what is a mental health nurse?
A mental health issue is usually triggered by sudden changes in circumstances like divorce, the death of a loved one or substance abuse. Some people also have long term chronic conditions that require lifelong management. As a mental health nurse, you build an effective relationship with patients who are reliant on mental health services and with their relatives.
Your job involves helping patients take medication correctly and providing advice on social activities and therapies that can boost their recovery. You help them return to good mental health by ensuring they participate in therapy sessions and take medications on time.
As a mental health nurse, you are likely to work in a hospital that offers psychiatric services. In a hospital, you work in a psychiatric ward, outpatient unit or psychiatric intensive care unit, administering treatment and diagnosing patients. You can also work in community facilities like GP surgery, community healthcare centre, residential homes and prisons. Your job is to provide support and inform the therapist of each patient's progress. You also update families on medical progress and help them develop the right support to improve recovery.
Would working in health as a mental health nurse suit your interest in helping people with mental conditions? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a mental health nurse role.
mental health nurse salary
The median salary of a mental health nurse according to National Careers is £25,654 per year for entry-level positions. When you are experienced, your earnings start at £45,838 annually. You can work for the private sector or NHS. When starting, mental health nurses working for the NHS earn a Band 5 salary and move upwards to Band 8a. At Band 5, you work under a registered mental health nurse, and your earnings range from £25,655 per year to £31,534 annually. As you build your skills and education, you work up the bands. Experienced mental health nurses earn £32,306 to £45,839 per year at Band 7. When you have many years of experience, you can become a consultant and earn a Band 8a salary that ranges from £47,126 to £53,219 per year.
how to increase your salary as a mental health nurse
Your salary as a mental health nurse depends on whether you work in the public or private sector. When you work for private rehabilitation centres, you have a better chance of earning a higher salary. The location also influences your earnings. Urban settings like London have higher salaries and better allowances than rural locations. You can also improve your salary prospects by developing your skills and experience through additional qualifications and certifications.
types of mental health nurses
Types of mental health nurses depend on the area of specialisation:
- paediatric mental health nurse: as a mental health nurse, you can help children with mental health conditions to overcome them by administering recommended treatment. You also talk to their families about ways to detect symptoms of mental health conditions. Some of the children you help are suicidal, depressed or have eating disorders.
- dementia mental health nurses: as a mental health nurse in memory clinics or patient homes, you care for people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. You help the patient by suggesting coping strategies to enable them to remain independent for as long as possible.
- drug rehabilitation mental health nurse: as a mental health nurse, you help people overcome dependency on various substances. You provide counselling sessions and access to other services to help them recover from their addiction.
working as a mental health nurse
As a mental health nurse, you work with the patient's family to help them support the patient's recovery. Let's explore the duties and responsibilities of a mental health nurse.
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mental health nurse job description
Some of the duties and responsibilities of a mental health nurse include:
- assessment and diagnosis: as a mental health nurse, you assess the patients by asking questions, reading their medical files and making notes. When you discuss a condition with patients, you help them identify their problems and develop ways to provide the best care.
- building relationships with patients: as a mental health nurse, you need to encourage open and honest relationships with your patients to promote trust. You should be a good listener to interpret patients' needs and understand their concerns. Talking with the patient and building trust promotes recovery.
- ensuring administration of medicine: as a mental health nurse, you ensure the patient sticks to the treatment plan. That means you supervise attendance with the psychiatrist and ensure they take medication on time. Some patients with mental health conditions are reluctant to take medication, so supervision is a major part of your role. You also administer injections and monitor the progress of the treatment.
- responding to distressed patients: you need to respond to patients in a friendly manner and understand their source of discomfort. You should also teach your patients the best de-escalation techniques for controlling their distress.
- preparing for group therapy sessions: as a mental health nurse, you organise group sessions for patients and ensure everyone participates. You also provide one-to-one therapy sessions like cognitive behaviour therapy for managing anxiety and depression.
- organising social events and working with patients' families: as a mental health nurse, you need to organise social events for patients to help them improve their social skills and reduce feelings of isolation. You also work with the patients' parents and carers, advising them on managing mental health conditions.
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work environment
Most mental health nurses work in community centres providing their services to GPs and community health centres, rehabilitation facilities and residential care homes. Some mental health nurses also provide in-house care in people's homes. As a mental health nurse, you work in a hospital environment or dedicated healthcare clinics. You mostly work indoors with various patients. Sometimes, you conduct group sessions outdoors or work in stressful and emotional work settings. There is also an element of danger since some patients can display violent behaviour.
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who are your colleagues?
As a mental health nurse, you work in hospitals and healthcare centres. Your colleagues may include psychiatrists, counsellors and social workers. You might also be working in close proximity to paediatric nurses and doctors, as well as other specialists that could include roles like support worker, care home managers, personal support worker, learning disability nurses and registered nurses.
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work schedule
The work schedule of a mental health nurse on a full-time schedule is 37 hours a week. However, you may work additional hours, including evenings and weekends. Since you provide round-the-clock care, you also work during public holidays. Shift work is common when you work in hospitals, but you have a flexible schedule in dedicated mental health centres. When you work in community health centres, you work the traditional business hours, but you are always on call for emergencies. Remote work is possible when the patient isn't admitted, and you can conduct your therapy sessions online and prescribe medication to manage their condition.
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job outlook
As a mental health nurse, you have a clear career progression path since you can move from registered nurse to psychiatrist or counsellor. You can also become a social worker or explore a career in managerial roles like running a rehabilitation centre. When you have years of experience, you can become a consultant.
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advantages of finding a mental health nurse job through randstad
Finding your mental health nurse job through Randstad provides important advantages, such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a mental health nurse is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!
education and skills
You can become a mental health nurse with the following educational qualifications:
- university: you need to complete a degree in mental health nursing. If you have a previous degree in health-related courses, you can join the course from the second year. The course should be Nursing and Midwifery Council-approved. Instead of becoming a civilian mental health nurse, you could train with the armed forces.
- apprenticeship: when you work in a healthcare setting, you can pursue a degree apprenticeship in nursing. When you complete the four-year programme, you will be a trainee mental health nurse.
- work experience: a mental health nurse needs extensive experience. It helps to get voluntary experience or internship opportunities with an NHS trust. Registered nurses can convert to mental health nurses with an 18-month conversion course.
skills and competencies
Some of the qualities a mental health nurse needs are:
- good judgement: as a mental health nurse, you need to use your intuition to determine if a patient is honest. When you have sound judgement, you can spot an evasive patient and help them open up more during counselling sessions.
- active listening skills: as a mental health nurse, you have to be a good listener to understand a patient's problems and provide solutions. Active listening helps you provide the best care by giving all your attention to the patient.
- communication skills: as a mental health nurse, you need to build a rapport with patients. That means you should communicate clearly and make them comfortable to share their problems and concerns.
- problem-solving skills: sometimes, patients have an emotional breakdown and become agitated. Your need problem-solving skills to de-escalate the situation. You should develop techniques to use in your sessions when a patient becomes emotional.
FAQs
FAQs about working as a mental health nurse
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what is the meaning of mental health nursing?
Mental health nursing involves caring for patients with mental health disorders. Your job is to administer treatment and guide patients towards recovery.
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what are the skills of a good mental health nurse?
A good mental health nurse needs sound judgement to help them determine if patients are making progress. You also need to empathise with patients and understand their predicament to provide the best treatment.
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what do mental health nurses do in the UK?
Mental health nurses talk with patients about their condition and deliver treatment plans to help them improve. They also provide medication for controlling symptoms.
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is mental health nursing a good job?
Working as a mental health nurse is a rewarding career with exciting prospects and opportunities for growth. The salaries are also attractive.
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how do I apply for a mental health nurse vacancy?
Applying for a mental health nurse job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here!
