How to Become A Mental Health Nurse

The work of a mental health nurse is significant for giving patients nationwide high-quality care and treatment. People with mental health disorders can benefit from the assistance and care provided by mental health nurses. This field can be a good fit for you if you want to work in healthcare and are motivated to help people with their mental health. In this blog, we explore the necessary procedures to enter this sector, including schooling, training, essential skills, and employment options. 

What does a mental health nurse do?

A mental health nurse establishes productive connections with patients who are in recovery or who require mental health assistance. They might assist patients with taking their medications, arranging social events, or, more generally, assisting patients in leading happy, independent lives. 

Patients with eating disorders, personality disorders, anxiety, and depression may be treated by the mental health nurse. They frequently collaborate with medical professionals, including social workers, therapists, and psychiatrists, as members of a healthcare team. A mental health nurse may work in a private clinic, a psychiatric hospital, a mental ward, or occasionally even in the homes of patients. 

Over the course of their careers, mental health nurses frequently specialise. Working with various patient groups, such as adolescents, addicts, patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, or those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, is frequently associated with this speciality.

Mental health nurse skills and qualifications

Mental health nurses work with patients who are in need all day long. Determination and emotional fortitude are necessary for this position. Successful applicants for this position should bear in mind the following abilities:

• Possessing an excellent grasp of psychology
• Having high listening skills
• Having the ability to use a nonjudgmental approach
• Possessing empathy and compassion for others
• Effective communication and collaboration with other healthcare professionals
• Resilience and the capacity to psychologically detach oneself from work 
• Knowing a lot about mental health issues and mental health in general

Steps to Becoming a Mental Health Nurse

There are numerous educational paths available to aspiring nurses who wish to obtain the required credentials. This often entails earning a nursing degree with a recognised concentration in mental health. A solid theoretical and practical foundation for patient care is provided by this degree. 

Look for some work experience

You can try out the job by gaining some work experience in the field if you’re not sure if mental health nursing is for you. You can discover gaps in your expertise and get important insights into the field of nursing via this practical, hands-on experience. Furthermore, you can get knowledge from seasoned professionals, expand your network, and possibly locate a mentor to help you navigate your early career.

Volunteering at your neighbourhood mental health services or mental health charity is a great way to gain this real-world work experience. Gaining practical knowledge of NHS values through work experience can improve the application of nursing training. 

Gain your qualifications

It’s time to obtain those crucial credentials when you’ve decided that nursing is your career path. The majority of mental health professionals have a degree-level degree in nursing or a related field, although there are many different pathways and qualifications into nursing in mental health, as was previously mentioned. Considering real-world experience as a component of your credentials is also beneficial.

You can continue volunteering at your neighbourhood health clinic or take an additional course, even though many nursing programs emphasise a practical component. Make sure your nursing qualifications have been certified by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC).

Develop your specialism

Developing your specialisation in mental health nursing is crucial because most nursing degrees cover a wide range of topics to produce well-rounded healthcare professionals. Completing a postgraduate degree in mental healthcare, concentrating your professional expertise in this field, or enrolling in a professional development course are some examples of this procedure. You can improve your practice and your career chances by earning these particular qualifications. Make sure to approach your institution for help because some NHS teaching hospitals provide professional development for recently qualified nurses.

Apply for positions

It’s time to look for a permanent job after you have advanced your specialisation in mental health nursing and obtained your certification as a mental health nurse. The NHS employs the majority of nurses; working with commercial organisations and charities is an alternative. When applying for jobs, don’t forget to highlight your professional background and your flexible skill set.

The average salary for mental health nurses

A mental health nurse’s starting pay is approximately £25,000 annually. A full-time pay for an experienced mental health nurse might reach £45,000. The mental health field is a growing and exciting area of nursing that offers prospects for advancement and career advancement.

Conclusion

In the UK, becoming a mental health nurse is a respectable and fulfilling professional choice. A rewarding job choice that provides the chance to truly impact people’s lives is becoming a mental health nurse. You can establish an enjoyable profession in one of the most significant areas of healthcare with the correct training, abilities, and commitment. The path is tough but the potential for personal and professional growth is abundant.

Are you ready to take the next step? Check out our mental health nursing on the Unified Course website right now.