Nurse - Mental Health
Help people manage their mental health and wellbeing. You'll provide expert care during crises and empower people in their long-term recovery.
About the job
What it's like
Are you a caring, compassionate person who'd love to help others make positive changes to their life? If so, you may be interested in a career as a mental health nurse.
In this role, you'll use a range of therapeutic approaches to help people build coping strategies and manage their mental health day-to-day.
Working in partnership with the people you support, you'll help them make sense of their diagnosis, recognise their triggers and develop a clear plan to stay well and manage future crises.
Your tasks might include:Â
building trusting, long-term therapeutic relationships with the people you support, their families and carers
challenging stigma and advocate for people's rights, making sure their care meets Scotland's mental health and human rights principles
collaborating with a multidisciplinary team, including psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists and support workers
As a mental health nurse, you'll support patients with a wide range of mental health conditions, including:
anxiety and depression
bipolar disorder
eating disorders
obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
psychosis and schizophrenia
addiction
You could also work with specific groups such as people with dementia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and conditions related to perinatal mental health.
Find out more about working as an adult nurse in the NHS on the Mental health nurse page of the NHS Scotland Careers website. See the learning and development section for information about:
registration and revalidation with the Nursing and Midwifery Council
learning and development
career progression
Being a mental health nurse needs more than clinical skills. It’s about building trusting relationships, understanding the whole person and advocating for their rights. It’s one of the most fulfilling and vital roles in healthcare.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Royal College of Nursing – advice on becoming a nurse
Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) – get details of the standards for nursing training
Disclosure Scotland – discover more information about the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme
Like the sound of this career?
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Nurse - Mental Health'
Select qualification level(s)
Other careers that you might like
-
Nurse - Adult -
Nurse - Child -
District nurse -
Health visitor -
Nurse - Learning Disability -
Practice nurse -
Medical aesthetics practitioner
Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
-
Life sciences -
Healthcare
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- making decisions
- developing a plan
- social conscience
- empathising
- researching
- verbal communication
- listening
- resilience
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
-
Biology
-
Care
-
Chemistry
-
Childcare and Development
-
Human Biology
-
Skills for Work: Health Sector
-
Foundation Apprenticeship: Social Services and Healthcare
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You'll need a degree to work as a mental health nurse in Scotland.
University
To become a mental health nurse, you need a nursing degree or a degree course specialising in mental health nursing (SCQF Level 9/10).
To enter a nursing degree (SCQF Level 9/10) requires National 4/5 qualifications and a minimum of three Highers at C or equivalent qualifications such as a relevant HNC/HND or Scottish Vocational Qualification in Healthcare Support (SVQ Level 2/3).
You might be able to enter a shortened postgraduate mental health nursing programme, if you have a relevant undergraduate degree in another subject.
College
A Higher National Diploma (HNC) in Healthcare Practice (SCQF Level 7) could give you direct entry to the second year of an adult nursing undergraduate degree programme.
The Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) offers Access to Nursing and Access to Health and Social Care courses. These courses allow people who have been out of education for a few years to gain a qualification that will get them into a degree course. Check with the university that they accept this prior to applying.
To apply for a SWAP course, you'll need to have been out of education for either:
three or more years if your highest qualifications are at National 5 level
five or more years if you studied Highers
Use the My World of Work course search to find Mental Health Nursing degrees and SWAP courses.
Apprenticeships
Want to build some relevant skills or gain more qualifications before going to university? You might want to consider a Modern Apprenticeship in Healthcare Support.
Qualifications that demonstrate understanding of health and wellbeing, such as:
Skills for Work Health Sector (SCQF Level 6)
Health and Social Care (SCQF Level 4/5)
SQA Wellbeing Award (SCQF Level 3-5)
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become a mental health nurse. Search for caring-based opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
Once qualified you'll need to:
register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland
complete an occupational health assessment
Find the right course for you
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Nurse - Mental Health'
