Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE MDS4038

 
TITLE Psychiatry

 
UM LEVEL 04 - Years 4, 5 in Modular UG or PG Cert Course

 
MQF LEVEL 6

 
ECTS CREDITS 10

 
DEPARTMENT Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

 
DESCRIPTION This unit will provide learning in Psychiatry in relation to Medicine, provided through lectures, tutorials, clinical demonstrations, clinical attachments and the visit to related venues and services.

It is based on principles of learning with objectives set by World Federation for Medical Education, World Health Organisation and World Psychiatric Association.

Study-unit Aims:

- Discuss the psychiatric and psychological needs and factors that may often exist in patients with other health problems and give these the importance. The study-unit introduces the student to psychiatric disorders and the different environments in which psychiatric and psychosocial disorders are dealt with. It will also teach students about the assessment and management of psychiatric and psychological disorders in all their manifestations including holistic care in all patients across health & social care.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- discuss the psychiatric and psychological needs and factors that may often exist in patients with other health problems;
- explain the biological, psychological, and social aetiological factors operating in all patients they encounter;
- explain the range, skills and function of related professionals and agencies that contribute to multidisciplinary teams and networks in the management of psychiatric disorders;
- describe the value of the developmental approach to clinical psychiatric problems with reference to the stages in the life cycle where the person is affected by his or her disorder and the longitudinal perspective of illness;
- discuss issues of human rights in relation to the care of persons with mental illness and with reference to the Maltese Mental Health Act;
- describe methods of acute involuntary admission, with use of the Mental Health Act.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- recognise the importance of the family and the wider psychosocial and spiritual environment of the patient;
- recognise the impact of psychiatric disorder on the family and their role in the development and maintenance of the person’s conditions, recovery, and quality of life;
- interpret the findings from the history, physical and mental state examination;
- treat common psychiatric disorder (refer to essential and critically essential learning objectives);
- recognise when and how to refer for further specialist help;
- recognise patients at risk of self-harm and harm to others and take appropriate action;
- interview and examine all patients, psychiatric or other patients, in a manner that addresses both their physical and psychological needs in anon-judgmental manner;
- possess the necessary basic skills to recognise the presence of psychiatric morbidity and comorbidity in their patients;
- reach a provisional assessment of the patient’s problems and formulate with him or her plans for investigation and management in all disorders;
- recognise the presence of disability and handicap and develop the skills to support and empower;
- take a psychiatric history and perform a Mental State Examination;
- assess and manage the depressed patient (also in the postnatal period and in the elderly), including safe prescription;
- assess and manage the anxious and the acutely psychotic patient including safe prescription;
- assess and manage the person with morbid jealousy and the potentially aggressive patient;
- assess and manage acute and chronic organic brain syndrome including safe administration of treatment;
- assess and manage the person who harms or is at risk of harming him or herself including applying the processes for acute involuntary admission;
- assess and manage childhood simple anxiety, depression, irritability, restlessness, school phobia and school underperformance;
- assess and manage patients with eating disorders, alcohol-related, drug and gambling problems, sleep, and chronic tiredness;
- recognise the importance of the promotion of mental health and the prevention of psychiatric disorders with reference also to early intervention, integration, avoidance of handicap and empowerment;
- recognise what cannot be missed in a psychiatric history and mental state examination (particularly, states of altered mood, anxiety, risk to self or others and cognitive change).

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts

- Craig, T., Davies, T., (2009), ‘ABC of Mental Health (ABC Series Book 142)’
- Katona, C. L. E., Cooper, C., Robertson, M. (2015), ‘Psychiatry at a Glance’
- Gelder, M. G., Mayou, R., Geddes, J. (2005), ‘Psychiatry (Oxford Core Texts)’.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture, Independent Study, Placement & Tutorial

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Logbook 10%
Oral Examination (15 Minutes) 20%
Examination (3 Hours) 70%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit