Research and Opportunities in Higher Education: Nursing Course Report

This research report provides an overview of adult and mental health nursing courses in higher education. It explores the course structure, including lectures, placements, and overseas opportunities. The report also examines university policies related to inclusivity and student conduct. The author chose this course to prepare for a rewarding career in healthcare, focusing on providing care for patients with mental disorders and various health conditions. The report discusses career pathways, including volunteering, internships, and part-time jobs. It evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of being a healthcare assistant in this field. The report concludes with a discussion of entry requirements, including academic qualifications and work experience, and outlines the author's plan to meet the remaining requirements. References to supporting literature are included.

Research and Opportunities in Higher Education 1
Research and Opportunities in Higher Education
Name
Course
Tutor
University
City and State
Date

Research and Opportunities in Higher Education 2
Content page
Table of Contents
RESEARCH REPORT...........................................................................................................................3
Research into Universities......................................................................................................................3
Career pathways.....................................................................................................................................4
Evaluation...............................................................................................................................................4
Entry Requirements and Action Plan.....................................................................................................5
References..............................................................................................................................................6

Research and Opportunities in Higher Education 3
RESEARCH REPORT
Research into Universities
Adult nursing and mental health nursing is a four-year course program for students who have
already undertaken a degree course related to nursing, and are looking future challenges and
progression which can be fulfilled by undertaking the lifelong and rewarding career within the
nursing profession. This course was designed in institutions for the nurses to offer both mental and
physical support to their patients (Price at el, 2018, pp.70-76).
In other institution, the course is offered to enhance student learning and prepare them for
practice. Their structure of the learning is through lectures by professional staff who have specialize
in adult nursing and mental health nursing. Based on placement, the nursing students are expected to
spend 50 percent of their time of the course in practice placement and 50 percent of their remaining
time on studying (either in the library, attending lectures, seminars on campus or working under
guidance of a demonstrator in a practice skills suite). In other universities, during the course at first-
year level, the student is supposed to experience diversity through community and hospital
placements, In the second year, there is an opportunity to undertake overseas placement to
experience mental health care in a different culture. In the third year, a student is allowed to work in
a specialist area such as forensic mental health (Luther et al,2017, p.252).
Most university in united states have the policy inclusivity, for example Georgia state
university, the universities cater for people who are capable of higher education. They offer for both
majority and minority. Due to the legalization of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
rights in the united states, most of the universities has also legalized the same in order to
accommodate all students while other universities have banned lesbianism and gays since it views it

Research and Opportunities in Higher Education 4
as immorality. There is policy in the universities that control the students undesired behaviors such as
bullying. There are anti-bullying slaws that governs the student. It is said that bullying not only
implicates a breadth of universities laws but also a breadth of federal and state law policy. Therefore
all the universities discourage bullying and serious repercussions are taken against students who are
bullies.
I chose the course because it prepares me for a rewarding career and it has advantage in
healthcare. After graduation, I may be able to register with the nursing council as mental health and
adult nurse. I will also be equipped to deliver quality healthcare in contemporary health care services.
After the completion and qualification of the course, I will be fit for the current demands of
healthcare since research shows that people who have suffered long-term physical illness are likely to
develop mental illness as well. Therefore, there is a need to develop a nursing workforce that fit the
demands of healthcare.
Career pathways
After the completion of my degree program of Mental health and Adult nursing, I would like
to offer my services by caring for patients who are suffering from a mental disorder, variety of health
conditions including both minor and major ailments and injuries. I would support the patients’
recovery by carrying out care procedures and care plans, assessment, evaluation and focus on their
needs rather than their conditions and illnesses (Holmberg, Caro and Sobis, 2018, pp.581-592).
I would progress in the field by volunteering at healthcare facilities, going for internship and
part-time jobs related to mental health and adult nursing. These will enable me to improve my skills
which will give me a better chance for employment.

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Evaluation
The advantages of being a mental health nursing and adult nursing health care assistances
includes; being paid well. By earning good money, the health care assistant is motivated to work hard
and also deliver quality service. It also makes one to do the job with passion. Another advantage is
that the health care assistant gets to learn something new each time he or she meets new patients with
different challenges (Cavanaugh.and Blanchard-Fields, 2018).
The disadvantages of being a health care assistant in a mental health nursing and adult
nursing facility include; difficult patient to work with, some mentally ill patients might be violent
towards their specialists. This might disrupt the treatment program by sedating them to sleep. The
second disadvantage is that the job is demanding, as a healthcare assistant, one is expected to work
during the weekends including the holidays, and in times of emergency, one is expected to be there
on time even at nights since emergencies are not predictable.
Entry Requirements and Action Plan
The entry requirements for Adult nursing and mental health nursing qualification are; at least
a second lower class division at degree level and above, awareness on health and health-related
issues and a work experience of at least 500 clinical hours.an occupational health, bearing service
clearance and enhanced disclosure will be required of you as well as character and academic
references, grade c in mathematics and GCSE English or an overseas equivalent. A completion of
APL process that is related to the theory before the beginning of the program is also a requirement
for the course (Creamer and Austin, 2017, pp.e231-e236).
I already have work experience of ten years and functionals in mathematics and English.
Therefore, I have only met the following requirements for the qualification that is, work experience

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of at least 500 clinical hours and grade of c in mathematics and GCSE English, at least a lower
second-class degree honours, I have got awareness on health care and health-related care. I will meet
the remaining requirements by completing The APL process which is related to theory by
demonstrating achievement which is equivalent of 675 of the map learning and theoretical hours
against identified learning outcomes from unit 1 of bachelor of science (BSc) route via the program.
References
Bond, K.S., Jorm, A.F., Kitchener, B.A. and Reavley, N.J., 2015. Mental health first aid training for
Australian medical and nursing students: an evaluation study. BMC psychology, 3(1), p.11.
Cavanaugh, J.C. and Blanchard-Fields, F., 2018. Adult development and aging. Cengage Learning.
Creamer, A.M. and Austin, W., 2017. Canadian Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies Identified:
An Opportunity to Build Mental Health and Illness Skills and Knowledge. The Journal for
Nurse Practitioners, 13(5), pp.e231-e236.
Holmberg, C., Caro, J. and Sobis, I., 2018. Job satisfaction among Swedish mental health nursing
personnel: Revisiting the two‐factor theory. International journal of mental health nursing,
27(2), pp.581-592.

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Luther, L., Gearhart, T., Fukui, S., Morse, G., Rollins, A.L. and Salyers, M.P., 2017. Working
overtime in community mental health: Associations with clinician burnout and perceived
quality of care. Psychiatric rehabilitation journal, 40(2), p.252.
Price, A.M., Devis, K., LeMoine, G., Crouch, S., South, N. and Hossain, R., 2018. First year nursing
students use of social media within education: Results of a survey. Nurse education today, 61,
pp.70-76.