Course Details

Course Code(s):
NS6172
Available:
Part-Time
Intake:
Spring
Course Start Date:
Spring 2025
Duration:
One Semester (12 Weeks)
Award:
University Certificate of Study
Faculty: Education and Health Sciences
Course Type: Professional/Flexible
Fees: For Information on Fees, see section below.

Contact(s):

Name: Department of Nursing & Midwifery
Address: Faculty of Education & Health Sciences Email: nm@ul.ie Telephone: +353 61 202271

Express Interest

Register your interest here for more information or to be notified when applications are open.

Brief Description

This course qualifies for 50% funding under the HCI Micro-Credential Course Learner Subsidy. Check fees section for details and eligibility. Applications for Spring 2025 will open in October, express your interest to be notified when the course opens for application. 

Please ensure you enter the Module Code below when applying for this module. Applications without this cannot be processed. You may apply for more than one module under the same application.

Module Description

Module Code

NFQ Level

ECTS Credits

Start Date

Cost

Safety Planning and Risk Management in Mental Health Care 

NS6172

9

9

TBC

€800 - EU

€1,500 - Non-EU

This module addresses contemporary mental healthcare policy and practice, where risk assessment and safety planning are integral components of a recovery-based approach to care. Students will have the opportunity to develop expert knowledge, skills and competence related to risk/complex care management issues in accordance with best practice guidelines and policy.

This module will provide the student with the skills to critically evaluate and lead assessment in risk management, safety planning and therapeutic interventions, informed by evidence-based practice guided by local, national and international policy. 

This module is run over three in-person/on campus days over the duration of the semester with online learning activities that take place in-between.

In contemporary mental healthcare policy and practice, risk assessment and safety planning are integral components of a recovery based approach to care (Higgins et al, 2015). Education and training in the area of risk assessment and safety planning is therefore essential for all healthcare professionals working with individuals experiencing mental health difficulties. A need for further education and training in safety planning and risk management amongst healthcare professionals has been identified (Higgins et al, 2015; Cusack and Kiloury 2012; Jelinek et al, 2013).

This module addresses this need by providing participants with the opportunity to develop expert knowledge, skills and competence related to complex care management issues in accordance with best practice guidelines and policy. The concepts of recovery, person-centered care and evidence based practice are central to the philosophy of this module. Health care professionals will critically evaluate and lead assessment in risk management, safety planning, therapeutic interventions, informed by evidence based practice guided by local, national and international policy.

Learning outcomes:

  • Critically discuss the role of the healthcare professional in safety planning and risk management in mental healthcare settings
  • Critically appraise risk assessment tools and management strategies within the mental healthcare setting.
  • Demonstrate the application of the principles of evidence based practice to determine the mental healthcare and safety management of an individual with complex mental health care needs.
  • Critically discuss the challenges associated with safety planning and risk management when caring for people with mental health difficulties.
  • Critically appraise the challenges experienced by the service user and families in positive risk taking.

 

Entry Requirements:

  1. A Registered Nurse or Registered Midwife on the current register of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland. 
  2. Applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of either prior successful completion of a degree qualification taught through the medium of English or meet criteria identified in the English Language qualifications set by the University of Limerick.

€800 - EU

€1,500 - Non-EU

HCI Micro-Credential Course Learner Subsidy - Candidates who satisfy the eligibility criteria can qualify for 50% funding subject to the availability of places. To clarify eligibility please go to Eligibility Criteria 

Please click here for information on funding and scholarships.