Mental Health and Mental Illness Syllabus for 2025-2026
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Instructor Information

Course Information

AI Statement

Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document is considered colluding. The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor.

Title IX and Sexual Misconduct Reporting

Amarillo College prohibits discrimination and harassment based on sex, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, under Title IX and Texas Education Code §51.253–255. Faculty and staff are mandatory reporters and must share any related concerns with the Title IX Coordinator at titleix@actx.edu. Reports and additional information are available at https://www.actx.edu/hr/title-ixtitle-ix. Confidential counseling and advocacy services are available through the Counseling Center and Advocacy & Resource Center.

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Enrollment Center, Suite 700. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

VNSG-1201-001 Mental Health and Mental Illness

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: BIOL 2401 and HITT 1205 OR BIOL 2402 Corequisites: VNSG 1331, VNSG 1204, VNSG 1227, VNSG 1423, VNSG 1260, VNSG 1400

Course Description

An overview of personality development, human needs, common mental mechanisms, and factors influencing mental health and mental illness. Includes common mental disorders and related therapy and application of clinical judgement.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(2 sem hrs; 2 lec, 0 lab)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

PN Mental Health Nursing. Included in ATI materials supplied in class. 

Supplies

Student Performance

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Adult and professional behavior is expected in the classroom. Cell phones should be set to ‘vibrate’ and should not be answered during class. Text messaging is not permitted during class time. Students will not be allowed to videotape in the classroom. 

ATI ASSIGNMENTS

Students must do their own individual work. There may be no sharing of answers for either of these programs. Cheating in any form will not be tolerated and may result in course failure. All unit assignments must be completed by the due date scheduled by the instructor. If not completed by the closing date listed on the lab sheet and/or the date given to you by the instructor, you will receive a zero for that specific unit. A 90% must be achieved on ATI module quizzes/tests to receive credit for the assignment. 

Students are required to do their own individual work. There may be no sharing of answers for ATI. Students are not to write down questions or answers for these programs. Students may not take screenshots of any questions for these programs. Any cheating in any form will not be tolerated and can result in course failure. 

If there are problems accessing and/or working within ATI, the student must contact ATI helpdesk. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor before the due date, explain the problem, and include the ticket number given by the helpdesk. Technical difficulties will not result in an extended due date if the student waits until the day before the due date to begin working on the assignment.

COURSE WORK

To succeed in this course, there will be required assignments. Assignments must be hand-written (unless otherwise specified)  and submitted to the appropriate drop box in Blackboard. Typed assignments will not be accepted unless specified. Typed assignments must be compatible with Microsoft Office (Microsoft Word, etc.). Any submission that is incompatible with the campus computer system will not be accepted and will result in a zero for the assignment. 

If assignments are not completed by the closing date, you will receive a zero for that specific assignment.  Assignments are designed to help the student understand the material. They can be completed as group work, but it is essential for each student to understand all material. Plagiarized work will not be accepted, and may result in a failure of the course. 

ATI Practice Exams are a required assignment. The grade earned by the due date will be the grade entered into the grade book. There are no limits to the number of times these Practice Exams can be taken. 

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is defined as the following: the use of someone else’s exact word(s) that are neither quoted nor cited; paraphrasing someone else’s words without citing them; or citing someone else’s research without citing it.  

Copying any part of another student’s work and submitting it as original work is plagiarism. 

Plagiarism may receive a penalty of zero and expulsion from the program.

Grading Criteria

Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement.  Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class (90% attendance in class is required to pass the course). This course is a hybrid course, attendance will be assessed by completing weekly assignments. 

Calendar

Additional Information

QUIZZES, TESTS, AND MAKE-UP TESTS

Student Testing Policy- Specific to Testing and the Testing Center:

A student will:

1. find the schedule for tests on the class calendar.
2. arrive 10 minutes prior to start of test in the Testing Center.
   1. A student arriving after a scheduled test has started will not be allowed to take the test at that time.
   2. The student will need to reschedule with the course instructor.
   3. A 5-point deduction from the exam will be enforced for students unable to test due to tardiness or failure to comply with testing center procedure.
3. provide picture identification and student ID# at a test (student ID badge will fulfill these requirements).
   1. Students without acceptable identification will not be allowed to test and must reschedule with their instructor.
   2. A 5-point deduction from the exam will be enforced for students unable to test due to tardiness or failure to comply with testing center procedure.
4. sit in the assigned seat as identified by the instructor(s).
5. have no personal belongings (i.e., books, papers, or reading materials) at a testing station.
   1. Scratch paper, pencil, and/or calculator will be provided when necessary.
   2. Students will not be allowed to bring personal calculators or supplies into the testing center.
6. be required to leave hats, scarves, gloves and coats outside the testing room.
   1. Provisions are made for religious and cultural dress.
7. be required to leave all tablets, smartwatches, mp3 players, fitness bands, jump drives, cameras or any other electronic devices outside of the testing room.
   1. Students will be provided a holder for keys and cellular devices in the testing center. 
   2. The student will place these items in the holder prior to the exam.
   3. Students will not be able to access these items during the exam. 
   4. Students may retrieve items only after their exam has been submitted.
8. raise his/her hand to ask a question.
   1. Instructor or Testing Center personnel will come to the student. There will be no other talking during a test.
9. bring no food or drinks in the Testing Center
10. be permitted to take a test one time only.
11. Tests are computerized and will be taken in the nursing testing center and will be multiple choice questions. 
    1. Make-up tests may be essay/short answer questions and must be taken within one week of the scheduled test. Make-up exams may result in a deduction of 5 points (this will be at the discretion of the instructor). 
    2. Failure to notify instructor of a missed exam may result in a grade of 0 for that exam.
12. Level II: PrepU and assigned ATI must be complete before the exam
    1. Failure to complete assignments will result in a 5-point deduction from the exam grade at the discretion of the instructor.
13. Take all exams including the final, no exemptions.  Students will receive the grade earned on all exams, including the final.
14.  Students may review their exam results with an instructor after any module exam. Appointments should be scheduled within one week of the exam. 
    1. No module exam may be reviewed after the next scheduled module exam is given. The final exam will not be reviewed.
15. demonstrate ethical, professional behaviors and will adhere to this testing policy.
    1. Instructors and/or testing personnel will report to the Nursing Department Chair any incident where there is suspicion or evidence of cheating or infraction of this policy with possible consequences:
       1. Invalidation of test scores for the class or the individual
       2. Loss of grade for the individual, or
       3. Dismissal of the individual from the program

REQUIRED TUTORING POLICY

The West Campus Tutoring Center is located in Building D. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.  The telephone number is: 354-6020. The Tutoring Center is open to all nursing students. Any student may schedule an appointment at the center regardless of their academic progress in a course.

Students who do not achieve a minimum passing score of at least 75% on an exam are required to meet with the instructor and/or a tutor prior to the next scheduled exam. Remediation is required to help students improve their critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills and in test-taking techniques. Both the course syllabus and student contract include this requirement. Students who do not complete the required tutoring will receive a 5-point deduction on the exam. The next exam cannot be completed until this requirement is met. 

Students may also be required to complete a Required Remediation Assignment prior to taking the next exam. The instructor will notify the student of the Assignment and the due date for the assignment. The next exam cannot be completed until this requirement is met.       

AMARILLO COLLEGE TUTORING FOR SUCCESS POLICY

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

ASSESSMENT TECHNOLOGIES INSTITUTE (ATI)

ATI assessments will be done throughout the semester. These assessments are utilized to establish readiness for the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX). All students will be required to complete the focused review based on the results of these assessments.

Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) remediation/focused review is used to help nursing students identify and improve knowledge gaps in preparation for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

Each ATI assessment will include a personalized, Focused Review of the specific content to reinforce concepts and strengthen areas of weakness. This will enhance long-term learning and help develop essential knowledge and skills.

Remediation Requirements:

• Failure to complete remediation by the due date assigned by the instructor will result in a 5-point deduction on the ATI exam for which the remediation was assigned.

Refer to the ATI Grading & Focused Review Requirement Table below:

ATI Grading Table/Focused Review Time:

COURSE SCHEDULE:

Students will receive a class schedule on the first day of class.

SYLLABUS STATEMENT:

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for the preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such licenses if the student has been convicted of an offense.  For further information, please contact your advisor, the legal clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in.  The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Anything not covered in this course manual can be found in the Vocational Nursing Student Handbook, and/or the corresponding Online Course Syllabus.
 

TEXAS BOARD OF NURSING DIFFERENTIATED ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES (DECS). 

I. Member of the Profession:

A. Function within the nurse’s legal scope of practice and in accordance with the policies and procedures of the employing health care institution or practice setting.

B. Assume responsibility and accountability for the quality of nursing care provided to patients and their families.

C. Contribute to activities that promote the development and practice of vocational nursing.

D. Demonstrate responsibility for continued competence in nursing practice, and develop insight through reflection, self-analysis, self-care, and lifelong learning.

II. Provider of Patient-Centered Care:

A. Use clinical reasoning and established evidence-based policies as the basis for decision making in nursing practice.

B. Assist in determining the physical and mental health status, needs, and preferences of culturally, ethnically, and socially diverse patients and their families based on interpretation of health-related data.

C. Report data to assist in the identification of problems and formulation of goals/ outcomes and patient-centered plans of care in collaboration with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team.

D. Provide safe, compassionate, basic nursing care to assigned patients with predictable health care needs through a supervised, directed scope of practice.

E. Implement aspects of the plan of care within legal, ethical, and regulatory parameters and in consideration of patient factors.

F. Identify and report alterations in patient responses to therapeutic interventions in comparison to expected outcomes.

G. Implement teaching plans for patients and their families with common health problems and well-defined health learning needs.

H. Assist in the coordination of human, information, and materiel resources in providing care for assigned patients and their families.

III. Patient Safety Advocate:

A. Demonstrate knowledge of the Texas Nursing Practice Act and the Texas Board of Nursing Rules that emphasize safety, as well as all federal, state, and local government and accreditation organization safety requirements and standards.

B. Implement measures to promote quality and a safe environment for patients, self, and others.

C. Assist in the formulation of goals and outcomes to reduce patient risks.

D. Obtain instruction, supervision, or training as needed when implementing nursing procedures or practices.

E. Comply with mandatory reporting requirements of the Texas Nursing Practice Act.

F. Accept and make assignments that take into consideration patient safety and organizational policy.

IV. Member of the Health Care Team:

A. Communicate and collaborate with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team to assist in the planning, delivery, and coordination of patient-centered care to assigned patients.

B. Participate as an advocate in activities that focus on improving the health care of patients and their families.

C. Participate in the identification of patient needs for referral to resources that facilitate continuity of care, and ensure confidentiality.

D. Communicate and collaborate in a timely manner with members of the interdisciplinary health care team to promote and maintain optimal health status of patients and their families.

E. Communicate patient data using technology to support decision making to improve patient care.

F. Assign nursing care to LVNs or unlicensed personnel based upon an analysis of patient or unit need.

G. Supervise nursing care provided by others for whom the nurse is responsible.