Mental health nurse

Career path and progression

With experience you could:

• specialise in an area of mental health like working with children, teenagers or women
• become a clinical team leader, ward manager or health visitor
• move into management and become a matron or director of nursing
• become an advanced nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or nurse consultant if you have a postgraduate qualification
• carry out research and training, become self employed or work overseas

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• knowledge of psychology
• active listening skills
• knowledge of medicine
• counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• sensitivity and understanding
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work well with others
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Psychology - Mental health nurses use psychological knowledge every day to understand conditions like depression, anxiety, psychosis, and personality disorders. They draw on psychological theories to assess patients, plan care, and support people through therapeutic approaches like cognitive behavioural techniques.
• Biology - Mental health nurses need to understand how the brain and nervous system work, including how neurotransmitters affect mood and behaviour. They also give medication, monitor its physical effects, and provide physical care when patients need it, all of which require a solid understanding of human biology.
• Sociology - Mental health nurses work with people from all backgrounds and need to understand how factors like poverty, inequality, family structures, and social isolation affect mental health. This sociological awareness helps them provide care that takes a person's whole life situation into account.
• English Language - Mental health nurses rely heavily on communication – listening carefully to patients, writing detailed care plans, and updating medical records accurately. Being able to express complex information clearly and sensitively is essential when working with people in distress or explaining treatment to families.

Also relevant

• Chemistry - Mental health nurses administer medication and monitor its effects on patients, which requires an understanding of how drugs interact with the body. A foundation in chemistry helps them grasp how psychiatric medications work and why dosages and combinations matter.
• Mathematics - Mental health nurses calculate medication dosages and interpret data from patient assessments and clinical research. They also work with charts, scales, and scoring systems used to measure the severity of mental health conditions.
• Physical Education - Mental health nurses often encourage patients to take part in physical activities as part of their recovery, since exercise is known to improve mental wellbeing. Understanding the links between physical health and mental health helps them promote holistic care.
• Religious Studies - Mental health nurses care for people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, and a patient's beliefs can significantly affect how they experience and talk about mental health. Understanding different worldviews helps nurses provide respectful, person-centred care.