Is EDIEMCREDIE around??? or anyone else who works in Mental health????

[tiredemma]

need some advice,
if anyone sees ediemcredie around can they point her over here??

thanks

Im here. What's up? x

Its about my course, im 75% certain that im going to choose MH as my branch but am just looking for info really, if you dont mind.

Thnaks for replying btw.

Well it really depends on what your interests are and I guess what kind of person you are. I went into it as I just thought it would be more interesting! Ive been doing it for 3 years now and I love it but it's not your typical nursing stuff. I also think it is quite different to the impression I had of it when training.

Which area would you be interested in working in?

Another Psych nurse here.

I would hate to work as a general nurse, I just completed my Hdip in Care of old age psychiatry Also enjoyed working in the state hospital.

I had an interesting few days with the Home Treatment team, I know that ill no doubt have to work on a ward for a while though before I get any work in the community. The only other area that interests me is CAMHS. To be honest, all of it interests me, I was lucky to spend days with the Homeless MH team, Assertive outreach. drug and alcohol, Mother and baby unit, adolescent forensic unit...loads- each had their own 'lure' for me.

I had started uni with the intention of doing general nursing, I have lost most interest in this and love MH, but loads of people keep telling me that its too stressful and I feel as if they are trying to put me off.

hi tired emma and ediemcredie,i currently work in mental health and am due to start my nurse training in september.have you come acroos the student nurse website emma/loads of useful info on there.

It's not too stressful at all. It's good fun. I work for an integrated acute team, ie a htt and ward in one. You should come and see us if it is not too far to travel, where are you?

PS Its much easier to go straight to comm after training now than it used to be.

Id love to come, I think im too far away though- im in Birmingham. Your area sounds interesting, I found HTT fascinating- especially here in bham, as its such a massive city- there was always something challenging going on.

Ash- I have been on that site- your right its good!!

and i am possibly invisible to others on this thread

Oh right yes we are in Suffolk. We are few and far between as most trusts have a separate htt and ward. I think you should go for it. Please don't let people put you off. My friend is a general nurse and I know for a fact that her job is 100 times more stressful than mine. Im pregnant and still find work a ball.

It's very rewarding and I know it's a cliche, but no two days are the same

No you are not incodnito! I would hate to do general nursing too. Would be crap with all that fiddly complex equipment!

sorry incodnito- didnt mean to ignore you.

where do you work now?, is it with older aged clients?

I know what you mean about general nursing, I cannot put my finger on why im no longer attracted to it, perhaps because i enjoyed my mh placements so much.
How long have you work in Mh?

sorry incodnito,wasn't ignoring you but i think we x-posted!!
i work for a day centre for people with dementia,have been there 5 years now and i love it.

thanks edie- I have an appointment tomorrow with the MH module leader, she is going to discuss the remainder of the course in more context for me. The added bonus is that out of the 98 nurses doing the common foundation at the moment- only 12 of us will do MH which is great as I think smaller classes work better.

No worries I originally trained in Mental Handicap nursing as it was called at the time, then did my Mental health then my Hdip.

I am currently on time out but doing a bit of agency here and there.

Was living in Ireland previously and was working as a Clinical nurse specialist in care of old age psychiatry which was fab.

I always feel in Mental health and intellectual disability you are treating the whole person, you have time to sit and chat. In a general setting it is all about the illness and is much more task orientated, prefer the holistic approach.

Go where your heart takes you.

think your last sentence just nailed it for me incodnito.

I really think you would enjoy it. Home Treatment is lovely, very varied and challenging but also so rewarding. Feel free to ask anything in the future...

Sorry, I clicked on this thread as it is a subject that interests me.

I have to make some serious 'back to work' decisions soon and have decided not to go back to Marketing but to do a complete about turn.

I am very interested in Mental Health nursing, and am about to start finding out what training I will need. I assume I will need to do general nursing first?
Can anyone tell me the best way to go? I will of course still research it all properly, but it would be lovely to get some advise from mumsnetters 'in the know' .

Thank you so much in advance.

hippo-sorry couldn't be bothered to type i your full name!! Try the N.M.A.S website(nursing and midwifery admissions service) it will tell you all you need to know on applying,types of nursing etc.also look on the nhs careers website,and there is a forum called 'student nurse.org' it is very friendly,free to join and full of useful information.i applied to newcastle university last year to do mental health diploma as i'm already working in the mental health sector.if i can help you with any more specific info. let me know.

sorry meant to say you do not need to do 'general nursing' as such.there are four branches of nursing-adult,child,mental health or learning disabilities.you decide which branch to apply for before you start.you then spend the first year learning the basic nursing skills-you all do this no matter which branch you go into.after that your training is more specific to your chosen branch.diploma course is 3 year,degree 4 years.

Thank you ash - you are fab

Engrossed in Bones at the mo (on telly, not in real life ) so will start researching it properly tomorrow. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

ash- most unis offer a 3yr degree now. My course is 3 yrs, the 4 yr one was phased out at my uni last year.

Just thought I would let you know, went and had a meeting with the module leader for MH today, she was lovely and went over the complete course so I know exactly what to expect over my next two years.

Im really looking forward now to getting stuck into yr two.

thanks everyone for your advice.