Mental health issues can be caused by a variety of factors, including substance abuse, life events, and long-term physical illnesses. Mental health nurses help patients to cope with these challenges by establishing and maintaining effective relationships. They also help patients take medication, and advise on therapeutic interventions, therapy options, and social activities. Mental health nurses are incredibly important members of our health care system and play a critical role in promoting mental health. For details on Mental Health Courses, go to Tidal Training Mental Health Courses
As a mental health nurse, you can work in GP surgeries, community health centres, psychiatric wards, residential care centres, and other settings. You may also work on specialist units focusing on a particular area, such as eating disorders. Alternatively, you can try out your skills on a clinical research project or become involved in management within a mental health care organisation or charity, for example.
In the UK, one out of five people experience some form of mental illness during their lifetime. Yet, despite the fact that more people are aware of mental health issues, too few people receive the care they need. Ongoing mental health awareness campaigns seek to address this need. More than half of mental health organisations have cut programmes or faced closure. One-third of those surveyed said they feared that their organisation would not survive if they did not address the problem. These current conditions highlight the need for more qualified nurses in this particular field.
Eleena Timmons