Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing

The purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing is to develop a specialist nurse who can demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in mental health nursing as a speciality. It will enable the Mental Health Nurse Specialists to undertake advanced reflection and development by means of engaging in evidence-based practice in their field. The qualification will develop Mental Health Nurse Specialists who will use expert knowledge to enhance quality and safe mental health care which will include preventive and promotive, screening, appropriate management, and prompt referral of mental health care users with specific and complex mental illnesses in all clinical settings. This qualification will also provide a high level of theoretical engagement, sound clinical judgement, intellectual independence and the ability to apply knowledge to a range of contexts to render professional and competent mental health care.

This qualification considers the Primary Health Care (PHC) approach to mental health care, to contribute towards strengthening healthcare systems through the delivery of comprehensive, high quality and safe mental health nursing services.

The curriculum is competency-based and has a strong component of work-integrated learning. Learners will be placed in a variety of mental health clinical learning sites throughout the qualification, as part of work-integrated learning to facilitate the integration of theory to practice and the development of the required competencies in line with the requirements of the relevant statutory professional bodies.

The curriculum content is structured such that it will equip the learners with the competencies in various skills as well as optimal hands-on learning opportunities to assist in the provision of mental healthcare nursing in various mental healthcare settings to address the mental health needs of the country within the competencies of the Mental Health Nurse Specialist. The qualification utilizes learner-centred approaches in teaching and learning, aimed at providing the specialist nurse with a wide range of skills, knowledge and attitudes which will promote the culture of lifelong learning and continuing professional development.

Rationale

According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), one in six South Africans suffer from anxiety, depression, or substance-use problems. Furthermore, 40% of people living with HIV have been diagnosed with a mental disorder. With respect to human resources, there is a substantial shortage of mental health workforce, especially Mental Health Nurse Specialists who would benefit individuals with advanced mental health conditions, their families, groups, and communities.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health identified training of Nurse Specialists, including Mental Health Nurse Specialists as a priority area to bridge the nursing human resource skills gap and provide the much-needed nursing specialist services. The qualification responds to specific departmental needs.

The qualification intends to address the health care needs aimed at preparing Mental Health Nurse Specialists with the knowledge, skills, and professional values for advocating for the prevention of mental illness and promoting mental health care needs of the population, across their lifespan from birth to old age. Learners will function within the approved scope of practice as specified by the South African Nursing Council (SANC), complemented by the policies and procedures of the institution of employment. The context will include all kinds of health establishments. Mental Health provisions in South Africa are currently supported by the White Paper for the Transformation of the Health System in South Africa (1997), National Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic Plan 2013-2020 and Primary Health Care (PHC) Re-engineering Policy (2010), to ensure that mental healthcare services are accessible, equitable, comprehensive and integrated at all levels including PHC; however, mental health specialists will be required to implement such provisions.

The qualification will produce a mental health specialist who is competent to serve in a dynamic healthcare system which requires healthcare professionals who can promote and provide excellent care for people with mental health challenges, their families and their community through a comprehensive, inter- and intra-professional, evidence-based approach to mental health nursing.

The is no RPL for access to this qualification. Applicants must meet the minimum entry requirements, which is a basic qualification in nursing and midwifery as it forms the basis to build into specialization.

This is a specialisation, a professional qualification designed for nurses who have obtained a basic qualification through undergraduate degrees or advanced diplomas. A National Senior Certificate is a minimum requirement to access the undergraduate qualification. Applicants would therefore have a National Senior Certificate and one or more of the undergraduate qualifications in nursing.

The candidate shall be granted credits and exempted from modules passed in an accredited qualification. An application must be submitted according to the RPL policy of the college review.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Advanced Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Health Management, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Health Sciences, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Nursing, NQF Level 7.

And

• A minimum of two years' experience as a nurse including community service experience.
• Registration with SANC as a Nurse and Midwife/General Nurse with Midwifery/Professional Nurse and Midwife.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 8 totalling 128 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 128 Credits.

• Foundations of Mental Health Nursing, 16 Credits.
• Mental Health Nursing Adult, 24 Credits.
• Community-Oriented Mental Health, 24 Credits.
• Nursing Research, 16 Credits.
• Clinical Nurse Specialist Role, 16 Credits.
• Contemporary Issues in Mental Health, 8 Credits.
• Mental Health Nursing Child, 24 Credits.

1 Demonstrate the ability to practice and facilitate mental health care within the ethical-legal parameters of the profession and resolve professional-ethical dilemmas by using decision-making and moral reasoning models.

1. Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge of evidence-based practice to solve contextual problems and develop policies and guidelines.
2. Demonstrate the ability to appraise and develop self, peers, and nurse specialist learners by facilitating self-directedness and lifelong learning.
3. Demonstrate the ability to facilitate advocacy for the profession and provide specialist professional support for personnel, mental health care users, families, and communities.
4. Demonstrate the ability to engage in planning, commissioning, and managing a mental health care unit.
5. Demonstrate the ability to engage in scholarly activities to inform evidence-based practice.
6. Demonstrate the ability to utilize, manage and communicate data to support decision-making and research.
7. Demonstrate the ability to render and coordinate patient-centred mental health nursing within a continuum of care using the scientific approach, integrating biomedical and psychosocial sciences including advanced pharmacology.
8. Demonstrate the ability to mobilise appropriate resources to implement standards of practice relevant to mental health nursing to ensure quality patient care and safety.
9. Collaborate within the mental health inter- and intra-professional team by engaging in health dialogue, shared leadership, decision making and sound clinical judgement.
10. Demonstrate the ability to participate in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of mental health nursing policies, programmes, and projects at a provincial or national level.
11. Demonstrate the ability to develop and implement institutional policies, protocols, and guidelines in mental health care, utilising the process of change management in the improvement of quality of care.

Associated Assessment Criteria

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Conform to the relevant code of ethics in the practice of specialist nursing.
• Use critical decision-making, and moral reasoning models and principles to make clinical judgements and resolve ethical dilemmas within the specialist practice.
• Be accountable for own professional judgement, actions, outcomes of specialist care provided and continued competence.
• Identify and apply the relevant current legislation, policies, regulations, and guidelines pertaining to specialist practice.
• Document accurately, comprehensively, and timeously all care activities considering the legal requirements for record-keeping.
• Examine the nurse specialist's role in the management of professional misconduct and risks taking into consideration the institutional protocols, protocols, and ethical-legal framework.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Engage in specialist practice and the process of evidence-based practice.
• Apply the evidence-based specialist practice by considering the appropriate methodology of gathering evidence for practice.
• Use evidence-based practice and critically analyse the various levels of evidence.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Apply leadership skills, leadership styles, principles, and theories of health services management.
• Effectively facilitate Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for self and others for lifelong learning by creating a positive learning climate in the workplace through the processes of mentorship, preceptorship, supervision, performance appraisal, etc.
• Engage in the performance appraisal and explain the purpose and processes of the performance management and development system.
• Utilise feedback gained from self-reflection, peers, learners, management, and other relevant stakeholders to improve effectiveness in the specialist role.
• Discuss the various risk factors that impact health and wellness within the workplace and apply strategies to care for self, peers, employees, and learners.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Discuss the purpose of advocacy and examine the roles of a nurse specialist practice.
• Apply advocacy principles to ensure safe and quality care in various healthcare settings.
• Use appropriate communication skills and channels in facilitating advocacy.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Discuss the classification level of the respective specialist units.
• Allocate tasks by considering the burden of diseases and priority services as determined by current events.
• Participate in the evaluation of the existing specialist unit and develop guidelines for provisioning a specialist unit.
• Engage in planning and commissioning and discuss the role and responsibilities in the task within the inter and intra-professional team.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Practice in the respective specialisation and conduct appropriate search engines and databases for the literature review to inform evidence-based practice.
• Use appropriate methods to generate evidence for utilisation in specialist practice, e.g. research, systematic reviews etc.
• Conduct the peer-reviewed journals and use them for sharing of evidence.
• Base activities in the specialist practice on scientifically proven evidence.
• Actively participate in inter and intra-professional dialogues, debates, or discourses in quality improvement.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Document all data/information gathered in the context of the specialist practice for utilisation and storage in accordance with the set standards.
• Utilise the comprehensive data, information, and emerging evidence pertinent to the respective specialist practice.
• Identify the problem diagnoses and explore the opportunities for improvement based on the evidence gathered.
• Critically analyse assessment data from the patients/clients, families, and communities, including current scientific evidence.
• Document the comprehensive data, respect for intellectual property and avoid plagiarism.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Reflect on the position of own specialist service within the health care system.
• Apply the full range of services within mental health practice.
• Render and integrate promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care in a healthcare continuum.
• Render mental health care in accordance with national and international standards and protocols of mental health nursing.
• Formulate mental health nursing diagnoses congruent with the mental health care user's (MHCU) clinical manifestations/data based on accurate analysis and interpretation of data obtained from scientific, laboratory, diagnostic, technological and psycho-sociocultural assessment including consultation of relevant/current literature/evidence.
• Plan individualised mental health nursing interventions considering MHCU's needs, values, beliefs, preferences, culture, and contextual variables, for example, disease burden, health risks, national priorities, etc.
• Plan mental health nursing interventions based on formulated nursing diagnoses, and application of specialised knowledge and skills (competencies) including advanced pharmacology in collaboration with the inter- and intra-professional team.
• Implement timeously, accurately, safely, and effectively the planned mental health nursing interventions in accordance with set evidenced-based standards, guidelines, protocols, algorithms etc. for mental health nursing.
• Plan health care interventions in collaboration with the MHCU, family and relevant members of the health care team.
• Prepare nursing interventions for MHCUs, families, and nurses in the lower-level care for continued care in the hospital and community in accordance with the health status and health literacy of the MHCU.
• Document and revise timeously and effectively mental health nursing interventions based on critical analysis of the monitoring and evaluation data and reaching a sound clinical judgement.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9

• Discuss the infrastructure and equipment needed in mental health care settings.
• Operate and monitor the equipment used in mental health settings to render care.
• Employ sound asset management principles to ensure appropriate, adequate, well-maintained and up-to-date equipment.
• Assign staff to nurse care considering the mental health qualification and competencies, experience, standard nurse-patient ratios for mental health nursing, job description and skill mix.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 10

• Identify, share, and collaboratively solve practice problems by informed decisions and sound clinical judgement in mental health care.
• Consult and provide holistic care in a healthcare continuum through awareness of one's competence appropriately and timeously.
• Carry out patient referrals as dictated by the patient's condition and in accordance with the referral guidelines appropriately and timeously.
• Participate in mental health inter- and intra-professional teams and promote, visible and recognise the team members.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 11

• Identify the steps in and/ or levels of the development of policies, programmes, and projects.
• Analyse own role and responsibilities within the mental health inter- and intra-professional policy/project team.
• Participate in policy development, programme and project development and advocate for the nursing profession and MHCUs, families and communities in mental health care.
• Participate in project development and include appropriate communication (negotiation, bargaining, assertiveness, persuasion, etc.).
• Provide timely and adequate feedback to relevant stakeholders as necessary.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 12

• Apply knowledge of the process and steps of development of policies, standards, guidelines, and protocols.
• Involve the relevant and pre-determined stakeholders in the development process of policies, standards, protocols, and guidelines.
• Use the appropriate methods in the development process and evaluation or testing of guidelines and protocols.
• Implement the new policies, protocols, and guidelines for mental health and apply the change process.
• Develop policies, protocols and guidelines and collaboratively revise at appropriate intervals and approve as per the institutional policy for mental health settings.