Second Registration as Mental Health Nurse

[Karen30]

Hi

I am hoping someone out there can offer some advice or help me. I am a registered nurse, (adult), but desperately want to do my mental health nurse training. I know that there are some 1 year full time courses out there for registered nurses who wish to gain a second registration, but I cannot afford to do these as I have to fund myself and therefore need to stay in full time employment to do this. Does anyone know of any part time courses that would allow me to train as a mental health nurse whilst continuing to work full time in order that I can fund myself. I have already asked my hospital trust about secondment and funding but they will not do either since they "feel that the hospital has no need for mental health nurses at this time". Or does anyone know of any other ways I could undertake my mental health training?

Any help and advice will be gratefully accepted.

Karen

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

I don't know the answer to your question but wondered if it would be worth ringing a few universities who do mental health training and see if they have any suggestions or ways that might help you on your quest.

best of luck. Anna

[lisamct]

Karen

I dont know if this will be any help as I dont know what part of the country you are in (not that I think it'll matter) but Glasgow Caladonian University offer a distance learning conversion to RMN from any existing first level registration.

Academic work is done over the internet and clinical experience is obtained in placement areas arranged on an individual basis. It is quite expensive if I remember correctly but you can work full time alongside studying so that helps.

I almost applied last year but have decided on a different career path, if your interested I still have the course flyer and contact name and e-mail address at the university, pm me and I'll pass them onto you.

Lisa

[Karen30]

Hi Lisa

Thanks for that information. I have already spoken with Glasgow about that course, but am not too sure how it works. The information I have is that the full time, 52 weeks course they do is based on two days academic work and three days clinical placements. The part time course, (over 3 years), is based on 28.5 hours per week of clinical placements??? and 3 hours academic work. Both of these options aren't very good if you wish to remain in full time employment.

I am going to rewrite to Glasgow about the part time option as 28.5 hours per week over 3 years does seem excessive to me for a part time course, considering that the full time course is base on only 3 days per week of clinical placements.

I just wondered whether there were any other options available to registered nurses, other than this course offered by Glasgow, which appears that you would have to flog your guts out working full time to pay the fees as well as trying to fit placements and coursework in as well!!!!!

Still at the moment this course is about the best option I have if I wish to pursue my "dream"

Any other advice or help would be appreciated.

Karen