields. Incorporates concepts of context and environment, knowledge and science, personal and professional development, quality and safety, relationship-centered care and teamwork.

Prerequisite: NURS 181,182 with a grade 2.7 (B-) or higher and concurrent enrollment in NURS 191,192.
General Education Requirements:

Fulfills Communicate General Education Requirement
Fulfills Integrate General Education Requirement
Fulfills Think General Education Requirement

Meets FQE Requirement: No
Integrative Experience Requirement: No

Student Learning Outcomes

Use the nursing process to provide holistic care for patients experiencing psychobiological disorders and psychiatric emergencies.
Analyze societal and cultural attitudes in terms of how they impact mental health treatment along with access to medical and mental health care.
Recognize personal attitudes that lend themselves to stigma that impact mental health and access to care.
Generate strategies to advocate for persons with psychobiological disorder sand psychiatric emergencies.
Apply knowledge from psychology and other related theories in the treatment of those with mental health issues.
Examine the evidence that underlies clinical nursing practice to challenge the status quo, question underlying assumptions and offer new insights to improve the quality of care for persons, families and communities.
Critique treatment approaches for psychobiological disorders and psychiatric emergencies.
Examine legal, ethical and safety issues regarding rights of the person as compared to the rights of the community.
Explore the role of the nurse as envisioned regarding the future of mental health treatment.
PROGRAM OUTCOME: Human Flourishing: Advocate for patients and families in ways that promote their self-determination, integrity, and ongoing growth as human beings.
PROGRAM OUTCOME: Nursing Judgment: Make judgments in practice, substantiated with evidence, that integrate nursing science in the provision of safe, quality care and promote the health of patients within a family and community context.
PROGRAM OUTCOME: Professional Identity: Implement one’s role as a nurse in ways that reflect integrity, responsibility, ethical practices, and an evolving identity as a nurse committed to evidence-based practice, caring, advocacy, and safe, quality care.
PROGRAM OUTCOME: Spirit of Inquiry: Examine the evidence that underlies clinical nursing practice to challenge the status quo, question underlying assumptions, and offer new insights to improve the quality of care for patients, families, and communities.

Course Contents

Social, cultural, and personal attitudes in terms of how they impact mental health treatment and access to mental health and medical care.
Nursing process applied to providing holistic caf to persons experiencing psychobiological disorders and psychiatric emergencies.
Treatment approaches for psychobiological disorders and psychiatric emergencies.
Strategies to advocate for persons with mental health needs.
Legal, ethical and safety issues in the treatment of those with a psychobiological disorder or psychiatric emergency as compared to rights of the community.
The role of the nurse as envisioned future of mental health treatment and the role of the nurse.

Instructional Units: 5