SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Manage extreme emotions and behaviour of mentally ill patient therapeutically 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
252154  Manage extreme emotions and behaviour of mentally ill patient therapeutically 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Nursing 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services Curative Health 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 7  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L7  24 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This qualification will enable the learner to function as a clinically focused, service orientated, independent registered professional nurse, who is able to render comprehensive care across all spheres of health, as determined by the appropriate legislative framework. The qualifying learner will apply evidence-based research to enhance nursing practice.

This unit standard will recognise the essential knowledge and skills required to manage extreme emotions and behaviour of mentally ill patients therapeutically.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Assess the mentally ill patient in terms of extreme emotional and behavioural disturbances.
  • Implement evidence based nursing interventions for extreme emotional and behavioural disturbances in mentally ill patients.
  • Evaluate evidence-based nursing interventions for extreme emotional and behavioural disturbances in mentally ill patients. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in terms of the following outcomes or areas of learning when starting to learn towards this unit standard:
  • Problem solving techniques.
  • Communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Establishing and maintaining therapeutic relationships.
  • Psychopathology. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria.

    The following scope and context applies to the whole unit standard:
  • Learners function within the scope of practice of a professional nurse as formulated by the SANC. 
    		•

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Assess the mentally ill patient in terms of extreme emotional and behavioural disturbances. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Different models for describing and explaining human emotions and behaviour are identified and described in terms of their relevance for practice with mentally ill patients. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Models include:
  • Behavioural; psycho-dynamic; development; neurological; humanist; social psychological.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Assessment instruments or approaches selected are appropriate to the particular patient and context, and consistent with mainstream theoretical approaches to describing and explaining emotions and behaviour. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Instruments include:
  • Psychiatric assessment; mental state exam; standard scales.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The importance of seeing emotions and behaviour from the perspective of the patient is discussed with reference to the conscious or unconscious link between the external behaviour and the patient's internal emotional experiences. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The assessment identifies the potential for harm timeously and accurately in terms of the available data, in accordance with established procedures. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Potential for harm includes:
  • Suicide; violence towards others; extreme withdrawal; hyperactivity.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    The diagnosis of potential harm is accurate in terms of available data, and indicates an understanding of the psychodynamics of the patient's condition, in accordance with prevailing theoretical models. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Condition includes:
  • Inner strength, inner conflicts.
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Implement evidence based nursing interventions for extreme emotional and behavioural disturbances in mentally ill patients. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Psychosocial and pharmacological therapeutic strategies are applied appropriately, and in accordance with protocols and procedures, to alleviate extreme emotions and eliminate disruptive behaviour. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Strategies include:
  • Environmental manipulation; pharmacological preparations.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Psychiatric nursing skills are applied appropriately, and in accordance with protocols and procedures, to manage extreme emotions and behaviour harmful to the patient and others. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Skills include:
  • Psychiatric interviews; counselling skills; verbal de-escalation; physical restraint; managing people in seclusion; choke release, bite release; transporting a violent patient; controlling a violent patient; disarming patients.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Thought distortions, feeling disturbances and behaviour disruptions in patients are accurately identified in terms of expressed concepts and presented symptoms. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Approaches to managing thought distortions, feeling disturbances and behaviour disruptions in patients are appropriate to the patient's condition. Behaviour is managed to bring about changes in feelings and behaviour, in accordance with established procedures and protocols. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Management includes:
  • Distraction techniques; coping skills; psycho-social techniques; psychopharmacological.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Psychiatric nursing interventions, and decisions made, are consistent with the theoretical model underpinning the intervention. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Manage patients with long-term psychiatric illnesses. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Diagnosis of the patient is accurate in terms of the psycho-pathology of the illness, and consistent with the DSM5 and established procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The effect of the illness on the patient is accurately assessed in terms of impact on functioning. Assessment utilises appropriate methodologies and instruments, according to established protocols. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Nursing interventions planned and implemented are appropriate to the specific long term psychiatric illnesses, and promote and/or contain the level of functioning, according to established principles of management of feeling disturbances, thought distortions and behavioural disruptions. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Own role within the multi-disciplinary team is clearly articulated with reference to roles and responsibilities. Referrals to multi-disciplinary team members beyond own scope of competence is consistent with the referral system, and to appropriate health professionals. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Roles include:
  • Function; coordination.
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Evaluate evidence-based nursing interventions for extreme emotional and behavioural disturbances in mentally ill patients. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Includes long-term psychiatric illness. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Information is gathered from all significant stakeholders affected by nursing interventions, as well as records of interventions for extreme emotional and behavioural disturbances in mentally ill patients. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Affected persons are debriefed in a sensitive and supportive manner, in accordance with intuitional procedures and guidelines. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Information gathered is collated and analysed, and areas for improvement in approach and nature of interventions are identified, together with suggested improvements and/or recommendations to the appropriate authority. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Own role in interventions is evaluated for impact on extreme emotional and behavioural disturbances, and contribution to the health of mentally ill patients. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Information relating to nursing interventions is disseminated via approved channels to assist with refinement of information, interventions and procedures. Information is also used to validate and/or contribute to the development of effective training in interventions for extreme emotional and behavioural disturbances in mentally ill patients. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Accreditation Options:
  • Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the relevant ETQA.

    Moderation Option:
  • The moderation requirements of the relevant ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    The following essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. Candidates are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes, to the standards described in the assessment criteria, without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge. This means that for the most part, the possession or lack of the knowledge can be directly inferred from the quality of the candidate's performance. Where direct assessment of knowledge is required, assessment criteria have been included in the body of the unit standard.
  • Integration of knowledge and skills related to management and care of patients with thought, perceptual and behavioural disturbances as governed by the relevant sections of the Mental Health Act and Human Rights Law.
  • Psychopharmacology.
  • Thought distortions, feeling disturbances and behavioural disruptions. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking.
  • Note: Essential to understanding and solving problems related to human behaviour. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community.
  • Note: Health care provision is team-based. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively.
  • Note: Critical in working with human behaviour; self-awareness demands personal organisation; responses to troubled behaviour must be carefully organised. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
  • Note: Critical to effective learning towards this standard; as well as developing appropriate responses to behaviour. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively, using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentations.
  • Note: Communication is an essential component of learning about and understanding behaviour, as well as responding to behaviour. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others.
  • Note: An important part of research and data processing. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.
  • Note: Understanding behaviour and the influences which may cause different responses requires systemic thinking; as does developing appropriate responses. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Notes to Assessors:

    Assessors should keep the following general principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, and then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure that evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent.

    The following particular issues should be taken into consideration when assessing against this unit standard:
  • The SANC guidelines are used as a reference for integrated assessment.
  • Formative Assessment: A variety of assessment strategies and/or approaches integrating theory and practice must be used. These could be tests, assignments, projects, demonstrations or clinical assessments or any other applicable method.
  • Summative: This could take a form of oral, written and/or practical assessments as agreed to with the relevant ETQA.

    Definition of Terms:
  • Terms have been clarified as far as possible through the use of range statements. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  59257   Bachelor of Nursing  Level 7  NQF Level 08  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  As per Learning Programmes recorded against this Qual 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.