Nurse titles/roles/training question

[The_Wonderkid]

Hey everyone! I am new to the forum. Having worked for 4 years on an Acute Admissions Unit here in the UK I decided to go do my training to become a registered nurse in Mental Health. I am curious to a number of different things relating to Mental Health Nursing considering most of the posters here seem to come from other parts of the world!

1) What training does a nurse have to do to become qualified where you come from?

In the UK nursing students have to do a 3 year 'Diploma' course (not a degree like some places) in which the first year is a general (Adult, Child, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities) nursing year in which you have to attend all the different branches or specialities. Years two and three are based in your chosen field (mine being Mental Health obviously!) There is no need for a degree although there are enhanced diploma and degree options that can be taken.

2) What are the opinions on HCAs (Health Care Assistants) from qualified staff?

I have had a number of different reactions from nurses varying from the odd one or two that are very very well stuck up to people who are very respectful. I was on a 1:1 observation with a patient at one point and asked the nurse if she could take over as it was her turn on the obs (not in a 'you better come here its your turn' kinda way but in a 'you are more qualified to assess this distressed person' kind of way). anyway she pretty much turned and said 'if you want to do the risk assessments, care plans and the like then you can but until you are able to then don't moan'. This took me back somewhat as I wasn't expecting the hostility. However later in my career when I began to pull people up on it, I gained an awful lot of respect from my peers and was considered a reliable member of the team.

Is this something you have encountered? How do YOU view care assistants?

3) Does your country/state have a particular Act or policy with relates to Mental Health?

Here in the UK (as many people probably know) we have the Mental Health Act which ensures patients are treated in strict guidelines and have their rights met. Is this the case wherever you work?

4) How is the mental health services set up in your area? Is it set up with Secure, Acute, Community, and then the specialities?

5) How rigid is your Mental Health Services?

In the UK (apart from secure units) its more a flexible, less rigid format which is generally more tailored to the needs of the person. There is less emphasis on restraint, seclusion and rules and more focused on individuals, choice and getting people in and out of hospital in the quickest time with the best outcomes. Into services which promote independence and co-operation between support services and patient groups. We have CATT (Crisis) Teams which go into homes of riskier patients 3 or 4 times a day, Assertive Outreach teams, liason services, support groups as well as Acute and Secure services for people that need this and Personality Disorder, Eating Disorder, and other specialist facilities. The reason I am asking this is a member of my cohort at Nursing School recently went to another country (within Europe) and it was found that they were 20 years behind in terms of how their services were run.

Thanks for your time... Always keen to learn about how other places run their services and as I read through the forum I get lost when hearing all the different terms (LPD? etc!)

Thanks again

TWK