Mental Health Nursing

UCAS code: B761

Here's what Buckinghamshire New University says about its Mental Health Nursing course.

Acquire the expertise to offer the highest standard of person-centric care, guiding individuals through their most challenging moments and significantly enhancing their quality of life. Upon completing this degree, you will be qualified to register with the Nursing & Midwifery Council, beginning a distinguished career as a registered mental health nurse.

Why study BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing at BNU? Facilities Simulation plays a pivotal role in our nursing and healthcare programs, particularly in the context of mental health. Across our campuses, we have meticulously constructed simulation labs that replicate working wards and other relevant settings. These facilities are not just about practicing technical skills; they are designed to immerse you in scenarios that closely mirror the complexities and nuances of mental health care. This helps ensure that when you embark on your placements, you are well-prepared and confident in your mental health nursing abilities.

Placements Throughout the course, you’ll allocate approximately half of your time to clinical practice and the remaining half to University-based learning. Our strong partnerships with various NHS Trusts and independent care providers in the region ensure that students have diverse and enriching clinical placements.

What will I study? Mental health is a critical element of overall wellbeing; mental health challenges and problems deeply affect individuals and communities. This essential aspect of health is now receiving the recognition and understanding it merits, leading to more effective recognition of mental ill health, leading to improved diagnosis and treatment strategies. Our society depends on the dedication of professionals who offer empathetic and expert care to those facing mental health challenges.

Choosing to study Mental Health Nursing is a decision to embark on a deeply rewarding and increasingly vital profession. This field is not just about understanding the complexities of mental health conditions, but it's also about fostering a deeper empathy, developing strong communication skills, and learning to offer holistic care that respects the dignity and individuality of each patient.

As a Mental Health Nurse, you'll be equipped to meet the growing need for professionals who can navigate the intricate landscape of mental health care. You'll learn how to work in diverse settings, from hospitals and community health centres to schools and private care environments, providing essential support to people of all ages and across all walks of life. In this role, you will be instrumental in advancing mental healthcare and providing the best treatment options available. Join us in making a profound and lasting impact in the field of mental health.

This course offers a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. You'll explore the latest research and treatment approaches in mental health, while hands-on clinical placements will provide you with real-world experience under the guidance of experienced professionals. This combination ensures that you graduate not only with knowledge but with the confidence and competence to make a real difference.

Furthermore, studying Mental Health Nursing opens doors to a range of career opportunities. From clinical practice to research, policy-making, and advocacy, the skills you gain will be transferable across various roles, empowering you to shape your career in a way that aligns with your passions and goals.

Led by a dedicated teaching team of professional nurses and educators, you’ll have access to their wealth of clinical expertise and research activity. This will allow you to benefit from their experiences, insights and perspectives to enhance your learning.

Year one Core Introduction to Professional Practice Fundamental Skills for Nursing Essential Anatomy and Physiology for Healthcare Pharmacology and Numeracy in Nursing Understanding Health, Illness Disability and Diversity Across the Lifespan Becoming a Mental Health Nurse Beginning Practice

Year two Core Approaches to Research Methods, Appraisal and Application in Nursing The Professional Context of Nursing Understanding Mental Health Conditions Assessing Needs and Planning Care for Mental Health Nursing Developing Competence in Mental Health Nursing Progressing in Practice

Optional Socio-cultural Aspects of Health Sexual Health Infant Feeding Elective Placement

Year three Core Medicines Management Leading and Managing Care Coordinating Complex Care in Mental Health Nursing Advanced Nursing Practice Level 6 Preparing for Registration in Mental Health Nursing Attaining Competence in Practice

This full-time pre-registration nursing programme seamlessly blends academic and practical learning, fostering collaboration between the University and practice partners. Embracing a student-centred philosophy, the course enables you to gain essential knowledge, skills, and professional values necessary for the delivery of compassionate, safe, and effective mental health nursing care.

Throughout the course, you’ll allocate approximately half of your time to clinical practice and the remaining half to University-based learning. Our strong partnerships with various NHS Trusts and independent care providers in the region ensure that students have diverse and enriching clinical placements.

When you’re on campus, your academic study will be undertaken through varying including seminars, lectures, exploring authentic scenarios and case studies as well as online learning.

Simulation is valued within the School of Nursing and Midwifery as supportive in enabling our nursing students to acquire skills and behaviours through practice. Nursing simulation incorporates the use of human patient simulators in a virtual ‘real-life’ healthcare environments and situations. Within this learning environment, real-time evolving clinical situations can be simulated, repeated, evaluated, and reflected, reducing the risk of patient harm.

To help build your digital skills, online teaching and digital learning opportunities, such as discussion boards and interactive web-based activities, will also be integrated throughout many modules within this programme. This helps you to develop and enhance the necessary digital skills required to work in today’s health care environments.

We include assessments which reflect real life nursing practices and, across the three years, you will be assessed through a number of means, such as:

reflective assignment presentations exams academic poster development assignments literature review oral exams.

You are also required to complete the knowledge skills and behaviours included in the Practice Assessment Document in each year of practice.