However, it is not something you pursue immediately after graduation. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Some of the duties you would perform as a mental health nurse include: If you are interested in pursuing a career in mental health nursing, you will need to first become a licensed RN or registered nurse. Provide support groups for families of terminally ill patients. INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC WARD…• Provide for environment safety including protecting the patient & others from injury.• Perform psychosocial, high risk & physical assessment.• Promotion of self care activities.• Medication management.• Assisting for somatic therapies.• 2. Direct services, like care of families at risk for violence, abuse and dysfunction, care of homeless mentally ill patients, etc., Helping cancer patients or terminally ill individuals through the grieving process. Coursework in a Registered Nurse program will cover a wide variety of nursing-related science courses including physiology, nutrition, chemistry, anatomy, microbiology and psychology. Like all nursing specialties, the job outlook for behavioural nursing is very good and demand for these highly specialised nurses is likely to keep growing in the foreseeable future. Once you complete your nursing degree, you must pass the licensing exam, which allows you to practice. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. You will need to hold an active RN license, a minimum of 2 years experience as an RN and 2,000 hours clinical experience in mental health nursing in the last three years to be able to sit for the certification exam. Providing opportunities for the patient to make his own decisions and to assume responsibility for his life. In day treatment programs patients return home at night. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Psychosocial intervention for chronic illnesses with major psychological effects, e.g. Counseling the patient and family members, Cooperating with other professionals in various aspects of the patient care thereby facilitating an interdisciplinary approach to care, Teaching social skills and stress management strategies, Discharge planning and community referral and follow-up care, Assisting or providing psychotherapy or behavior therapy, Teaching the patient prior to ECT treatment. Certification is not mandatory but it is a highly recommended step in your nursing education. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. FUNCTIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSE IN VARIOUS SETTINGS. It does require a lot of extra effort and study but you can be sure it will pay off in higher salaries, increased confidence, advanced skills, and professional respect. Not all patients that a mental health nurse treats are mentally ill however. Since the 1970s, the trend has changed to treat patients in less restrictive or community based settings. Alzheimerâs disease, multiple sclerosis, hemophilia, colostomy, amputation, etc. For many years, the majority of mental health care was provided in the hospital setting. Like a registered nurse, however, mental health nurses must hold a degree qualification - as a Bachelor of Nursing or Mental Health. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Medication management â monitoring blood levels, signs and symptoms of overdose or toxicity, teaching on dosage, side effects and purposes. Perform psychosocial, high-risk and physical assessment. Inpatient psychiatric ward The psychiatrist mental health generalist nurse is a licensed registered nurse for delivering primary mental health care. She perform in prevention programmes, community and day care centers and psychiatric rehabilitation centers. Depending on your place of work, you may also need to perform regular nursing duties while evaluating patients’ psychological response to certain medications or treatment. A mental health nurse works with individuals across all ages and walks of life, using advanced behavioural therapies to help heal them mentally and physically. Functions of mental health nurse in various settings. Community based treatment settings have expanded to group homes, hospice, care centers, crisis intervention centers, schools and universities, hospitals for the criminally insane, jails and prisons. Aim to get your certification after you’ve gotten an entry-level job in this specialty and have gotten at least a few months experience under your belt. Promotion of mental health and prevention of mental illnesses.