I desperately want to become a Mental Health Nurse but frustrated at the cost of training...

[singingpinkmonkey]

I'm a 34 year old HR Administrator and all my working life I have kept coming back to the idea of becoming a nurse.
In recent years I have decided that I would love to work in mental health. More specifically, I would like to work with dementia patients.
This is a bit of a rant but I just wish it was easier/cheaper to retrain.
I can't afford to pay for a nursing degree and would unlikely to get a student loan as I already had one for my first degree.
I know I'm being unreasonable but why can't the government make it easier for people like me to retrain as a nurse. I want to make a difference and help people!!!

You will get a second student loan. They made a special exemption for the allied health degrees!

So I guess congratulations are in order!

Try and get an apprenticeship, they are coming!

Two student loans to pay off on a nurse's salary? How does that work out?!

@Randomness I didn't think you could do an apprenticeship if you already held a degree? If I'm wrong, and I hope I am, that would be an option!

You're not wrong, it's an arse how expensive it is and the proof is in that there aren't enough nurses (of any type). I'm a MH nurse by training and love it. If you really want it, it's a great job but I'd think about doing some work as an band 3/4 first to check it really is for you before you commit to the training.
Also look at post graduation diploma- quicker if you have a degree already

Depending on where you live you could get a job as a health care support worker, and see if that opens more options up. My health board let's HCSW's do the first year "on the job", then just student loan for 2 years. Plus you could do bank shifts as a HCSW which pays quite well if you do weekends and nights. Don't be put off, it's an amazing job

My Trust are opening up pathways for Apprentices to eventually become nurses but I think the entire " journey"amounts to about 6 years.

I am a mental health nurse. It's honestly the most challenging but rewarding job. If you can find a way in then I would encourage you to do so. You will be pushed to your limits but it's just the most amazing job in the world

singingpink I thought this as well. I wanted to retrain but I have a diploma and current rules (according to the gov.uk website) state that you can’t do an apprenticeship if you already hold a qualification at a higher level than the apprenticeship would lead to. It sucks.