Studying Mental Health Nursing

The definition of mental health as put forward by the World Health Organisation puts a lot of emphasis on mental well-being, intellectual and emotional potentialities. From this you can conclude that maintaining good mental is one of the most important requirements as a human and something that is fundamental when deeming someone as 'healthy'. The absence of mental heath reflects the absence of full health and the existence of the holistic pathway to care.

Undertaking a degree in mental health nursing has allowed my knowledge and understanding of this field to expand rapidly and has contributed to my positive attitude towards psychiatry. I'm an enthusiastic and engaged learner, and am proactive in every aspect of my degree whether undertaking practical work or classroom studies. I also really value my time on placement and seeing patients who come into my care overcome their barriers. Being accountable and responsible is very important a key professional value in nursing, and I strive to be the best version of myself when interacting with and caring for patients.

How will The Professor Bligh Scholarship help?

Using Benner's model, I believe in order to achieve a position of expert you must first identify as a novice and progress within your scope and limitations. It is within these stages, we learn and adapt, we engage and apply knowledge to practice, in order to progress successfully throughout our profession. I plan to make the most of my mentorship sessions and look forward to working with someone with experience who can help and develop my skills and knowledge.

The mentorship element of the Professor Bligh scholarship will support me to set goals and take action, to help me look at challenges in a new way and to ask questions when appropriate, and ultimately steer me in the right direction as I prepare for my career. While studying I aim to constantly challenge my established beliefs and understandings of the field and to continue to ask more questions about the subjects which interest me going forward.