Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitPrerequisites
NilTeaching organisation
150 hours of focused learning.Unit rationale, description and aim
Recovery oriented practice in mental health is based on principles such of human dignity, rights and self-determination. There are circumstances where an individual's rights may be impacted as a result of assessment of perceived risk to themselves or others as defined by relevant legislation that directs clinical practice. Therefore, it is essential that mental health practitioners develop a sound understanding of the concept of risk in the context of their practice and how to provide safe, effective care for individuals with mental distress or who are experiencing crisis.
This unit will provide students with an opportunity to explore contemporary mental health practice in settings where consumer rights may be compromised as a result of perceived risks. Using a recovery-oriented approach, students will investigate and analyse information about safe, effective care for individuals with mental distress or who are experiencing crisis. Mental health legislation, local and national guidelines and procedures for minimising risk and harm will be explored, particularly in relation to systems and processes that protect the individual from neglect, danger, harm and abuse. Students will explore concepts relating to mutuality, negotiation, dignity and choice in decision making.
The aim of this unit is to prepare students to deliver safe, ethical and legal care to individuals experiencing mental distress or crisis within a recovery-oriented practice framework.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Identify contemporary legal and ethical practices in the management of individuals considered ‘at risk’ |
| LO2 | Demonstrate knowledge of a range of models and tools of risk assessment that build on individual and family strengths to promote their health and well-being |
| LO3 | Utilise a range of communication skills to establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with individuals and their significant others during risk assessment and strategies that enables recovery and promotes a collaborative and holistic recovery-oriented and trauma informed approach to risk assessment/management |
| LO4 | Work in partnership with other disciplines, agencies and stakeholders to deliver holistic, evidence-based care that effectively assesses and negotiates risk strategies that meet ethical and legal standards pf practice and is respectful of the individual’s rights, choices, experiences and circumstances |
Content
Topics will include:
Legal and ethical constructs
- Mental health legislation
- Legal considerations in the care of individuals
- Ethical considerations
- Least restrictive practice within a recovery oriented approach
Use of therapeutic communication in risk assessment to enable recovery
- Non-coercive communication
- Supported decision making within the context of risk
- Approaches to enhance self determination
- Negotiation skills in challenging behaviour
- Reflection on practice
Models and tools in risk assessment
- Structured clinical judgment
- Risk assessment tools e.g. HCR-20 and START
- Assessment of risk within diverse social, cultural and family contexts
Management of risk and safety
- Mental health triage
- Crisis & crisis intervention
- Risk prediction, risk tolerance, and risk prevention
- The contemporary evidence base on the use of interventions inclusive of: seclusion/mechanical restraint, medication, special/constant observation
Therapeutic interventions to promote health and well being
- Acknowledgement of individual and family strengths
- Psychosocial interventions to manage risk e.g. psycho-education, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, family therapy
Working in partnerships
- Individual and family/carer partnerships
- Interagency and interdisciplinary collaboration
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
ACU Online
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. Students are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions. Active learning opportunities provide students with opportunities to practice and apply their learning in situations similar to their future professions. Activities encourage students to bring their own examples to demonstrate understanding and application, and to engage constructively with their peers. Students receive regular and timely feedback on their learning, which includes information on their progress.
The active learning approaches applied in this unit are flexible and inclusive, allowing students the opportunity to analyse and critically evaluate approaches to providing holistic recovery oriented care in the context of individuals considered ‘at risk’.
Through an online learning platform learning strategies will focus on creating a nexus between workplace clinical practice and a contemporary evidence base. Key learning strategies will involve facilitated webinars and web-based learning. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy used allows for the progressive development of knowledge and skills necessary for the student to be able to interrogate the relevant literature and further development of contemporary practice in settings where individual consumer rights may be compromised due to perceived risk. The second assessment task will require students to demonstrate their understanding and critical analysis of current relevant legislation pertaining to their practice. The third assessment task will enable students to demonstrate their understanding of the complexities involved in understanding and incorporating risk assessment in the context of recovery-oriented and trauma informed practice
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Online Seminar Presentation Duration: 30 minutes Enables students to research and reflect on mental health legislation, to think critically, appraise and present their findings to their peers. | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
Assessment Task 2: Written Assignment Enables students to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of risk assessment in the context of recovery oriented and trauma informed practice with consumers and carers. | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
Duxbury, J., Baker, J., Downe, S., Jones, F., Greenwood, P., Thygesen, H., McKeown, M. … Whittington, R. (2019). Minimising the use of physical restraint in acute mental health services: The outcome of a restraint reduction programme (‘REsTRAIN YOURSELF’). International Journal of Nursing Studies, 95; 40-48.
Foster, K., Marks, P., O'Brien. A. & Raeburn, T. (2022). Mental health in nursing, 6th ed. Elsevier
Hercelinskjy, G. & Alexander, L. (2022). Mental health nursing: applying theory to practice, Revised ed. Cengage: Singapore.
‘Safewards’ at www.safewards.net
Sashidharan, S.P., Mezzina, R. & Puras, D. (2019). Reducing coercion in mental healthcare. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 28(6); 605-612. Doi: 10.1017/S2045796019000350.
Thibaut, B., Dewa, L.H., Ramtale, C., D’Lima, D., Adam, S., Ashrafian, H., Darzi, A. & Archer, S. (2019). Patient safety in inpatient settings: A systematic review. BMJ Open, e-030230.
Victorian Government Department of Health (2022). Suicide risk assessment. Retrieved from https://www.health.vic.gov.au/practice-and-service-quality/suicide-risk-assessment