Mental Health Nursing: Whats It All About?

As mental health is a topic that more and more young people are becoming increasingly aware of, there are some that consider pursuing a career to help those who struggle with it.

One career path is mental health nursing which involves helping care for people in need of extra help.

18-year-old mental health student Kelsey Hembrow was able to take some time out of her day to let our readers know what mental health nursing is all about.

“I believe the main aspect of being a mental health nurse is taking an approach that puts the person at the centre and when caring for patients you have to consider every aspect, how they feel, their likes and dislikes, almost like a personalised experience.”

“Before I started studying nursing I thought I had a wide range of knowledge on what working with patients with mental health issues entailed, however I’m glad to say that since I started my work placement on a hospital ward my opinion has changed and I have learnt several useful skills to help care for vulnerable people.”

“Its important to remember that mental health isn’t restricted to a specific age or group of people, I believe that everyone should have basic understanding and knowledge of mental health and where they can go for help which also may help reduce the stigma around mental health.”

“At universities across the country, I understand that there is a lot of support for students who may experience difficult or challenging times, for instance in my student accommodation there is a list of helplines for who to contact if you feel like you need someone to talk to. Also, my university regularly sends emails to offer additional support to students if required. You can also visit your university's website as there is usually plenty of information about the services they offer to students.

“The best advice I could give to someone suffering from mental health related issues would be to find someone to talk to, just don’t let it bottle up inside of you even if you don’t feel like you can talk to people you know you could try calling helplines and just talk. For example, the Samaritans offer a free call service where they can offer advice and let you get what’s bothering you off of your chest.”

For more information on the services Kingston university offers click here.