Nursing (Mental Health)

Overview

As a mental health nurse you will work in partnership with individuals experiencing mental health difficulties from a wide range of backgrounds and age-groups.

Approximately 25% of the population are thought to experience some form of mental health problem at any given time.

Mental health nurses are the largest profession working in mental health.

You will draw on a core set of values that inform every aspect of your practice. You will learn to:

• Respect individuals affected by mental health problems
• Value the aspirations of the individual
• Offer meaningful choices in evidence based interventions and care
• Adopt a positive attitude to change and support social inclusion

50% of your time will be spent in classroom based learning and 50% will be spent on placements in clinical settings such as hospitals and community. Your placements and classroom studies will alternate in blocks of several weeks.

Careers

The Nursing (Mental Health) programme from University of Hertfordshire entitles you to apply for register as a mental health nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This opens up a range of fascinating and rewarding career options for both work and advancement in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, community practice, individuals’ homes and rehabilitation units. There are different mental health fields a registered nurse can work and some mental health nursing roles include; Staff Nurse, Community Mental Health Nurse, Crisis Nurse, Nurse Practitioners or Specialists, Modern Matrons and  Consultant Nurse. 

Some individuals advance to become senior managers, researchers and educators. Care, compassion and kindness are that center of safe, effective and personalised  care  and  which future careers are realistic options for an individual depends on their interests, level of education and experience.