Psychosis: understanding and working with psychotic symptoms 

This course explores the fundamentals of psychosis, including therapy, medication, nursing management and the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code. Through realistic clinical scenarios and practical guidance, it supports health professionals to recognise the impact of psychosis, deliver compassionate care, and understand the key principles of safe and professional mental health nursing practice.

  • 2 hours

    Estimated learning time

  • Case studies

    Practice-based scenarios

  • Certificate

    Awarded on completion

  • Pre & post questions

    Track your learning

Learning objectives


After studying this course you should be able to:

  • Identify specific psychotic symptoms 
  • Differentiate between having the experience of psychotic symptoms and being diagnosed with a psychotic disorder 
  • List factors that increase risk of developing a psychotic disorder 
  • Describe theories about the causes of psychotic disorder 
  • List possible barriers to a person with a psychotic disorder taking antipsychotic medication 
  • Explain how the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code applies to working with people with a psychotic disorder and prescribed antipsychotics 
The discussion areas within each module provide an opportunity to reflect on the content, share experiences from practice, and learn from other health professionals. Taking part in discussions can help support participatory learning as part of your CPD activity.

Course author

James Tighe, advanced nurse practitioner (mental health), Royal Marsden Hospital, and visiting fellow in advanced clinical practice in mental health, London South Bank University.

All Nursing Times courses are written by expert nurses and double-blind peer reviewed.

Ⓒemap. All rights reserved.

Published 2023
Disclaimer
Healthcare knowledge is constantly changing and we have taken reasonable care to ensure that the content included in this is accurate and up to date at the time it was created. Nursing Times courses are provided for general reference and learning purposes only: they cannot of course take account of individual circumstances and should not therefore be relied upon on their own in connection with administering medicines or providing treatment. We strongly advise users to confirm that the information provided, especially with regard to drug usage, complies with all current legislation and standards of practice. By proceeding to access this course you confirm your acceptance of, and agreement to, these terms.