A mental health nurse assists with the patient’s recovery in order to help them live a fulfilling life. Working as a mental health nurse is among the most fulfilling healthcare jobs one can get. If you’re passionate about helping people, a mental health nurse might be the right career for you. We’re here to help you give guidance on how to become a mental health nurse in the UK.
For you to become a mental health nurse in the UK, there are, of course, certain skills and qualifications that you need to have. This article will help you understand the qualifications to become a mental health nurse and the roles of a mental health nurse. Let’s get started on what your job description will look like as a mental health nurse.
What Does A Mental Health Nurse Do?
As we mentioned earlier, the role of a mental health nurse is to ensure that the patient is progressing towards making a recovery that will lead them to live a fulfilling life. The NHS has described the various responsibilities of a mental health nurse:
- Building effective relationships with the patients and their family.
- Helping patients take their medication.
- Providing advice on therapies and social activities.
- Work as a team with psychologists, therapists and healthcare assistants to ensure that the patients get the best outcome!
These are some of the basic responsibilities of a mental health nurse that will be expected from you.
Let’s move on to what kind of qualifications you need in order to become a mental health nurse in the UK.
Mental Health Nurse Qualifications
To qualify as a mental health nurse, the first thing you’ll need is to enrol yourself in a nursing degree course at a university. This is sort of the ‘main route’ of becoming a mental health nurse.
The requirements to get enrolled in these universities are straightforward. The NHS states that you’ll need five GCSEs at a minimum, and the grade should be 4/C or above. Apart from that, you will need two A levels and, in some cases, three A levels or an equivalent qualification.
But there’s also another way you can get your career started as a mental health nurse.
There are different nurse degree apprenticeships and nursing associate apprenticeships that allow you to work towards getting a nursing degree and becoming a mental health nurse.
Hopefully, we have answered your question on how to become a mental health nurse in the UK. Now that you’re aware of the various qualifications and roles of a mental nurse, you might be wondering about what kind of job benefits and salary you’re looking at.
Mental Health Nurse Salary
While you’re studying for your nursing degree at the university, you will receive £6000 a year, that is, if you are qualified.
Once you are a fully qualified mental health nurse, you will start at band 5, just as a newly qualified nurse would. As a band 5 nurse, you are entitled to an average salary of approximately £27,000.
Conclusion
Being a mental health nurse is one of the most rewarding healthcare jobs you can get if you’re passionate about helping people. We have done our best to answer the question; of how to become a mental health nurse in 2023, and we hope that you now have an understanding of the roles and qualifications of a mental health nurse. If you need help finding the right job as a mental health nurse, we have years of experience in placing healthcare professionals in the right jobs! Get in touch with Primus Recruitment to find yourself the perfect job.
