Bachelor of Nursing (Mental Health) Autumn Intake (BN) at Cardiff University

Mental health nursing is a diverse, challenging and rewarding career with people at its heart. Validated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) our programme provides you with the skills and knowledge to become a registered Mental Health Nurse within 3 years and offers you the opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives.

You will offer help and support to people of all ages, their families and carers. The role is diverse, and care can be offered in a variety of situations including hospitals, homes and community settings. Whilst a key role of the mental health nurse is to form therapeutic relationships it is important that you are also able to use effective communication strategies to demonstrate compassionate, creative and critical mental health care that focuses on recovery.

The programme content emphasises the holistic components of individual mental health recovery, acknowledging the importance of maintaining health and the wider psychological and social impacts of personal wellbeing.

You will specialise in mental health nursing from the start of the programme, with an integrated learning strategy meaning you will also study alongside students of other fields. Sharing your ideas between disciplines will broaden your perspective on health care and help to sharpen your focus on your own field. Inter-professional learning (IPE) is a key component of the programme.

We have a highly equipped Clinical Simulation Suite which enables you to learn in a realistic ward, community, home and emergency simulations, meaning you can safely practice and develop essential skills to develop your confidence before going into placement. We also have dedicated mental health communication booths where you can develop your practical skills.

You will spend 50% of your time in clinical practice, working alongside experienced practice supervisors in hospitals, community and other specialist mental health care team provisions. A varied placement experience undertaken across the three years of the programme will allow you to integrate academic theory with clinical practice and gain insight into the wide-ranging employment opportunities available to you upon qualification. Our clinical placements reflect the work of the mental health nurse in supporting people from all age groups when they experience the impact of mental health problems.   

You will be taught by motivated and knowledgeable lecturers in the field of mental health nursing who are influencing healthcare across Wales and beyond through engagement and research. This is demonstrated by our School receiving 1st place in the UK for research environment in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF). You will be allocated both a personal tutor who will offer you pastoral support and an academic assessor who will support your professional development during the programme.

On successful completion of the programme you will be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Mental Health Nurse. With this registration, you can work in a range of healthcare settings, both in the United Kingdom and abroad and join the nursing workforce of the future.

Above all else, we strive to ensure that you are ready for the next step in your career and the many opportunities that await you. That’s why 100%* of our nursing students are in employment or further study after 6 months of graduating (*DHLE and HECSU).