[Emma22]

I have recently qualified as a registered general nurse in the adult branch. However, I have come to the conclusion that its not really for me! I am really interested in social work and mental health nursing, but I'm having a real struggle trying to decide what to do with my life! Please help! :(

[shygrneyzs]

There are nurses in the Social Work field that have a speciality of psychiatric nursing. It is possible to combine them. Work in a mental health setting such as an in-patient hospital or clinic or outpatient clinic or even for a private practice or in a residential setting. Many options.

[J_9]

I too want to specialize in the mental health field. A piece of advice one of my instructors gave me was to work for a year or two in the medical health field, whether it be labor and delivery, pediatrics, med-sug, it doesn't matter. Reason being is that the field of mental health has a very high burnout rate. If we work only in mental health we don't have the skills necessary to transfer over to any other medical field later in life. Working on a floor (ward) for a year or two will give us those skills.