Mental health nurse

A Mental Health Nurse (MHN) refers to a psychiatric nurse in the UK, who specialises in the care of patients with mental health issues.

MHNs comprise approximately 12% of the total NHS Nursing workforce. In order to qualify as a MHN in the UK, a Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) accredited nursing degree or diploma is required. Registration must be renewed every three years, for which 450 hours of registered practice and 35 hours of study must have been completed in the past three years. The total number of registered mental health nurses in the UK was 48,130 in 2010, however, since then there has been a slight decrease, as some nurses have transferred over to voluntary and independent providers. MHNs typically work within community or hospital settings, as part of Crisis Assessment and Treatment, inpatient environments and/or community mental health teams.

MHNs act to bridge the gap between mental health services and general practice for patients suffering from acute to chronic mental illnesses. The role of an MHN has gradually transitioned over the years, to encompass a greater level of involvement in patient care e.g. nurses now have authority to prescribe medication. The main responsibilities of a MHN can be subdivided into six broad categories with a certain degree of overlap:

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