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Mental Health Nursing

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
Hi everyone,

I am seriously considering pursuing a career in mental health nursing when i get back to the uk and i am looking for people who have any experience with nursing and hopefully anyone working in the mental health sector.

I just want to know things like will i be able to study for a diploma and still work at the same time? or would i have to work part time to support myself? (i'd be a mature student, and i *could* stay w/my parents but i want to be in a house share ideally)

any recommendation of where to study in the south east? I'd be living in Berkshire/Hampshire.

what is a typical day? (if there is such one) and would my own mental health difficulties be a obstacle to getting on the course/being a MH nurse? (i am medication and generally ok at the moment, but i couldn't guarantee this)

would i be able to survive comfortably whist studying?

Thanks for your advice :)

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    if you did the diploma, youd get a bursary to cover your costs of living, although its not much. About 8k a year i think.
    If you do the degree, its much like any other degree and you have to support yourself, although youre eligible for student loans
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi, I am doing this course this year :)

    The bursary is a little over 6K a year for me and I have mental health issues too, they did ask me a little about it at my health screening, however although I haven't passed the screening yet (need to get certain vaccines ect) I don't think it was a major issue. They told us that they have had many people doing the course with MH difficulties.

    Good Luck, I hope you do pursue this career, it looks to be really worthwhile :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i really fancy doing this too
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    A good site to go to is www.studentnurse.org.uk :)

    I'm not sure about the MH course as I did the Adult course but the bursery at the moment is 6k, although (not sure if this applies to MH) but a lot of nursing courses are being changed to degree only so no bursery :no:

    A lot of people go into nursing with a history of mental health problems, as long as your GP and Occy Health sign you off fit to practice then you should have no problems! Just be prepared for the joys of lot's of coursework and working all kinds of hours while on placement! ;)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Info from here
    New entrants to the nursing profession from September 2013 will have to study a degree. However, diploma courses will be phased out between September 2011 and early 2013. For example, some universities will only offer the new degree programme from September 2011, where others will continue to offer the diploma and current degree programmes throughout 2011 and 2012. By September 2013, all nursing programmes will be degree-only.

    I don't really know what this means in terms of the bursary you used to get with Diploma nursing... I know NHS do general bursaries for students, but not sure whats going to happen there....
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hmmmm yea, this might be an issue, i mean... i can stay at my parents, but at 27, i don't want to be doing this for my whole degree/diploma.

    If i had to take an 'access to HE' course first, i would probably HAVE to do the degree (but i guess i could apply for a student loan and some other help i guess)
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