Job Role
Mental Health Nurse
Navigate this career
Mental health nursing is a rapidly growing field, and there is a great demand for mental health nurses. They play a vital role in the healthcare industry. The mental health nursing industry is booming, and there are constantly new opportunities emerging. If you want to make an impact on people’s lives in a rewarding way, then now may be the best time for you! Read on to learn everything about what it means to be a Mental Health Nurse from what exactly their role entails, their daily tasks and responsibilities, the skills you need to become one, the type of organisations they work in, how to become one, and what salary and job prospects are there for this role.
What does a Do?
A Mental Health Nurse is a registered nurse that also holds an extra qualification in mental health. This qualification specialises them in working with people suffering with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, personality disorders etc. They can provide a wide range of services but at its core, the role of mental health nursing is to provide emotional support to patients and assist them in having the best quality of life they can. This means helping one manage their life, whether that be through physical assistance, teaching one how to manage their symptoms, guiding them to make healthy social decisions, providing intervention and treatment plans etc. Mental health nurses work very collaboratively with other people within the healthcare industry such as doctors, psychologists and other allied health workers, to best support the client in need.
Common Tasks and Duties of a :
Mental Health Nurses tasks and duties will differ from patient to patient, depending on their specific needs. Some of their common tasks and responsibilities include:
- Provide basic counselling services and other forms of therapy.
- Liaise with various health care providers and refer clients on to additional services where necessary.
- Support patients and their loved ones during difficult times.
- Educate clients about mental illness and treatments.
- Ensure patient safety as a top priority and assess risk.
- Administer medication and observe effects.
What skills do I need to become a ?
The role of a Mental Health Nurse is often a complex one that requires many essential skills such as:
- Great communication skills: the ability to listen and respond with empathy and compassion
- Resilience: in this role you will often face difficult and confronting situations. The ability to recover quickly from emotional difficulty and stay calm during a crisis is vital to this role.
- Adaptability and problem-solving skills: this diverse, fast paced role can you put you in a whole range of situations, you need to be able to adapt quickly to new situations and be proactive in finding solutions.
- Teamwork skills: the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team working towards one common goal.
What are the types of organisations a Works At?
Mental Health Nurses work within a large variety of organisations including;
- Community outreach centres
- Mental Health Organizations
- Psychiatric hospitals
- Mental health wards in hospitals
- Nursing homes
How much do Earn?
$99,138
AVERAGE SALARY
$1,906.50
WEEKLY EARNINGS
Industry Snapshot
INDUSTRIES
AVERAGE EDUCATION LEVEL
Projected Job Growth in 5 Years:
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How to become a ?
To become a Mental Health Nurse in Australia you must complete an undergraduate degree in nursing to become a registered nurse. You must also complete an additional qualification that specialises in mental health, this could be a diploma qualification, post graduate diploma or masters in mental health. When you hold both an undergraduate degree in nursing and a qualification in mental health, you qualify to work as a Mental Health Nurse.
If you’re a nurse looking to upskill and broaden your career prospects or are considering becoming a nurse, get qualified to work in the mental health field with TrainSmart’s Diploma of Mental Health. We are the No.1 Ranked Mental Health course provider in Australia!
This 12-month course gives you practical, real-world experience, education, and training so you can hit the ground running. Want to learn more about becoming a mental health nurse? Contact us on 1300 855 517 or view our course info here.
What our trainer has to say
“Mental health nurses are the healers of our society. They work to make sure people who need help don’t go without, and they do this job with a smile on their face!”
