Becoming an autonomous practitioner: mental health
This module builds on the field-specific content from Stage 2, offering you the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge you’ve acquired while further developing it throughout Stage 3 as you prepare to qualify with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). You’ll study theoretical content related to nursing leadership and management of complex care. This includes safeguarding, medicines management, reflexive practice, and gaining a wider appreciation of the impact nurses and nursing leadership can have in healthcare. You will undertake this study alongside practice placement in clinical settings where you will be expected to complete your Practice Assessment Document.
What you will study
In this module, you will undertake 770 hours of practice learning. Alongside this you will also study five topics which will cover the following:
Topic 1 – Being a reflexive practitioner
Critical reflection
Critical awareness
Supervision and mentoring others
Topic 2 – Medicines management and optimisation
Medicines calculations
Complexity in medicines management, long term conditions and polypharmacy
Clinical trials
Preparation for becoming a registrant, accountability in practice
Topic 3 – Safeguarding across the lifespan
Safeguarding and the family context
Serious case reviews and public inquiries
Topic 4 – Global nursing leadership
Influential leadership
Impact on healthcare policy
Topic 5 – Preparing for graduate practice
Becoming autonomous
Political awareness
Leadership and managing complexities
Entry requirements
This module is not available for standalone study. To study this module, you should be registered on the BSc (Honours) Nursing, and have:
satisfied the entry requirements for the qualification
normally completed the following OU level 1 modules: Introducing health and social care (KYN102) and Introduction to healthcare practice (KYN104), and the OU level 2 modules Understanding nursing: knowledge and theory (KYN210), and Developing nursing practice (KYN211) or demonstrate equivalent.
met the NMC entry requirements; demonstrated good character and health status through self-declaration; enhanced criminal disclosure; occupational health screening; review of previous sickness and absence; two references, including one from your current employer.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
Online tuition will be via synchronous Adobe Connect meetings with monthly 90-minute tutorials. Learning materials will be labelled as Core and Optional, but you'll be expected to study outside OU learning materials by seeking further information from the internet, as well as drawing on local trust and national policies to inform your tuition and practice.
Tutorials will run with groups of 20 students. Students seeking individual support will be able to do so with their tutor. You will also be supported in practice by a Practice Supervisor and a Practice Tutor who will act as your Academic Assessor. Your practice tutor may meet with you face-to-face or online.
Assessment
Course work includes:
2 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
2 Interactive computer-marked assignments (iCMAs)
End-of-module assessment
What's included
Online learning materials and resources. You will have access to a module website, through which teaching and library resources are available that provide links to current information and relevant research-based materials relating to module content.
Computing requirements
Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer with at least 8 GB of RAM and a quad-core processor (2.4 GHz minimum speed). It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
Operating systems – Windows 11 or the latest supported macOS.
Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended; Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.
Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
Software – Any additional software will be provided or is generally available for free.
If you have a disability
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying KYN327 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
If you’re using printed materials as part of reasonable adjustments to support your studies, note that printed versions of online materials are unavailable for this module.
Future availability
Becoming an autonomous practitioner: mental health starts three times a year – in November, April and July.
This page describes the module that will start in November 2026, April 2027 and July 2027.
From 2029, this module will be available twice per year in April and July.
We expect it to start for the last time in July 2036.