Mental Health Program

The mental health program is designed to prepare LPNs to acquire the necessary knowledge and practice expertise to care for clients with mental health and psychiatric problems in a variety of health-care settings. Students who have successfully completed the program are awarded a certificate of completion from the Centre for Nursing Studies.

Program

The Mental Health Program is delivered in a print-based distance education format and includes nine self-learning modules and a clinical component. Students have the opportunity to complete the program at their own pace within a one year period.

Clinical Experience

Upon successful completion of the theoretical component of the program, students complete a clinical component. Students are accommodated in their own geographic region as feasible.

There are two clinical options:

1. Individuals who have less than two years (full-time equivalent) in mental health clinical practice are expected to complete a four-week preceptored clinical experience. During this time, students complete an Interpersonal Process Recording (IPR) and a Mental Status Exam (MSE) based on interactions with clients in the clinical settings. Students are expected to devote four hours a week, for six weeks, to complete a project in a community based or clinical mental health setting. The student devises three learning objectives for this clinical component. The student also completes a written assignment discussing how these objectives were met.
2. Individuals who have two or more years (full-time equivalent) in mental health clinical practice are required to complete an Interpersonal Process Recording (IPR) and a Mental Status Exam (MSE) with individuals in an acute care clinical setting. Students are not be required to complete a preceptored clinical experience. Instead, they are expected to devote four hours a week, for six weeks, to complete a project in a community based or clinical mental health setting in collaboration with the Program Coordinator.

Fees

• Tuition is $1,000 CAD. Tuition must be paid in full before admission to the program.
• Tuition fee includes unit modules and preceptored clinical experience.
• The required textbook (Varcarolis’s Canadian psychiatric mental health nursing: A clinical approach, 2nd ed.) is not included in the cost of tuition.
• Links to additional online readings and resources will be provided in the unit modules. Printings of additional online readings and resources will not be provided by the CNS.

Program offering

This program is offered based on sufficient registration.

The Centre for Nursing Studies offers Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) as a service to students who feel they may have achieved learning through previous knowledge and experience.

Application

If you are interested in completing this program, please complete the LPN Mental Health Registration Form July 2023 (PDF).

For inquiries and further information, please contact

Stephanie Barrington
Centre for Nursing Studies – Continuing nursing studies secretary
Southcott Hall, 100 Forest Rd.
St. John’s, NL A1A 1E5
Telephone: 709-777-8162
Toll Free: 1-888-290-6272
Fax:  709-777-8176
E-mail: stephanie.barrington@mun.ca