Assessment Overview
Assignment 1 – Quiz
The quiz will consist of 75 questions based on course content related to alterations in mood, thought, and
behaviour, as well as content related to neurobiology and psychopharmacology. The quiz will be
completed at the end of Week five. You need to achieve a minimum of 80% on the quiz to "pass." If you
do not receive a passing grade you will need to re-write the quiz and achieve a pass.
NOTE - Use your text for information about the specific disorders and psychopharmacology. Your text is:
Austin, W., & Boyd, M.A. (2019). Psychiatric & mental health nursing for Canadian practice (4th ed.).
Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.
In order to prepare for the NURS 435 quiz, you can access the following book in the AU library:
Hargrove-Huttel, R.A.(2014). Prioritization, delegation, & management of care for the NCLEX-RN Exam.
Retrieved from https://studylib.net/doc/25208598/prioritization-delegation-management-of-care-for-the-ncle...
Assignment 2 - Community Mental Health Promotion Project
Assignment 2 includes the following:
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Select a psychiatric condition or mental health issue. In your self-introduction posting, identify the
psychiatric condition or mental health issue that you will focus on throughout the course. Ideally
this focus is of interest to you and relevant in your community.
Do some background research on the condition or issue you identified and focus on
understanding the personal, familial and community impact of your chosen topic.
Conduct a scholarly search of the incidence and prevalence of your chosen topic, and include
local, regional and national/international statistics/figures (when possible).
Contact via e-mail or telephone a resource person in your area. (For example, you could contact
a staff member at a local Canadian Mental Health Association. Other examples of resource
persons in your workplace community include: a registered nurse specializing in psychiatry, a
registered psychiatric nurse, a social worker, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a spiritual leader
involved with mental illness/health programs). Based on his or her experience, ask your resource
person to describe the relevance and impact of this condition in your community and to outline
some resources available and the effectiveness or impact of these resources. Be sure to cite
information gathered from any resource persons as "personal communication" using APA format.
Assess the breadth and effectiveness of the services and supports available in your community
for your focus condition/issue. You may wish to include information received from the resource
person or persons you have contacted.
Review assessment, screening and referral tools applicable to the condition/issue you selected.
Select an assessment tool that would be used for your condition/issue of focus. Locate and
review information on the original publication where the tool was first presented. Locate at least
one additional research study testing the reliability and validity of the tool. (Note – you start this in
Unit 3 - Required - Learning Activity 1: Assessment Tool Review).
Compile a summary of these elements as they form your Community Mental Health Promotion
Project. Use a format that allows you to demonstrate that you have attended to each element of
the project. The format could be a power-point presentation, a video, a web site etc. appropriate
for a professional audience.
Marking Guide for the Community Mental Health Promotion Project
Content
The following elements are included:
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Introduction of the project.
Identification of a psychiatric condition or mental health issue.
Description of the impact of the condition/issue on individuals, families, and communities.
Discussion of the relevance of the condition/issue in your community.
An outline of the incidence and prevalence of the condition/issue from credible sources is
included.
Description of at least two resources (local programs, support groups, in or out patient services.
etc.) available for people in your area with the mental illness or condition that you chose.
o What services does this resource offer to individuals, families and or communities?
o Describe the effectiveness/impact of these resources. How are the services meeting the
needs of individuals and families? What are the shortcomings or outstanding service
needs?
Identification and description of an assessment tool that might be used in screening for the
illness/disorder (e.g. Beck's Depression Inventory is a tool that is used for depression screening).
Outline of the context for use of the tool, including who can administer the tool (e.g. Is special
training required to use the tool effectively?) And report on the reliability and validity of the tool.
Append a sample of the tool.
Discussion of how two determinants of health impact community follow up with mental health
clients who seek treatment and consultation for your selected condition/issue.
Conclusion.
A minimum of 10 academic, credible, and scholarly references are used to support the content
of your project.
Page limit for power-point or an educational web-site is 20 slides not including appendices or
reference list.
General Format
The following format, organization, and presentation elements are successfully attended to:
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Credible, scholarly resources are integrated and cited in current APA format.
Content is clearly organized.
Content is presented in an engaging/professional manner.
Content is accurate in spelling, grammar, structure etc.
Guidelines for Power-point and Web Presentations
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Content: Same as required for paper (see assessment overview)
Scholarly Presentation: scholarly writing free of spelling and grammatical errors
References: Each slide is cited according to current APA manual. Reference list is included.
Attention to creativity, aesthetics and readability: for example, large font for reader, limited type
on each slide, appropriate use of graphics and other relevant media.
Submit your assignment to the Community Mental Health Promotion Project dropbox.
About Reference Material for Assignments
Follow the American Psychological Association (APA 6th ed.) guidelines for all referencing. Examples of
primary or original references for your immediate area include refereed journal articles, community
reports, local newspapers, annual reports from municipal/provincial and national agencies, strategic plans
from health care facilities, and even newsletters from the health authority in your community. If you obtain
the information from a website such as a health authority, be sure to cite the original or primary author of
the work, the year, the title, city and publisher as well as the website where you found the information.
Please review the Using Evidence in Scholarly Writing when you are selecting reference material.
Besides using your text, when searching for references consider local documents and national reports
issued by agencies such as Statistics Canada (http://www.statcan.ca/), Health Canada (http://www.hcsc.gc.ca/), the Canadian Institute for Health Information (http://www.cihi.ca), the Canadian Health Network
(http://www.canadian-health-network.ca/), the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (http://www.camh.net/),
Alberta Mental Health Services (http://www.albertahealthservices.ca), the Canadian Psychiatric Association
(http://www.cpa-apc.org/), and the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (http://www.albertafamilywellness.org).
And, you may further compare findings from your local community documents to international reports
issued by agencies such as the World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/en/).
NOTE: Occasionally, content on links is no longer available. As part of developing digital literacy, it is
expected that you will try alternative strategies to reach the suggested website, such as typing the
website name into your search engine.
Assignment 3 - Seminar Participation
Assignment 3 includes 3 mandatory pass/fail group seminars that occur in real-time using Adobe
Connect.
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Seminar 1 – Adobe Connect Seminar – Adobe Connect Orientation and The Stigma of Mental
Illness Seminar (3 hours)
Seminar 2 – Adobe Connect Seminar – The Lived Experience of Mental Illness (3 hours)
Seminar 3 - Adobe Connect Seminar - What we have learned and how will our nursing practice
change? (3 hours)
Marking Guide for Seminars
To achieve a pass in the seminars student need to:
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Attendance is mandatory - missed sessions will result in course failure.
Be punctual in attendance of both seminars and stay for the entire length of the seminars,
Participate in the seminars by having completed the preparation activities noted in the study
guide,
During the seminar demonstrate enthusiasm, respect for the contributions of others, an ability to
synthesize and analyze ideas shared, an application of concepts discussed to real-life
experiences, and an ability to share ideas in a concise and articulate manner.
Assignment 4 - Skills Demonstrations
Assignment 4 includes 2 skills demonstrations.
Skill Demonstration 1 - Mental Status Exam Demonstration
For your MSE you will:
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Conduct a MSE with your study buddy acting the role of client.
Write up a formal MSE as though you are charting on a health record. Please use sub-headings
to organize your MSE. Appropriate descriptive mental health/psychiatric terminology is
required.
Review Adobe recording and write a reflection noting what went well and areas for improvement.
Submit MSE documentation and reflection of yourself to the Assignment 4 Skills Demo 1
dropbox.
Connect with your study buddy via course mail and use the Adobe Sandbox linked in Unit 1 to practice for
your skills 1 demonstration. Several weeks before the due date, consult with your course instructor via
course mail to make a skills 1 date. During your skills demonstration, you take turns assuming your client
roles (based on the case histories). The other person acts as the nurse at the meeting and completes a
mental status exam.
Study-buddies switch roles and repeat this process. The recording is made in Adobe Connect; your
instructor will send the Adobe Connect link to you via course mail so you are able to review your MSE
and complete your MSE and reflection.
HINT - You might find it helpful to consult this document "How to do a mental status exam" prior to doing
your demonstration.
Skills Demonstration 2 – 1:1 Suicide Risk Assessment and Relational Practice or Intimate Partner
Violence Assessment and Relational Practice
For Skills demonstration 2, you will need to schedule a 1:1 meeting with your course tutor to be held in
real-time in Adobe Connect. Please make appointment well in advance of the due date. After you set the
time for the meeting the tutor will send you a URL for your Adobe Connect meeting room. Be prepared to
conduct either a suicide risk assessment or an intimate partner violence assessment. Your instructor will
inform you of which assessment you will do at the time of the interview.
During this meeting you will have a conversation with your course tutor about your learning in the course
to this point. You will also complete either a suicide risk assessment or an intimate partner violence
assessment with your tutor acting as the client. Focus on relational practice skills as you complete the
suicide risk assessment. Your tutor will record your assessment and share the video recording URL with
you.
Review the recording of your assessment and reflect on what you did well and what you would do
differently next time you use this assessment tool. Make sure to assess your relational practice skills.
Submit the word document of your reflection in the Assignment 4 Skills Demo 2 drop box.
Marking Guide for Skills Demonstrations
Tone/Approach
To achieve a pass in the skills demonstrations students need to:
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demonstrate effective non-verbal aspects of conversation: open posture, eye contact, ability to
relax with silence, non-judgmental posture;
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demonstrate para-verbal aspects (how we say what we say) of conversation: modulated tone of
voice (non-judgmental tone of voice), cadence of speech that is appropriate (not too fast or too
slow);
demonstrate ability to ask more questions than give answers;
actively listen.
Content
Specific to the MSE to achieve a pass the interview will include:
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introduction of self;
stated purpose of the interview;
completion of all elements of the MSE;
termination of interview;
quality reflections and self-assessment post demonstration.
Specific to the suicide assessment/relational practice demonstration, the following will be necessary
to achieve a pass:
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presentation of questions that are relevant, organized and demonstrate knowledge of core course
content;
determination regarding suicidal ideation or wanting to harm self;
scaling questions (on a scale of 1-10, how suicidal is this individual?)
determination regarding the presence of a suicidal plan. If there is a plan, determining what the
plan is and if the person has access to that plan;
determination regarding if the client has ever attempted suicide previously;
assessment regarding existing client supports;
determination that if the client's thoughts of suicide became stronger, would the client seek help?
What help would the client seek?
provision of information regarding two appropriate support services for client;
demonstration of relational practice skills;
insightful reflections post-demonstration.
Specific to the intimate partner violence assessment/relational practice demonstration, the
following will be necessary to achieve a pass:
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presentation of questions that are relevant, organized and demonstrate knowledge of core course
content;
assessment of family structure and context;
determination regarding the risk for or presence of intimate partner violence;
determination regarding the client's perception of any violence he or she is experiencing;
assessment regarding the quality of existing client supports;
assessment of the client's thoughts regarding seeking help from community resources;
provision of information regarding two appropriate support services for client;
demonstration of relational practice skills;
insightful reflections post-demonstration.
Assignment 5 - Forum Participation
By the end of Week 16, complete eight substantive forum posts and respond in a substantive way to one
other classmate in each of the eight required forums. You are required to use scholarly evidence (in APA
format) to support your posts. You will receive feedback from your tutor (and your pass/fail grade) on all
eight forum posts at the end of the course. You are encouraged to participate in the other non-required
forums in NURS 435. These are learning activities that expand and enhance your knowledge.
Important
There are numerous forum post opportunities in this course. Please note that eight are mandatory.
The eight mandatory forum posts in this course are in:
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Unit 1 – Introduction Forum
Unit 1 – Fears and Unearthing Personal Beliefs and Bias Forum
Unit 3 – Assessment Tools Forum
Unit 5 - Psychosocial Assessment Skills Forum
Unit 6 – Medication Adherence in Mental Health Populations Forum
Unit 7 – Examples of Ways to Facilitate Prevention Forum
Unit 8 – Vulnerable Populations Forum
Unit 9 – Ethical Dilemmas in Mental Health Nursing Forum
Marking Guide for Forum Participation
Forum Content
Forum post and responses to the posts of others include:
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original thoughts or ideas;
new and related perceptions of an issue being discussed;
relevant, scholarly sources to support points made;
demonstration of openness and respect to divergent points of view;
integration of material from previous units to formulate ideas and generate dialogue.
Forum Structure
Forum posts and responses to the posts of others include:
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being located in the correct forum;
accuracy in grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, etc.;
APA format for citations.
Please be aware that Athabasca University is legally required to archive the content of the course forums
for one year after the end of the course.
Last updated: January 8 2016 Athabasca University