Is Mental Health Nursing for me?
If you have an interest in developing a better understanding of mental distress and mental wellbeing, and a drive to use evidence-based interventions to support people recover from mental health problems, then being a mental health nurse may well be the right choice for you.
What is involved in the training?
All mental health nursing courses involve an equal amount of taught academic modules examining theory and practicing clinical skills, as well as clinical experience that supports you to put into practice the skills you are developing. The University of Chester has strong links with the clinical services around Chester and Warrington and across the North West of England and North Wales. Throughout the course, all of our students experience practice placements in community, inpatient and specialist services that are organised by our placement office. Whilst each student’s journey is different, the services available include: child and adolescent services; services for older people experiencing mental health problems; services offering assessment and treatment for people with depression and anxiety; services for people in crisis who experience a range of mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, substance misuse and personality disorder; and prison/custody mental health services.
In the below video, Laura Duncan, Senior Lecturer at University of Chester's Faculty of Health and Social Care, talks about why stigma and discrimination are so important to consider when it comes to mental health.
What is it like being a qualified mental health nurse?
Whilst this area of work can be challenging, it is also one of the most rewarding jobs, and the range of different working environments available to qualified staff is immense. If you have an ability to care for others when they are distressed and their actions are hard to understand, and you have a drive to support people in recovering from periods of crisis, then there are great opportunities for you to find a career that is rewarding and stimulating. Find out more about the Mental Health Nursing course at Chester.
This video from the Royal College of Nursing gives some more detail on mental health nursing as a career:
How do you train to be a mental health nurse?
Training to be a mental health nurse involves completing a degree course that has been accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Entry onto these courses is through the standard route managed by UCAS. Each course will have different minimum academic requirements, however most courses will also want you to demonstrate that you have had some experience in a caring capacity. These need not be extended periods, and need not be in the NHS. The important thing is that you have had some relevant experience and have reflected on both the rewards and challenges of caring for someone else.
Find Out More
If you would like to find out more about Mental Health Nursing at Chester, we would love to meet you at one of our upcoming Open Days. And if you have any queries in the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact our Programme Leaders; Rebecca Hall on r.hall@chester.ac.uk (Tel: 01244 51 1652) or Lyndsey Hill on l.hill@chester.ac.uk (Tel: 01244 51 4664).
You can also check out some of our current Nursing students’ stories here.
