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CONTENTS

1. Routes to becoming a mental health nurse

2. Skills you’ll need

3. Finding work experience

4. How to get a job as a mental health nurse

5. What it's like to be a mental health nurse

Routes to becoming a mental health nurse

There are several different routes to qualifying as a mental health nurse. You could do an undergraduate nursing degree, or you might decide a degree apprenticeship is the best option. Alternatively, if you have an undergraduate degree in a related field, you could explore postgraduate courses focusing on mental health nursing.

Undergraduate degrees

Undergraduate nursing degrees cover four main areas of nursing which are; adult, children, mental health and learning disabilities. You could therefore choose a course with a mental health focus or go for a ‘duel field’ degree that incorporates two nursing area. Both options usually take three years to complete, or four if you're in Scotland.

Entry requirements for mental health nursing will vary depending on the university but typically range from 104–136 UCAS tariff points. As well as having academic qualifications, you’ll need to be an empathetic person with strong communication skills.

Nursing degrees have a strong practical component and you’ll be asked to work long hours often in a hospital environment. To qualify as a registered nurse, you’ll need to complete a range of theoretical and practical elements.

You can learn more about what to expect from a Nursing degree in our Nursing subject guide, including what topics you’ll cover and how you’ll be assessed.

Degree apprenticeships

Nursing degree apprenticeships are available through some employers and involve 80% on the job training and 20% classroom-based study at a university approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The employer will pay the university fees and also provide the apprentice with an income, often set at the minimum wage for the age of the student.

To gain a nursing degree apprenticeship you’ll need to find an opportunity you’re interested in with an organisation you’d like to work for and apply for the role. You can find nursing apprenticeship vacancies on the NHS jobs website.

An apprenticeship usually takes four years but could take less if you have prior relevant experience. This is one of the reasons apprenticeships are seen as a more flexible option than the traditional undergraduate nursing degree.

Once you’ve successfully completed the apprenticeship, you’ll be qualified to work as a registered nurse. You could also be offered a permanent job with the organisation you’ve trained with.

Postgraduate degrees

If you already have a relevant undergraduate degree, for example in a science, social care or nursing subject, you may decide to do a postgraduate 'pre-registration' qualification in mental health nursing. Entry requirements will vary depending on the course and university but usually require a good honours degree and recent work or voluntary experience in a health or social care setting.

Full time postgraduate courses take two years to complete and are a mix of practical and theoretical study. Once successfully completed you’ll become a registered mental health nurse.

Skills you’ll need

Nursing is more than just academic ability, you’ll need to possess and be willing to develop skills such as:

• Excellent observational skills
• Building trusting relationships
• Communication
• Interpersonal skills
• Strong judgement
• Decisive decision making

Finding work experience

It’s a good idea to get some work experience to understand more about what’s involved and to check mental health nursing is the right choice for you. Try looking for work at:

• NHS trust
• Private clinic
• Residential care home
• Day care centre
• Relevant charity e.g. St John Ambulance

How to get a job as a mental health nurse

You might find a job as a mental health nurse with a public or private healthcare provider, mental health charity or the armed forces.

One of the leading employers in this area is the NHS, check out their jobs website to see what opportunities are available near you.

If you secured a nursing degree apprenticeship with an employer, they might offer you a permanent role on completing the apprenticeship.

What it's like to be a mental health nurse

Nursing is a dynamic career. A typical day can be challenging yet exciting. Depending on your role and specialisation, your tasks could include:

• Delivering high quality care to service users  
• Assessing patient cases  
• Advising patients how to take medication  
• Suggesting social activities and therapies that might be beneficial  
• Participating in the development of new services and care pathways  

You might work in a hospital ward or specialist unit, a community healthcare setting or someone’s home. Depending on your role, you may do shift work to provide patients with 24-hour care.

Once you have qualified and gained some experience, you might choose to focus on a particular client group such as children and adolescents or do further training in a field like transcultural psychiatry.

If you work for the NHS, you’ll typically start on band 5 of the pay scale which is currently £28,407 to £34,581. This could increase significantly with experience and responsibility. For example, a nurse consultant earns from £50,952 to £57,349.

Is a role as a mental health nurse right for you?

If you’d like to help others improve their mental health as well as help reduce the stigma attached to mental health issues, this could be the role for you.