Mental Health Practice

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Newsroom

Nursing student Emma Garner was inspired to pursue a career in nursing by the death of her son Thomas (pictured) in April 2018. She is appealing to the Nursing and Midwifery Council to introduce a compassionate leave allowance

Nursing student appeals to NMC for compassionate leave allowance

Emma Garner missed placement shifts to be with her ill son

Nursing and Midwifery Council fitness to practise panel upheld a number of allegations against ward manager

Ward manager struck off after ‘witch’ jibe and conduct and competence issues

Band 7 nurse humiliated colleagues, used foul language and made clinical errors

Nurses who are actively planning to leave the NHS cite feeling undervalued (70%), under too much pressure (62%) and feeling exhausted (60%) as being the main reasons why. Picture shows a nurse in uniform leaving her shift with her bag on her shoulder and

Thinking of leaving the NHS – what you and your manager should do first

RCN survey reveals 45% of nursing staff are considering leaving the NHS

Free
Nurses at Nursing Live, which returns on 23-24 October 2024

Nursing Live free event: what’s in it for your nursing branch?

Nursing Live on 23-24 October can help nurses and students in all specialties

NHS nurses’ strikes in 2022-23 showed strength of feeling about poor pay and conditions

NHS pay: could strikes be back on the agenda after rejection of 5.5% award?

RCN members’ clear message: this year’s pay rise is short-changing us

Rest breaks for nurses: illustration shows a nurse holding the minute hand of a giant clock to prevent it from moving, suggesting stopping time to take a break

Missed rest breaks: are you getting back the time you’re entitled to?

Staff who miss breaks should be given equivalent rest time, but often this does not occur

Evidence and Practice

Monitoring the use of antidepressants: the role of mental health nurses

Monitoring the use of antidepressants: the role of mental health nurses

An update on principles of practice for antidepressants amid a changing discourse on risks...

A driver leans out of the window of his car and puts a hand on his brow in confusion. Unsafe driving is an area of risk for accidental self-harm or harm to others.

What biopsychosocial risks should mental health professionals consider in dementia care?

Proactive identification of risk enables a more holistic approach and promotes autonomy

Exploring therapeutic engagement in Finnish adult acute inpatient mental health settings

Exploring therapeutic engagement in Finnish adult acute inpatient mental health settings

Nurses should be supported to develop collaborative care and treatment plans for service...

Exploring the stigma associated with personality disorders: a narrative review

Exploring the stigma associated with personality disorders: a narrative review

Insights into diagnosis, issues around misdiagnosis and attitudes of healthcare professionals

Diagnostic overshadowing

Your quick-read article summary

Alcohol use among veterans

Your quick-read article summary

Features

Montage of 15 podcasts selected to interest nurses

Listen to this! 15 podcasts made with you in mind

Podcasts that support your practice, share career advice, or help you wind down

 Nurse behind seated patient stoops slightly and has her hands on his shoulders to express warmth and reassurance. Touch is a powerful way to show compassion in nursing

Using touch to show compassion: tailoring non-verbal communication to the individual

Judging when it’s appropriate to touch a patient or relative – and when it’s not

Bad manager

How to handle a bullying, weak or incompetent boss

Tips on initiating constructive conversations and where to seek support over poor leadership

A nurse in scrubs is frowning and hunching her shoulders in a sign of distress

Under excess pressure? The emotional signs of stress and how to deal with them

Tips for identifying worrying signs and supporting yourself and colleagues

Illustration featuring five different NHS uniform tunic colours, from left to right: indigo, green, sea blue, navy blue and light blue

Uniform approach: what we like about our standardised scrubs

Nurses from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the pros of their nations’ uniforms

Illustration shows healthcare staff around a table formed from a clock face to suggest a team approach to rostering

Rostering: could more control over your shift timings transform your work-life balance?

Team-based rostering pilots point to improved staff retention and greater collaboration

Opinion

A nurse holds up her hands showing she wants something to stop. Nurses have a duty of care to patients but also need to consider their own safety

When should nursing staff refuse to treat a patient?

Our panel discusses duty and safety when it comes to racist or violent patients

Mpox: nursing care and treatment, recognising signs and reducing risk

Mpox: should UK be worried and are nursing staff at increased risk?

How to spot signs, identify risk factors and understand the treatment options

Nurse choosing extra shifts

Extra shifts: would you be willing to do more to help clear the NHS backlog? 

NHS staff already work over their hours, often unpaid to help cut patient waiting times

Students

 Nursing student makes notes in a library in preparation for submitting a written assignment

Assignment deadline: how to give yourself the best chance of handing in on time

Practical tips for keeping to the essay deadline, even if you’re busy or stressed

Individual learning styles: what suits you best? An illustration of a woman using a laptop sitting on top of a lightbulb that is springing out of an open book, illustrations indicating four different learning styles surround her 

Are you a visual or aural learner? How to make the most of your learning style

Find out how identifying your style can help you be a more effective learner

Student acting as nurse in charge in a social care setting: image shows a student in scrubs standing in front of a group of nursing home residents

Nurse in charge for the day – what I learned on my social care placement

A taste of nurse leadership and a chance to learn outside of a ward setting

Careers

Day shift roles for nurses: an illustration of a nurse with thought bubbles above her head as she considers different daytime nursing roles, such as GP nurse, community nurse, teaching and day surgery

Day shift only roles – what are my options if I want to ditch nights?

What to consider if you are looking for greater flexibility and work-life balance

Nurse consultants have a high level of expertise in their area of care; a nurse consultant talks to a patient, explaining something with a smile while showing them a diagram   

Nurse consultant: what does it take to reach this high-level role?

How to plan ahead to gain the skills and experience required

Leading with authenticity builds trust and credibility; a nurse sits and speaks to another nurse, making eye contact and with open palms

Are you an introverted or shy leader? 10 tips to help you embrace the challenge

How to step out of your comfort zone and develop your leadership skills

Jobs