Registered Mental Health Nurse – RMN
Mental health nurses are responsible for planning and providing support, medical and nursing care to people in hospital, at home or in other settings who are suffering from mental illness.
Typical duties of the job include:
- assessing and planning nursing care requirements
- organising workloads
- building relationships with, reassuring, listening and talking to patients
- combating stigma and helping patients and their families deal with it
- administering medication
- agreeing and reviewing care plans and monitoring progress
- giving advice and arranging support for patients, relatives and carers
- liaising with doctors, social workers and other professionals
- assessing treatment success at case conferences and meetings
- writing and updating patient records
Typical employers of mental health nurses
- The NHS
- General, psychiatric and secure hospitals
- Residential and nursing homes
- Community and rehabilitation units
- Special units within prisons
Qualifications and training required
To qualify as a mental health nurse, you must successfully complete a three to four-year degree course. Graduates with a degree in a relevant subject such as life, health, biological or social sciences can qualify via a shortened two-year postgraduate diploma course.
Key skills for mental health nurses
- Good health and fitness
- The ability to empathise with people
- Good understanding of the theories of mental health and illness
- Excellent teamwork skills
- Verbal and written communication skills
- Resilience
- Stamina