You may be able to do a degree apprenticeship in nursing if you work in a healthcare setting like a hospital. You'll usually based in hospitals, for example on a psychiatric ward or specialist unit, or in the community where you could work in a community health centre or in someone's home. You'll never have to pay it back. Nursing degree apprenticeships are available with some employers and numbers are expected to continue to grow. Make a comment or report a problem with this page. Your role is to promote and support a person’s recovery, helping them live independent and fulfilling lives. nurse degree apprenticeships and nursing associate apprenticeships. work with patients' families and carers, to help to educate them and the patient about their mental health problems. It offers you the chance to make a difference, a high degree of flexibility and a career with excellent employment prospects. Disclaimer, On a scale where 1 is dislike and 5 is like. Entry requirements for these courses can vary depending on where and how you’d like to study so it's important to check with universities. There are many reasons why you should consider a career as a mental health nurse. It's important to maintain a positive work/life balance. Most experienced nurses work at Band 6 or 7 with salaries ranging from £31,365 to £44,503. This can be difficult due to the level of personal commitment and working patterns required. If you already have a degree, you might be able to study for a postgraduate qualification. You'll work as part of a team which includes GPs, psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, arts therapists and healthcare assistants. You may be able to join a nursing degree on the second year of a course if you already have a degree in: researcher - playing a key role in ensuring that the nursing profession is enhanced and informed by specialist knowledge. As you progress, you'll work up through the bands. "I also love that I have a guaranteed job for life, which I enjoy – a lot of my friends are jealous!" 'The biggest shame of all would be to overlook such a fantastic career opportunity, with all its life-changing experiences'. visit patients in their home to monitor progress and carry out risk assessments with regard to their safety and welfare, liaise with patients, relatives and fellow professionals in the community treatment team and attend regular meetings to review and monitor patients' care plans. Some degree courses let you study another area of nursing alongside mental health nursing. You can find a mental health nursing course to suit you using our Course Finder tool. You can find a university mental health nursing course to suit you using our Course Finder tool. There are other routes into mental health nursing such as nurse degree apprenticeships and nursing associate apprenticeships. As a mental health nurse, you'll need to: 1. assess and talk to patients about their problems and discuss the best way to plan and deliver their care 2. build relationships with patients to encourage trust, while listening to and interpreting their needs and concerns 3. ensure the correct administration of medication, including injections, and monitor the results of treatment 4. respond to distressed patients in a non-threatening manner and attempt to understand the source of their discomfort 5. help patients manage t… The NHS pay structure, Agenda for Change, has clearly defined pay bands for nurses. Cherie Lawrence, mental health nurse. Christopher Dzikiti, modern matron. Vacancies occur throughout the UK, particularly in cities and towns. See how well you match this job profile and over 400 others. identify whether/when patients are at risk of harming themselves or others. If you work in a residential setting, you may do shifts and provide 24-hour care. assess and talk to patients about their problems and discuss the best way to plan and deliver their care, build relationships with patients to encourage trust, while listening to and interpreting their needs and concerns, ensure the correct administration of medication, including injections, and monitor the results of treatment, respond to distressed patients in a non-threatening manner and attempt to understand the source of their discomfort, help patients manage their emotions through de-escalation techniques, prepare and participate in group and/or one-to-one therapy sessions, both individually and with other health professionals, provide evidence-based individual therapy, such as cognitive behaviour therapy for depression and anxiety, organise social events aimed at developing patients' social skills and help to reduce their feelings of isolation, prepare and maintain patient records and produce care plans and risk assessments, make sure that the legal requirements appropriate to a particular setting or group of patients are observed. Typically you'll need a minimum of five GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, possibly in English language or literature and a science subject, plus two A levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications for an undergraduate degree. You could specialise in working with children and adolescents, as a primary mental health worker; or women or in a field such as transcultural psychiatry, looking at how mental disorders and their treatment can be influenced by cultural and ethnic factors. Success comes from being able to establish trusting relationships quickly and to help individuals understand their situation and get the best possible outcome. the ability to help others overcome social stigma related to mental health. There can be an element of personal danger and the potential for violent behaviour, although you'll be taught how to identify and diffuse building tension. Increasing opportunities to apply for nursing associate apprenticeships are also expected. And the good news? You may want to work or move into management, teaching or clinical research. Specialties, such as child and adolescent mental health services and inpatient services, sometimes experience skills shortages. You'll be entitled to receive at least £5,000 a year towards your studies while at university. Some universities may ask for three A levels or equivalent. The role can, however, be very rewarding. Once you have qualified as a mental health nurse, there are a wide range of opportunities. Communication and interpersonal skills are crucial, as well as strong judgement, be able to teach advise and manage people. To become a mental health nurse the main route is through a degree course at university. You'll be trained about the legal context of your work and also be able to identify whether and when someone may be at risk of harming themselves or someone else. Don’t forget - academic qualifications aren’t everything. You’ll also have access to our generous pension scheme and health service discounts, as well as 27 days of annual leave plus bank holidays. Travel during the working day is common for community psychiatric nurses (CPNs). This can lead to nursing degrees or nurse degree apprenticeships. Your role is to build effective relationships with people who use mental health services, and also with their relatives and carers. lecturer - teaching students at universities, lecturer practitioner - continuing to deliver care to patients, mentor - supporting and helping to train student nurses, preceptor - providing support to newly qualified nurses. 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