VPSYPRA11 Relationship and Care for People with Mental Complaints Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian

The relationship between mental healthcare workers, users/patients and next of kin is very important when promoting health and providing care to people with mental health complaints. Practising mental health care requires a high level of relational skills, including ethical awareness and professional expertise.

The purpose of the course is to give the students a practical introduction to and training in relational skills when interacting with people with mental health complaints. Students will take practical training that will provide a holistic understanding of the relationship between the framework conditions for service provision and the practice of mental health care. Two different forms of practical training form part of the course. The course concludes with the submission of an in-depth assignment with emphasis on user-related challenges and/or phenomena related to practical mental health care.

The clinical training will normally be carried out in places affiliated with OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University through cooperation agreements. The student may apply to complete the clinical training elsewhere. If the application is granted, the students is responsible for covering any expenses relating to this. The clinical training cannot be completed in the students' own workplace, i.e. the student's own unit, ward or similar.

Master's Degree Programme in Health Sciences - specialisation in Mental Healthcare and Advanced Programme in Mental Health Care is carried out jointly.

Admission to the programme.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can understand human reactions after challenging life experiences and crises, and the significance of these based on recognised mental health care theory
• can described the user/patient and next of kin’s legal rights, and health personnel and the health service’s obligations
• can apply relational and care theory to analyse how attitudes and communication affect relationships and care
• can explain existential dimensions related to hope and meaning in mental health care;

Skills

The student

• can apply relational knowledge to see things in light of the user/patient and next of kin’s life situation
• can facilitate targeted communication and cooperation with users/patients and next of kin
• can analyse the connection between treatment models and work methods to promote the mental health of users/patients
• can assess and discuss professional, legal and ethical aspects with users/patients, next of kin and their collaborative partners

General competence

The student

• can actively contribute to patient-oriented mental health care adapted to the individual, regardless of background, culture and nationality
• can support, guide and cooperate with users/patients and next of kin to enable targeted promotion of health and quality of life
• can analyse and adjust their own professional practice based on their preconceptions and new knowledge
• can contribute to expanding knowledge, insight and openness to promote mental health
• can actively contribute to more openness and less stigma associated with mental health complaints

A master’s degree (120 ECTS) or equivalent)

To be considered for admission, all applicants must submit a one-page summary (A4) of their Ph.D. project before the application deadline.

The following learning outcomes are associated with the successful completion of this course:

Knowledge

The candidate

• is familiar with guidelines and regulations for research ethics
• is familiar with key ethical themes and challenges
• is familiar with relevant stakeholders and institutions

Skills

The candidate

• can apply the principles of research ethics to specific research projects
• can form an independent judgment concerning a variety of challenges related to research ethics
• can access relevant resources and procedures

This course is taught using lectures, discussion, group work and work requirements made in preparation for class assignments. The last day of the course is dedicated to prepared presentations and discussion of the research projects of participants.

This course involves interdisciplinary discussion of subjects and active participation in class is a prerequisite to develop good understanding of the course content. Student attendance of at least 80 % is therefore mandatory to be eligible for examination. The course leader can exempt students from this requirement only under special and individual circumstances. In these cases, extensive reading of the course literature can compensate for the lack of attendance.

Participants who are absent from the requisite class attendance without a valid reason will lose the right of examination.

Mandatory assignments are evaluated as a pass or fail.

Participants will receive 5 ECTS for successful completion of the course. This includes the attendance requirement as well as passing the essay examination. The essay will discuss a key challenge in research ethics and ways to deal with it. Participants should explain why they think their chosen subject is especially important for their project or their type of research. The essay is to be about 4000 words and must be handed in before the submission deadline.

The essay will be examined by the course leader and is assessed as a pass or fail. If the essay is not passed, students are given another chance to edit their submission on a later agreed upon deadline.

The essay examination is based on the descriptions of the course’s learning outcomes.

It is not possible to request an extension of the submission deadline. Exceptions from this are only made in cases of documented sick leave. The deadline for submission will then be postponed based on the documented period of sick leave.

Support materials for assessment/examination

All

Right to appeal

Students may appeal their grade and formal errors in accordance with the Act relating to universities and university colleges and Regulations relating to studies and examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.

The following subjects will be addressed:

• History of research ethics
• The Norwegian system of committees, laws, and institutions
• Philosophy of research ethics
• Values in science
• Social responsibility
• Misconduct
• Conflicts of interest
• Authorship
• Coproduction
• International collaboration
• Informed consent
• Internet research
• Data management
• Integrity
• Accountability

The course overlaps 100% with VPSYPRA10, VPSYDPRA10, VSPYDPRA11, MAPSDPRA10 and MAPSDPRA11. ;