Careers
If you would like to write for our careers section email the editor at [email protected]
People often ask Colin Jarrett why he became a registered mental nurse, given the unique challenges faced in the specialism. Here he explains his vocation
HELPING THOSE IN CRISIS As clinical team leader on an acute inpatient mental health ward at Cygnet Health Care’s Kewstoke Hospital, my role is to supervise and support my team and to work with the ward’s 15 patients. Mental health nursing is unique in that each day’s events are impossible to predict and the best-laid plans often fall foul of unexpected occurrences. At Cygnet Health Care, we treat individuals with a wide range of psychiatric illnesses and disabilities including schizophrenia and personality and eating disorders. Sandford ward is an emergency admission open acute unit for male service users. Since this is a relatively new ward, I have spent the past few months introducing systems and work processes. The daily routine consists of administering medication, managing staff and liaising with professionals, such as community psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists and social workers, to discuss patients’ treatment plans. Mental health service users face great risks, given the acute nature of their illnesses. Our challenges include keeping patients safe
Colin Jarrett: ‘I remain inspired by the daily challenges’
Essential qualities for nursing in mental health Flexibility and adaptability. Warmth and ability to empathise with people. Knowledge of techniques to combat the stigma attached to mental illness. Ability to help patients and families deal with stigma. Excellent grasp of therapeutic interventions. Good contacts with local support services.
from self-harming and trying to abscond. Throughout my training and career, I have been asked many times why I chose to become a registered mental nurse (RMN). After leaving school, I worked in banking and insurance but often felt that my jobs lacked community spirit. I started volunteering for a Samaritans helpline and, through this, met people who worked in mental health – and they were truly making a difference to others’ lives. I decided to work some bank shifts at my local mental health unit to see if this was for me and I enjoyed it immensely, helping people in crisis. I trained as an RMN at the University of the West of England in Bristol and qualified in 2000. My first job was on an acute psychiatric admissions ward attached to the local general hospital. Five years
later, personal circumstances forced me to give up my job and unfortunately my registration lapsed. Eventually, I completed a return-to-practice course that involved a placement at Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke – and I have never looked back. I quickly realised that the most rewarding part of my job was witnessing the improvement in a patient’s health from admission to discharge. While it may sound clichéd, every shift is interesting in one way or another simply because there is no telling what may happen. Ultimately, a nurse is an intermediary between the medical team and the service user. Often, we are the only people who are able to provide personalised support, and I regard this as a privilege. I get great satisfaction from assisting those in my care to make choices and decisions about their care. After 13 years working in mental health, I remain inspired by the daily challenges. The peer support I receive from my colleagues is exceptional and the humour on the ward is unique. I can think of no other place I would rather work NS Colin Jarrett is team leader at Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke, Weston-super-Mare RESOURCES RCN mental heath nursing forum tinyurl.com/RCNMHF Mental Health Nurses Association tinyurl.com/UtUMHNA
NURSING STANDARD february :: voluses 28 without no 23 ::permission. 2014 63 Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Jul 24, 2016. For personal use only. No5other Copyright © 2016 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
If you would like to write for our careers section email the editor at [email protected]
People often ask Colin Jarrett why he became a registered mental nurse, given the unique challenges faced in the specialism. Here he explains his vocation
HELPING THOSE IN CRISIS As clinical team leader on an acute inpatient mental health ward at Cygnet Health Care’s Kewstoke Hospital, my role is to supervise and support my team and to work with the ward’s 15 patients. Mental health nursing is unique in that each day’s events are impossible to predict and the best-laid plans often fall foul of unexpected occurrences. At Cygnet Health Care, we treat individuals with a wide range of psychiatric illnesses and disabilities including schizophrenia and personality and eating disorders. Sandford ward is an emergency admission open acute unit for male service users. Since this is a relatively new ward, I have spent the past few months introducing systems and work processes. The daily routine consists of administering medication, managing staff and liaising with professionals, such as community psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists and social workers, to discuss patients’ treatment plans. Mental health service users face great risks, given the acute nature of their illnesses. Our challenges include keeping patients safe
Colin Jarrett: ‘I remain inspired by the daily challenges’
Essential qualities for nursing in mental health Flexibility and adaptability. Warmth and ability to empathise with people. Knowledge of techniques to combat the stigma attached to mental illness. Ability to help patients and families deal with stigma. Excellent grasp of therapeutic interventions. Good contacts with local support services.
from self-harming and trying to abscond. Throughout my training and career, I have been asked many times why I chose to become a registered mental nurse (RMN). After leaving school, I worked in banking and insurance but often felt that my jobs lacked community spirit. I started volunteering for a Samaritans helpline and, through this, met people who worked in mental health – and they were truly making a difference to others’ lives. I decided to work some bank shifts at my local mental health unit to see if this was for me and I enjoyed it immensely, helping people in crisis. I trained as an RMN at the University of the West of England in Bristol and qualified in 2000. My first job was on an acute psychiatric admissions ward attached to the local general hospital. Five years
later, personal circumstances forced me to give up my job and unfortunately my registration lapsed. Eventually, I completed a return-to-practice course that involved a placement at Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke – and I have never looked back. I quickly realised that the most rewarding part of my job was witnessing the improvement in a patient’s health from admission to discharge. While it may sound clichéd, every shift is interesting in one way or another simply because there is no telling what may happen. Ultimately, a nurse is an intermediary between the medical team and the service user. Often, we are the only people who are able to provide personalised support, and I regard this as a privilege. I get great satisfaction from assisting those in my care to make choices and decisions about their care. After 13 years working in mental health, I remain inspired by the daily challenges. The peer support I receive from my colleagues is exceptional and the humour on the ward is unique. I can think of no other place I would rather work NS Colin Jarrett is team leader at Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke, Weston-super-Mare RESOURCES RCN mental heath nursing forum tinyurl.com/RCNMHF Mental Health Nurses Association tinyurl.com/UtUMHNA
NURSING STANDARD february :: voluses 28 without no 23 ::permission. 2014 63 Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Jul 24, 2016. For personal use only. No5other Copyright © 2016 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
