Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing course

Jan Lewis, a nursing instructor at Pueblo Community College, incorporated service-learning into a course entitled Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. Through the course, nursing students joined teams of staff working with clients at the Colorado Mental Health Institute. Students were responsible for conducting a thorough assessment of clients needs, and then providing support and assistance as necessary to meet the needs of the clients and their families. At the end of the course, students reflected on the experience by making recommendations regarding treatment of the mentally ill. Their recommendations included increasing public education, developing common interest groups, and helping to…