whoa, thank you everyone. maybe i should have stressed mental health nursing in the community, or in the voluntary sector? hopefully not in hospitals. although i don't have a jobby phobia. ta!

(and i have been here every so often, reading everyones posts like a creep )

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anything is hard to find, when you will not open your eyes.

I'm in my final year of general nursing in the UK. However, I have worked through a nursing agency for the past 2 years perhaps, and the majority of my shifts have been in mental health settings.The Mental health sector has so many different options, there is elderly, then forensics, early onset dementia, drug and alcohol rehab.. I would say look into it.

Personally I wouldn't enjoy being primarily a mental health nurse, I much prefer the clinical skills side of the job, however I do realise it is an important part of nursing, whether trained in mental or general.

What else would you like to know?

if you do yr training its split between theory and practice. and yr practice placements will be all over the sector (community/hospitals etc) and they last from one month to 3 months so be prepared for three years to work places you hate, have colleagues you want to punch in the face and do stuff you fkn hate so much you feel like you wanna cry. BUT ITS ALL GOOD IN THE END ! cos you get a job and work where you want innit. oh and you get a bursary which is about £500 a month and you dont pay it back woo! but apparently nursing is going to be a degree only profession soon (2011/2012 the year keeps changing) (at the mo you can do a diploma/advanced dipoloma or degree) so all this bursary business might change and it go to a means tested loan which you pay back like normal students all over . so yeah get on the train soon if you want a diploma and FREE MONEY

I believe Jo Brand worked as a psychiatric nurse for a while, so maybe its the kind of job that makes you look on the funny side of life?

Im not a mental health nurse but a support worker. Dont do it.

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"I'm getting fucking tired of you fucks" - Trent Reznor - toronto 1994

I am the hate you try to hide and I control you - Mr Self-Destruct.