University Advice For New Student Mental Health Nurses

“To become emotionally intelligent, resilient, and safe practitioners, we must gain greater levels of self-awareness.”

Looking forward to studying mental health nursing? Or maybe a little nervous? Final year Student Mental Health Nurse Angelica shares the helpful advice that she’s picked up over the course of her degree.

While I am near the end of my three years as a Student Mental Health Nurse, there are a few things I wish I had been told about or supported with prior to starting my degree.

I thought I'd share my advice and things I've learned with the next generation of student nurses, since it would have really helped me and eased my stress and anxiety, and as we are all in need of assistance sometimes!

Get To Know Other Nursing Students

The first thing you should do is get to know your fellow students, as they can provide you with a great form of support throughout your course. Students can be an invaluable source of knowledge, support, and fun. Create a WhatsApp group, go out for drinks, and get each other's numbers or social media handles so you can stay in contact with each other.

You are all student mental health nurses, so you should support each other's mental health (like when you have a bad day). Staying in touch is so important, you'll be together for 3 years! It's important to remember that you're here to work, but you should also have fun while you're here!

Immerse Yourself In The Material

You are studying for a degree: there is no such thing as too much reading. When it comes to evidence-based practice, where everything we do in a caring environment is supported by informed knowledge, you can never read enough. Become immersed in the material. It will sink in better if you read your subject matter for fun.

As a student, you don't need to spend a fortune on books. Money is tight and I have found as a third-year student that I have lots of books that I no longer need. I did use the books, but not enough to justify paying the amount I did. You can find all the reading you need online, and your university should have access to a lot of articles and reading.

Attend Lectures & Simulation Classes

Many students miss class and then become stressed about missing content. You will always be 'in the know' if you attend all your lectures rather than playing catch-up.

The university can also penalize you if you have a low attendance score, since they track your attendance! As you will have the knowledge to support what you do, you will also be safer in your practice.

Student involvement is preferred by most lecturers. Discussions can then progress to a deeper level of learning as a result.

Take advantage of the simulation classes as well. They often bring in actors to play patients with mental health issues. During the simulations, you can brush up on your communication and assessment skills with the actor. When you have to interact with people with mental illnesses in real life, volunteering will help you.

To become emotionally intelligent, resilient, and safe practitioners, we must gain greater levels of self-awareness.

Become A Mental Health Advocate

Being a Mental Health Nurse doesn't mean we don't suffer from mental illness sometimes. Being a mental health nurse means breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, so we must be positive advocates. Therefore, we need to admit when we are struggling mentally and need help.

Become familiar with and use your university's mental health and wellbeing service. They can offer you support, therapy, advice, and additional support on placements. It’s a free service so use it.

Also, it is a good idea to get to know your personal tutor, as they can also help you with your mental health and sign post you to additional services. This could be private therapy that is offered to university students at a much cheaper rate.

Your University Should Prepare You For What You’ll See On A Ward…

Being a mental health nurse often involves witnessing upsetting, disturbing, and sometimes violent things. That's the harsh reality. To do this job within reason, you must be mentally strong. However, since we are humans, things can affect us, and sometimes we aren't fully prepared or have prior knowledge of how things can affect us.

The things you may experience as a student should be pre-warned, in my opinion. The same thing has been said by many other students as well. As an example, I had a fellow student who worked on a ward and witnessed a lot of self-harming behaviour, and she didn't think that was something she had to deal with every day, which is a real shame. If the university had told her what you can experience as a mental health nurse, she might have been better prepared to deal with those situations.

...But It Is Important To Become Resilient & Self-Aware

Having said that, combating this and being the best practitioner, you can be is also being the best person you can be. To become emotionally intelligent, resilient, and safe practitioners, we must gain greater levels of self-awareness. Your programs will teach you about reflection and reflective practice. Engage with them and embrace them.

Never Be Afraid To Ask

'Stupid questions' do not exist. You should never be afraid to ask any question you might have, even if you have to ask more than once. Staff at universities and on placements are always (or should be) willing to help students who help themselves. Remember that the question you ask is probably one that several other students want answered as well.

In the context of a university or nursing placement, you are responsible for your own learning. Get the support you need when you need it. Recognize when you need help and seek it out. Find the information you need to know.

The more information you know the better a nurse you will be!

Thank you for reading, we hope this has been helpful.