Role of a Mental Health Nurse Essay
Mental health nurses form a crucial part of Britain’s healthcare system, positively affecting the lives of thousands of patients every day. The role can be exhausting both physically and mentally but offers huge rewards, as nurses work to directly improve the lives of their patients on a daily basis.Role of a Mental Health Nurse Essay
Duties and responsibilities
Mental health nurse jobs place individuals in a huge variety of work environments, including hospital wards, homes, outpatient departments, residential units and community drop-in centers. Opportunities for employment are available across the NHS but also in the private sector, the prison system and the military. Caring for patients with mental illness – from the very young to the very old – presents unique challenges, which typically include:
- Caring for patients with acute conditions – building relationships and responding to their physical and emotional needs, while delivering effective care.
- Administering patients’ medications and treatments – and monitoring results.
- Dealing with the specific symptoms of mental illness, de-escalating stressful situations and helping patients overcome challenges.
- Interacting with patients’ families and other care staff – offering advice and information on patients’ conditions.
- Preparing and maintaining patients records, producing care plans and risk assessments.
- Organizing group therapy sessions, including social and artistic events, aimed at promoting patients’ mental recovery.
The specific demands placed on a mental health nurse are different in every posting. To cope with the demands of the role and the needs of their patients, a mental health nurse needs to be energetic, perceptive, versatile and compassionate. Mental health nurses will be required to work around the lives of their patients, which often means long or unsociable hours and travel between locations. Most mental health postings test the strength of a nurse’s character and personality regularly.Role of a Mental Health Nurse Essay
What qualifications do I need?
With such a strong emphasis on communication and interpersonal relationships, the skills required of a mental health nurse differ from those of a general registered nurse. Like a registered nurse, however, mental health nurses must hold a degree qualification – as a Bachelor of Nursing or Mental Health. Mental health nursing degrees are available at higher education institutions across the country and involve specific academic content, designed to prepare students for the demands of the role.
Entry to courses involves a written application and an interview – applicants will need to prepare a personal statement but may strengthen their chances with volunteer work in local hospitals. Mental health nursing degrees place students in classrooms and work environments – ensuring academic and practical experience is received.
Careers in nursing
Once qualified, mental health nurses can choose to follow a number of different career paths – heading into ward nursing or working in dedicated psychiatric units. The challenges and opportunities can be exciting – prospective nurses should think carefully about the direction they want their career to move in.
Demand for nurses in the UK’s healthcare industry is currently high and working nurses will have plenty of opportunities to move up the ladder into advanced nursing positions. In some cases, healthcare institutions will help employees move into a nursing career, with financial assistance for training.
Mental health is crucial to the well-being of individuals, societies and countries. Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It involves a state of well-being whereby individuals recognize their abilities, are able to cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and contribute to the community.
Mental health problems are common: 450 million people suffer from a mental or behavioral problem and nearly one million people commit suicide every year. Depression, alcohol use disorders, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are among the ten leading causes of disability worldwide.
Treatment is not available to most people. Despite the existence of effective treatments, the overwhelming majority of people with a mental disorder do not have access to effective treatments.
Nurses are important providers of treatment and care. In most countries, nurses are the largest group of professionals providing mental health care in both primary and specialist health services. However, in many countries the psychiatric education of nurses is inadequate and their role in providing mental health care is underdeveloped. Appropriately trained nurses can contribute to the promotion of mental health and the prevention and treatment of mental disorders.Role of a Mental Health Nurse Essay
What are the priorities?
1. Primary Health Care
WHO recommends that mental health care should be part of or integrated into primary health care. However, many nurses lack the knowledge and skills to identify and treat mental disorders. Education is necessary to improve the recognition of mental disorders in primary health care, increase the referral to more specialized health providers and enhance the initiation of supportive therapies. In addition, ongoing supervision and support from specialist mental health services are needed to assist nurses to care for people with more complex mental health needs.
2. Nurse Education
Mental health should be incorporated into basic nursing and midwifery education. Mental health concepts should be introduced early and should be part of the ongoing curricula. Also, there should be opportunities for experiential learning. Ongoing education is also needed to assist nurses to further develop their knowledge and skills, foster changes in attitudes and beliefs and reorient them from custodial models of mental health care to community based treatment. Specialist or post-basic education program mes for nurses should be established to ensure that nurses are able to provide services for people with severe mental disorders and provide support to primary care providers.Role of a Mental Health Nurse Essay
The areas to include in the education of nurses will depend on the needs of the country, the anticipated role of nurses, current competencies and the resources that are available. The following list is intended to provide general guidance when developing education program mes:
Advocacy, assessment of mental disorders, communication skills, community mental health nursing, emotional self care (i.e. nurses caring for their own mental health), evaluation and research, legal and ethical issues (including understanding the rights of people with mental disorders), management of emergencies (e.g. suicidal behavior, violence), management of psychotropic medication, mental health care in humanitarian emergencies, promotion of mental health, public health models of mental health, stigma and discrimination, substance abuse, treatment of mental disorders, working in teams, working with service users and their families, working with specific groups (e.g. children and adolescents, elderly). It is important to ensure that educational program-mes include practical opportunities to develop skills. Role of a Mental Health Nurse Essay