nurses role in mental health

[hotrod]

I am in my final 6 months of my EN course & I'm stuck with a question asking - What is the role of a mental health nurse. What qualifications are required??? Please help out asap :rotfl:

[hotrod]

I am in my final 6 months of my EN course & I'm stuck with a question asking - What is the role of a mental health nurse. What qualifications are required??? Please help out asap :rotfl:

[Ross1]

I am in my final 6 months of my EN course & I'm stuck with a question asking - What is the role of a mental health nurse. What qualifications are required??? Please help out asap :rotfl:

Your question is broad and the answers are dependent on the level of nursing practice, level of education, type of license, certification, and geographic location.

You indicate that you are in an EN course (Enrolled Nurse? Australia?).

Can't speak for Oz since I know very little about nursing in that country.

From an RN perspective in the USA, a nurse can have varied roles.

At the highest level, you might see a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who is certified, licensed, and has an MSN degree. This type of "Psych Nurse" (at least in some states) is able to perform psychiatric assessment, provide psychotherapy, and prescribe medication.

At the other end of the spectrum, we might see a general RN who works in a psych hospital or psychiatric ward of a general hospital. She/he may not necessarily be a MSN Psychiatric Practitioner, but she/he may be certified in psychiatric nursing. Though at the Associates or BSN level, these nurses are not trained to provide full psychiatric assessment, psychiatric diagnosis, psychotherapy, or prescriptive privileges. That said, they do have special knowledge in psychiatric medication management and the management of problematic behaviors associated with mental illness.

The most common "mistake" I've seen in practice is the assumption that all psychiatric nurses are the same and equal other non-nursing Master's and PhD level mental health professionals (psychologists, clinical social workers, etc). Only MSN Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners practice at the same level as these other professionals.

As to Licensed Practical Nurses (what we call Enrolled Nurses)....I simply do not know enough about LPN practice in mental health to comment.

Perhaps some LPN, LVNs, or ENs can comment.

[Ross1]

I am in my final 6 months of my EN course & I'm stuck with a question asking - What is the role of a mental health nurse. What qualifications are required??? Please help out asap :rotfl:

Your question is broad and the answers are dependent on the level of nursing practice, level of education, type of license, certification, and geographic location.

You indicate that you are in an EN course (Enrolled Nurse? Australia?).

Can't speak for Oz since I know very little about nursing in that country.

From an RN perspective in the USA, a nurse can have varied roles.

At the highest level, you might see a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who is certified, licensed, and has an MSN degree. This type of "Psych Nurse" (at least in some states) is able to perform psychiatric assessment, provide psychotherapy, and prescribe medication.

At the other end of the spectrum, we might see a general RN who works in a psych hospital or psychiatric ward of a general hospital. She/he may not necessarily be a MSN Psychiatric Practitioner, but she/he may be certified in psychiatric nursing. Though at the Associates or BSN level, these nurses are not trained to provide full psychiatric assessment, psychiatric diagnosis, psychotherapy, or prescriptive privileges. That said, they do have special knowledge in psychiatric medication management and the management of problematic behaviors associated with mental illness.

The most common "mistake" I've seen in practice is the assumption that all psychiatric nurses are the same and equal other non-nursing Master's and PhD level mental health professionals (psychologists, clinical social workers, etc). Only MSN Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners practice at the same level as these other professionals.

As to Licensed Practical Nurses (what we call Enrolled Nurses)....I simply do not know enough about LPN practice in mental health to comment.

Perhaps some LPN, LVNs, or ENs can comment.