| There is nothing more satisfying than nursing someone | | | | - Schizophrenia - this disorder causes an individual's |
| through illness or injury and seeing them make a | | | | sense of reality to become abnormal. They may |
| complete recovery. This may be one of the reasons | | | | hallucinate or suffer from delusion |
| why so many choose to earn their degree and | | | | - Bipolar disorder - causes a drastic change of mood in |
| become a registered nurse. You can take many | | | | an individual, from elevated mood to depression |
| different roads when considering nursing, depending on | | | | - Depression - low mood or low self-esteem, changes |
| what you want out of your nursing career. One of the | | | | in appetite, loss of interest or even suicidal thoughts |
| options you could choose to look into, and one, which | | | | - Dementia - decline in cognitive functions, normally |
| can be very rewarding, is becoming a mental health | | | | associated with old age but may occur at anytime |
| nurse. | | | | When going into this choice of career there are many |
| What does a career in mental health entail? | | | | interventions that could be used depending on the area |
| As with any nursing position, the main job of a nurse | | | | you are working in and the level of the individual's |
| working in this field is provide care for those who need | | | | mental disorder. |
| it. In the case of being a mental health nurse, this | | | | Administering medication - one part of your everyday |
| specialized nursing area focuses on those individuals | | | | job in as a mental health nurse could consist of |
| who have mental disorders. The nurse could be | | | | administering and monitoring medication to patients. |
| involved in a wide range of areas such as: | | | | Response to medication would have to be monitored, |
| - Providing emergency psychiatric care and services | | | | along with any side effects from prescribed drugs. |
| - Providing assessments of those suffering from | | | | Physical care for the patient - part of the job may be |
| mental disorders | | | | monitoring and helping with the physical care of the |
| - Working on treatment plans and ensuring the plans | | | | patient. Levels of hygiene, the amount of sleep, nutrition |
| are carried out | | | | and diet may all be monitored closely. |
| - Continually managing patient care | | | | Electro-convulsive therapy - the mental health nurse |
| - Educate patients, family and friends on matters | | | | may be asked to assist with therapy, which may |
| relating to mental health problems | | | | include preparing the patient for the session and |
| - Be asked to work as the consultant on a case | | | | monitoring them whilst they are in recovery. However, |
| involving a mental disorders | | | | this form of treatment is generally only used as the |
| What kind of mental health issues would I deal with? | | | | last resort and after all other possibilities of treatment |
| Again, there can be a wide range of mental health | | | | have been looked into. |
| issues covered as part of your job when going into | | | | If you feel that you have the level of concern and |
| this career. You could expect to work in areas such | | | | compassion for this area of nursing, then you should |
| as: | | | | consider a career as a mental health nurse. |