Are you aware of the scope and opportunities for Mental Health Nurses?

Do you know which Country now calls for Mental Health Nurses?

A topic that recently came to the limelight was ‘Mental Health’, especially with the widespread impact of COVID-19.  These days, there are various awareness programs and talks on the subject. Mental Health is a vital part of our body, and it includes the emotional and psychological wellness along with the overall health of our mind. Most of the time, our minds are much affected by the stress we all face. It has the potential to adversely affect our mental wellness and this is why Mental Health is important in our daily life.

With the times being tough, mental illness is common these days and it is observed that at least one in four people tend to experience mental issues at some point or the other in their lives. Hence, mental illness comprises a wide variety of issues, and the medical area related to mental health requires healthcare workers with utmost skill and patience. 

Mental Health Nursing; Role and Responsibilities

Let us begin by throwing some light on what exactly the field of mental health nursing is. Mental health nursing is a field of nursing, focusing and specializing in the nursing practices which involves providing the needed support, medical and nursing care to the people undergoing any mental health-related issues. These nurses are involved in the important task of providing a warm support and care to people trying to recover and reach an improved state of life.  They often involve in the treatment of and extends their support to people affected with depression, anxiety disorders or any other problem associated to the mental wellness.  So what does Mental health nurses actually do?

Mental health nurses are responsible basically for providing great support and good care to individuals with metal health disorders. They also handle responsibilities like:

• Assessment and Planning of required nursing care
• Extending an overall care
• Reaching out to every patient, according to their needs
• Taking proper care of Medication
• Assistance in medical treatment and providing the needed advice
• Maintenance of Patients’ Medical records
• Encouraging various medical and therapeutic activities

Mental health nurses would be an integral part of the mental health care team, which also would include doctors, social workers, psychiatrists and therapists. They can work in various environments like that of hospitals, community healthcare centres, specialist units, other secure residential healthcare units and also visit patients’ homes as and when situations require.

Career Requirements of Mental Health Nursing

To pursue a career in Mental health nursing, which stands a wide scope in various countries across the globe, especially in countries like UK and Canada, there are certain skills the aspirants need to possess and some of them are:

• Observational and Assessment skills
• Excellent Communication Skills to work well in sync with patients and their families
• Empathy with Patients’ and their conditions
• Skills to function well within a team
• Ability to keep a healthy distance between professional work and personal health

The basic educational qualification the mental health nursing field for countries like UK and Canada, is either a diploma, a bachelor’s degree or a post-graduate degree in nursing.

A relevant working experience of minimum a six months or so would be an added advantage in the field while applying for the positions of Mental health nurses. The work experience may include any experience in community work or hospital work.

The Scope and Importance of Mental Health Nursing/ Nurses

With the increase in people being affected by mental health disorders, thanks to the pandemic and its chaos, many countries are in requirement of mental health nurses along with other nurses. UK seems to be the most interested in hiring mental health nurses to their various mental healthcare facilities which includes mental health and secure hospitals, where the nurses would be either placed at psychiatric department, outpatient department or a specialist intensive care unit. In large community based facilities, nurses have the scope to work at various community healthcare centres, residential units, as well as at the patients’ homes. There are other employers like large healthcare private firms, armed forces and mental charity firms that would also love to hire mental health nurses for their services as well.

Mental health nurses also have the possibility of acquiring further specialization in the field, to work with a specific group of people, like either with children affected or young adults having mental health issues. They could also prefer educational roles where they can become lecturers and mentors, specialised in mental health nursing field.

The opportunities in private and public healthcare sector is far expanding these days everywhere across the globe and this calls for more skilled healthcare nursing professionals to step in and offer their service. There are various opportunities opening up for Mental Health Nurses across the world and UK is one of the countries that offers a wider scope of job prospects to nurses working or to those nurses who aspire to work in mental healthcare field.