NURS 7341 - Biobehavioral Foundations of Mental Illness and Diagnostic Testing in Psychiatric Nursing Practice

Psychiatric illness is often times inextricably linked to health conditions that can mimic mental disorders to be of primary origin. This course bridges the gap between foundational pathophysiology and its relation to mental disorders. There will be an emphasis on the fields of organic psychiatry and neuropsychology in demonstrating the complex interplay between physical illness and mental health. A systems approach will be used with review of key pathophysiological mechanisms followed by integration into psychiatric differential diagnosis. Areas explored will include brain injury, respiratory disorders, nutritional deficits, infectious agents, organ failure, autoimmune, degenerative, and cardiovascular contributors to mental illness.