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Accredited online course

Mental Health Nursing

Advance your mental care competencies with university-backed mental health training

6 ECTS
academic credits earned
150 hours
total workload

Introductory offer

-30%

Video course: 20+ video hours

Required reading: 125 pages

Qbank workload: 50+ questions

$499.00
$349.30

one-time purchase

ENROLL NOW

6 ECTS credits awarded by DHGS German University of Health and Sports

150 hours total workload – fully online and flexible

Formal certificate proves your expertise in advanced clinical topics

Taught by US board-certified medical educators from top universities

Mental health nursing focuses on the care of individuals experiencing psychiatric conditions, emotional challenges, and behavioral disorders. It encompasses foundational knowledge of mental health, major psychiatric diagnoses, and the principles of therapeutic communication and evidence-based nursing interventions.

For nursing students, understanding mental health is essential to providing holistic, compassionate, and safe care across diverse populations. This course prepares students to recognize psychiatric conditions such as mood disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety, personality disorders, and substance use, while also addressing pediatric and neurocognitive concerns—knowledge that is critical for clinical practice, patient advocacy, and licensure preparation.

Learning objectives

After the completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Explain the concept of mental health and its significance for overall well-being and patient care.
  • Describe the foundations of psychiatric nursing care, including therapeutic communication and safety principles.
  • Summarize the characteristics, risk factors, and treatments of mood disorders, including major depressive and bipolar disorders.
  • Identify the clinical features of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.
  • Discuss the presentation and nursing considerations for personality disorders.
  • Explain the manifestations and progression of neurocognitive and neurodegenerative disorders, such as dementia.
  • Differentiate between anxiety disorders (GAD, phobias, OCD, PTSD) and describe evidence-based approaches to care.
  • Recognize common pediatric mental health diagnoses and their implications for child and family care.
  • Describe the effects of substance use disorders on individuals and families, as well as nursing roles in treatment and prevention.
  • Discuss the principles of psychosocial integrity and their application in holistic mental health nursing.

Course outline

  • Understanding Mental Health
  • Psychiatric Nursing Care: Foundations
  • Mood Disorders: Major Depressive and Bipolar Disorders
  • Schizophrenia
  • Personality Disorders
  • Neurocognitive and Neurodegenerative Disorders
  • Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders: GAD, Phobias, OCD, PTSD
  • Pediatric Mental Health Diagnoses
  • Substance Use Disorders
  • Psychosocial Integrity

6 ECTS
academic credits earned
150 hours
total workload

Introductory offer

-30%

Video course: 20+ video hours

Required reading: 125 pages

Qbank workload: 50+ questions

$499.00
$349.30

one-time purchase

ENROLL NOW

Learn from the best

Brenda Marshall is a Professor of Nursing and the director of the Center for Research in the College of Science and Health at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey. She is a board-certified psychiatric NP and a specialist in mental health, trauma and substance use disorders, running her own private practice. She got her EdD from Teachers College, Columbia University, is a Fulbright Scholar Specialist in Mental Health, and a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP).

Brenda Marshall

Brenda Marshall

EdD, APRN-BC, PMHNP-BC, NE-BC, MAC, ANEF

Brenda Marshall

William Paterson University, USA
6 ECTS
academic credits earned
150 hours
total workload

Introductory offer

-30%

Video course: 20+ video hours

Required reading: 125 pages

Qbank workload: 50+ questions

Introductory offer

-30%

$499.00
$349.30

one-time purchase

ENROLL AND EARN CERTIFICATE

Credits are awarded by DHGS German University of Health and Sports. ECTS is an standardized measurement of academic workload and success. 

“I WOULD ADD A HARD CODED GENERIC TESTIMONIAL BY SOMEONE WHO THINKS ACADEMIC COURSES ARE GREAT TO THE COURSE TEMPLATE.”
Doctors without Borders
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Maybe a grad nurse?

FAQs

A Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) and a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) are postgraduate education qualifications that allow healthcare professionals to deepen their expertise in specific medical domains.

A CAS at Lecturio requires completing 12 ECTS credits, which translates to roughly 300-450 hours of study. It’s usually shorter and more focused than a DAS.

A DAS is more comprehensive and requires 30 ECTS credits at Lecturio. It’s positioned between a CAS and a full master’s degree in terms of scope and depth.

Both qualifications are designed for professionals seeking to enhance their expertise in a specific field without committing to a full master’s program. They often combine theoretical knowledge with practical applications and can be completed while working.

Along with your certificate, you obtain a set amount of ECTS credits. Those credits are the official, standardized measurement of academic workload and learning outcomes across Europe. One ECTS credit represents 25–30 hours of study, including self-study, lectures, and assessments.

ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits are the quality-assured, standardized unit of academic measurement across European higher education and are increasingly recognized globally. One ECTS credit represents about 30 hours of workload.

ECTS credits are a way to verify your expertise to potential employers and institutions who globally understand the rigor and time investment they represent.

ECTS credits can be converted to other local credit systems (e.g., 1 US credit = 2 ECTS credits). However, acceptance of international credits always depends on individual institutions’ policy. Contact your institution for eligibility.

Earning additional academic credits through specialized courses post-graduation demonstrates continued professional development and your initiative to build specialized expertise. The courses and certificates are open to everyone.

Nurses can demonstrate advanced expertise to increase career advancement, nurse practitioner students can get a head start on building specialized medical knowledge and supplement their training, and medical doctors and providers trained outside the US or Europe who are seeking work opportunities in these areas can enhance their CV with a globally recognized certification.

While CAS and DAS are not academic degrees, the courses do provide formal ECTS certificates. The certificates are awarded by the DHGS German University of Health and Sports. On course completion, you also receive a transcript of records as proof you were awarded the required number of academic credits given in ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits. With this, learners can feel confident they are earning recognized, high-quality credentials.

Academic requirements: None. The courses and certificates are open to everyone. However, they dive into medical concepts at the practitioner level, so a solid basis in a healthcare profession is necessary to get the most value out of the content.

Technical requirements: Lecturio Video Lessons can be watched on any computer or mobile device with an internet connection. The following system requirements and tools are beneficial for optimal playback and the use of all Lecturio features: DSL or LTE connection (at least 2 Mbps); the latest versions of your browser; PDF-Reader; speakers/headphones

The CAS/DAS courses do not provide CME/CNE credits.

Enroll in a program that covers your chosen area of specialization and complete the identity check. Complete all required courses within the program within the allowed time frame, and pass the exam. All materials can be worked through fully online, according to your own schedule. On course completion, you will receive a transcript of records with your ECTS credits. Upon completion of all modules of a DAS/CAS program, the DHGS German University of Health and Sports will review your documents and issue the official certificates.

Lecturio partners with the DHGS German University of Health and Sports. You do not have to enroll in the school to complete a course and receive your certificate, nor do you have to meet entry requirements to study at a university. You buy the specific courses separately at Lecturio, work through the materials, and receive your certificate upon successful completion by passing the exam. The academic credits you are awarded will be stated on your transcript.

To ensure the rigor and relevance of the academic credentials, the CAS and DAS courses do have a maximum time of 12 months in which you need to finish working through the course materials and take the final exam.

Within that timeframe, however, you can schedule your course work completely freely and learn whenever, wherever it suits your busy week. There are no fixed classes or appointments to attend.

The Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) and Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) credentials offered by DHGS German University of Health and Sports are not automatically earned through a Basic or Premium Lecturio course subscription. To obtain these certificates, you need to separately enroll in the designated CAS or DAS programs listed above. You do not need to have a Lecturio subscription to enroll.

The key differences are:

Lecturio platform subscriptions provide access to the study platform, but do not include the option to earn the DHGS University-awarded CAS/DAS certificates.

To earn the academic credentials, learners must purchase the specific academic programs designed for that purpose. These are listed on this page separately from the general Lecturio course catalog.

No; other than the Lecturio platform subscriptions, the academic course certificates are one-time purchases. All modules are paid in a one-time payment and the contract will end automatically at the end of the term.

Lecturio’s advanced study programs are designed to allow learners to progress through the material independently. However, a team of expert physician instructors is available to provide support should any questions or issues arise during the courses. Learners are welcome to reach out to the support team for assistance as needed.

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USMLE™ is a joint program of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB®) and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME®). MCAT is a registered trademark of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). NCLEX®, NCLEX-RN®, and NCLEX-PN® are registered trademarks of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc (NCSBN®). None of the trademark holders are endorsed by nor affiliated with Lecturio.

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