nurses- dual registration help?

hey!

I'm applying for Sept.2013 entry into Mental Health nursing, but I have a few questions to ask. I know in my gut I want to do Mental Health because of the actual job role, but I would love to work on a hospital ward aswell which is where I think should I apply for adult instead?

I have done all my personal statement on mental health nursing, and would be fine with sending UCAS off for this course, but does anyone know after you qualify and register as an RMN whether you can also study to be dual registered as an adult nurse too? (just to get the best of both worlds!)

I know some unis like Southampton do 4 year degrees combining branches, but for personal reasons I would like to stay in the north west where I live and there's none up here that do that :frown:

ANY help would be much appreciated :biggrin:

Reply 1

Soph.Jade

You can do an 18 month post grad course so you'll have dual qualifications :smile:

Reply 2

Bubble87

There are some hospitals that employ mental health nurses to work on specialist wards such as dementia care. There are also dedicated mental health impatient hospitals where you'd be working on wards.

If mental health is what your heart is saying definitely stick with that.

This was posted from The Student Room's iPad App

Reply 3

angel_delight

Original post by dan1209

ANY help would be much appreciated :biggrin:

What is it about the actual job role that makes you want to do mental health nursing and what is it about working on a ward that you want?

As a newly qualified mh nurse apart from nursing homes the easiest place to get employed would be on a mental health ward. This could range from child inpatient to forensics to dementia. As a newly qualified you would be less likely to start off in community although not impossible.

There are unis which offer conversion courses to a different branch so you would therefore become dual qualified, Im not sure about in your area though and it would most likely be down to funding and you would probably need to contact unis directly.

Reply 4

dan1209

Original post by angel_delight

Thanks for the replies everyone!

In reply to this, I like the building of relationships a mental health nurse has, you need to build a trustworthy and empathetic relationship with patients which I think I would be really good at. In answer to working on a ward, I think that's probably just my personal opinion,I feel like working on a ward would be really interesting with the amount of different cases you see in one place.

I have looked at a few conversion courses but I think even if I did do it it would probably be a few years after I qualify.

Hope its going well as a newly qualified nurse!

Reply 5

Elliott0503

Adult nursing is a good grounding, there is always the option then of getting your dual registration. I have just started my first job following my nursing degree, looking now to do my masters and dual registration. I am confident I have done it the way best for me. I am much more confident with my ability following the adult course, however, it is what is best suited to you.