School of Nursing

BNurs (Hons) Mental Health Nursing

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BNurs (Hons)
Start date(s)
16 September 2024,8 April 2024
UCAS Code
B760
Course specifications
Course length
Full-time (3 years)
Campus location
Wolverhampton City Campus,University Telford Campus
UCAS points calculator

Why choose this course?

95.8% of students were pleased with the teaching on their course

NSS, 2023

Mental Health Nurses work with people experiencing mental health difficulties across the lifespan. Mental health nurses work with people experiencing mental health difficulties across the lifespan. The BNurs (Hons) Mental Health Nursing degree at the University of Wolverhampton provides students with an in-depth understanding of mental health challenges and conditions, as well as how to support and care for patients. Students will learn key skills in contemporary mental health nursing practice and will be able to apply this knowledge to real-world settings.

 

A career in mental health nursing can be both challenging and rewarding. It is an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of people who are experiencing mental health-related issues. If you are passionate about improving the lives of others, then a career in mental health nursing could be for you.

Our BNurs (Hons) Mental Health Nursing degree is designed to improve both your theoretical knowledge and practical experience. The course adopts a person-centred approach with placement opportunities across NHS Trusts, helping you apply what you’ve learnt and develop experience in providing safe and effective nursing care. 


Upon successful completion, this course will enable you to apply to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to practise as a registered mental health nurse in a range of diverse health and social care settings. The mental health nursing degree at the University of Wolverhampton is delivered by subject experts with extensive clinical experience, and you will be supported to achieve a high clinical, professional, and academic standard. We are also proud of our relationships with our partner organisations which were recently commended by the NMC.

What is a mental health nurse?

Mental health nurses work with people experiencing mental health difficulties across the lifespan. At the core of mental health nursing is the ability to establish trusting therapeutic relationships with service users and with their families and carers.

As a mental health nurse, you would care for people affected by a range of mental health difficulties, such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, psychological trauma, psychosis, and dementia.

Mental health nurses support individuals and their families in a wide variety of settings, including in their own homes; GP practices; primary care facilities; specialist nursing homes; hospitals (both general and mental health); prisons; and forensic mental health units. Whatever your client group, this mental health nursing degree will allow you to provide professional expertise and skills to promote recovery and positive mental health.

Learn interpersonal skills

Nursing is a demanding vocation which requires compassion, commitment, creativity and resilience, along with an ability to work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Mental health nursing requires a warm and empathic approach to help build trusting therapeutic relationships with people who are sometimes reluctant to engage. 


This degree will develop your knowledge, skills, and confidence as a practitioner working in partnership with service users and carers in a variety of settings. Our mental health nursing course promotes personal resilience and critical thinking, while supporting you to advocate on behalf of service users and carers as well as to provide effective evidence-based interventions and continuous service improvement.

When does this course start?

Intakes: September and April

Where: Wolverhampton City Campus and University Telford Campus.

 

What happens on the course?

Our mental health nursing degree provides a useful split of theory and practice. 50% of your course will be situated in the University and 50% in a variety of practice areas.

Theory

You will study a range of academic core (all fields of nursing) and field (mental health focused) modules based on theory and practice experiences. Your practice experiences will assist you in developing practical skills and professional awareness.

Your modules will also contain a range of key skills which are essential for lifelong learning, including numeracy (essential for medicines management), information technology, communication and working with others, problem solving and how to improve your learning.

The course aims to help you prepare yourself to adapt to new roles and the environments you will be working in. You will continuously learn in order to develop your nursing knowledge and skills as the start of career progression. Theoretical material will reflect the requirements of the National Health Service and Social Care Services and the changing needs of today's population.

Practice

We have a dedicated practice team whose role it is to support the quality and variety of learning experiences you will be exposed to within your course that will enable you to meet the competencies required to be a Registered Mental Health Nurse. Placements will be within local NHS providers and in the Independent sector. Travel expenses to University placements will not be funded, however a learning support fund is available. Check whether you are eligible by visiting the NHSBSA Student Services page.

Placements will be undertaken within Black Country Healthcare Foundation NHS TrustMidlands Partnership Foundation NHS Trust, and in private health organisations. 

For more information on placements and locations, visit our nursing placement page.

Generally Mental Health students based at City campus are placed across the Black Country, and Mental Health students based at Telford campus are placed across Shropshire and Staffordshire. However we do not guarantee that your placements will all be within a particular Trust or region, and you will be expected to travel.

Placements make up a large part of your course and shifts can be early mornings, evenings, overnights, weekends and Bank Holidays so it is essential that you have considered how you will travel to your placements before applying.

Information on placements and locations

By successfully achieving all components of the BNurs (Hons) Mental Health Nursing you will be entitled to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Nurse.

Course Modules

Potential Career Paths

Successful completion of the BNurs (Hons) Mental Health Nursing degree will lead to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and will then open up the prospect of many jobs in clinical practice, hospital or community settings, research, teaching, or managerial roles.

Mental health nurses work in a variety of diverse settings caring for children, adolescents, adults of working age and older people who are experiencing mental health problems. Mental health nurses work alongside many other professionals including social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, and GPs to plan and deliver person-centred care. Registered nurses continue to study after they have qualified, often in a specialist area, as they develop their career path within the UK or working abroad.

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

We're proud to confirm our £300 travel fund helping eligible new UK full-time undergraduate entrants* with the costs of travel continues for students starting in 2019/20 and 2020/21! For further information please click here. 

As a Registered Mental Health Nurse you will:

  • Meet the NMC Standards of proficiency for pre-registration nursing education.
  • Provide nursing care that is safe, effective and ethical and assume full responsibility and accountability for your own practice as a Nurse registered on  the NMC register within the legal framework of the country in which you are employed.
  • Reflect upon and critically evaluate evidence to reach sound nursing judgements and exercise effective decision making in complex situations within the mental health sphere of practice.
  • Critically examine the impact of political, professional and social contexts on your provision of person centred mental health nursing care within the context of a multidisciplinary team.
  • Effectively apply your learning to identify, manage and lead enterprising innovations and service improvements in mental health nursing practice.
  • Demonstrate competence in the use of advanced technologies to quality assure and enhance your mental health nursing practice and maintain your life-long learning.

Location Mode Fee Year
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2022-23
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2023-24
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2023-24
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2024-25
International Full-time £13450 per year 2022-23
International Full-time £14450 per year 2023-24
International Full-time £14450 per year 2023-24
International Full-time £14950 per year 2024-25

Additional Course Costs

Mandatory Costs

  • International checks (INTCC) as part of the DBS are required and costs vary by country.
  • Uniform and ID badges are provided for this course, however the University of Wolverhampton reserves the right to charge for extra uniform should this be required
  • You will be required to provide appropriate foot wear at a cost of approximately  £25-£40 

Further information on these additional costs will be provided prior to the start of your studies

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure, with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed

GCSEs at grade C+/ 4 in an English-based subject and Maths or equivalent qualifications (e.g. Key Skills Level 2/ Learn Direct Level 2/ Functional Skills Level 2).

Please note we do NOT accept GCSE Short Courses

PLUS EITHER

  • 112 UCAS points
  • A Levels - grades BBC
  • T Levels - Equivalent to 112 UCAS points or higher in Health or Healthcare Science
  • BTEC L3 Extended Diploma or OCR Cambridge L3 Technical Extended Diploma - grades DMM
  • CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma at a B grade
  • Access to HE Diploma (60 credits) of which a minimum of 45 must be at Level 3 (112 UCAS point equivalence, minimum 15 credits at distinction)
  • Undergraduate or Postgraduate degrees
  • Foundation degrees /HND/ HNC

Not met the entry criteria for this course?   Did you know you could study Nursing within 4 years?  Why not discover more information about our new Foundation Year courses and what you need to get onto them.  Please visit Foundation Year Courses to find out more about what opportunities we have for you

Have you also considered other careers in Health?  Did you know we also offer:

  • Learning Disability Nursing
  • Coming soon our self-funded apprenticeship  
  • Degrees in Public Health, Social Care and Health Studies
  • Podiatry 

Please visit the Institute of Health for more information

Use the UCAS Tariff calculator to check your qualifications and points

If you've got other qualifications or relevant experience, please contact The Gateway for further advice before applying.

Evidence of digital literacy and technological literacy capability will be determined by successful completion of your application.

 

Other Requirements

Applicants will also be required to provide satisfactory personal statement and reference (academic or employer).

Those meeting the entry requirements may be shortlisted for a values-based selection process and will be subsequently required to meet a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check and Occupational Health requirements.

Read further information regarding interview preparation

 

Additional Information

During the Nursing course you will be required to attend placements.   When you are asked for your choice of placement area we will endeavour to meet your request however we must emphasise that this cannot be guaranteed and therefore you must ensure you are able to travel to the final placement area you are allocated.

Free Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health Check:

Due to the professional nature of some of our courses you may also be required to complete a Declaration of Health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.  We will coordinate both of these non-academic conditions with you should your course require this and you receive an offer from us

There will be no cost for the DBS this is free to applicants who have secured an offer and have chosen to study at the University of Wolverhampton.

Student Visa Requirements

Applicants who require a student visa to enter the UK are not eligible to be considered for this course. 

Skilled Worker Visa Requirements

Applicants who are in the UK on a Skilled Worker Visa or are a dependent of a Skilled worker are not eligible to be considered for this course. 

Contextual Offers

The university recognises that many students have additional barriers in progression to university, whether this be through disability, as a care leaver, from an area of deprivation or another factor. The university wishes to provide additional support for these students through the contextual offer scheme. If you are eligible, the University will apply a contextual Admissions decision, in the form of a reduced offer letter by up to two grades or 16 UCAS tariff points. Find out more.

Don't have GCSE English and/or Maths? Take our Equivalency Assessments

We understand that not everyone is able to achieve GCSE Maths and English for a variety of reasons. Our equivalency assessments provide an opportunity for you to further your English and/or Maths skills ready for your studies, as well as being able to meet part of the entry requirements for many of our undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Our online equivalency assessments are free of charge and accepted as the equivalent to a GCSE for the majority of our courses, however applicants of Initial Teacher Training courses will need to sit an on-campus equivalency test which costs £35. Find out more about our equivalency tests.

“I have always felt proud to have trained at the University of Wolverhampton, I always felt fortunate that the teaching staff were from backgrounds of such diverse clinical areas that enabled me to appreciate different aspects of mental health nursing. The training I had was excellent, like everyone else I was always encouraged to push my own academic limits and was empowered to question and analyse classroom taught theory  in practical application to the clinical area and the point of view of a patient receiving care.

I am thankful to the university for the support I received as a student nurse and can identify that it has contributed to a fairly quick progression in four years from a staff nurse to my current post as a dementia nurse specialist.

I recently won an award for a nursing innovation in a local NHS trust, this was based on my practical application of a theoretical psychological model I was fortunate enough to learn of as a student nurse, although the skill I learnt was how to make it relevant for the people I cared for...what I am really thankful to the University for , and what has remained with me after qualification is the confidence to think for myself and shape taught skills around actual people that are receiving care.”
Aaron Bate, Graduate and Community Dementia Nurse

“The support network that is provided is tremendous and there is always someone to help out, no matter how late in the day it is”.
Student Nurse

“Employment opportunities are available in a variety of NHS, voluntary and private mental health services that include: acute inpatient services, crisis resolution services, child and adolescent services, older age services, assertive outreach, forensic mental health care and services focusing on the implementation of a recovery model when working with those with enduring mental health needs.”
Practice Placement Manager

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of registration as a qualified nurse (mental health).

Tuition Fees Loan (Home Fee Status):

By studying an undergraduate or postgraduate pre-registration programme you are eligible for a Tuition Fee loan. of up to £9,250. The loan will support your studies and enable you to start a rewarding career in healthcare.


Changes for EU students:

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as Overseas (International) students for fee purposes. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) click here.


NHS Grant:

All new and continuing nursing, midwifery and most allied health professionals’ students on pre-registration courses will also receive a grant of at least £5,000 per year that is not means-tested and will not have to be repaid.

An additional payment of up to £3,000 per academic year will be available to eligible students. Eligibility will include the following:

• £1,000 towards childcare costs • £1,000 if studying in a region that is struggling to recruit • £1,000 if studying a shortage specialism

Among others, the shortage specialisms have been confirmed to include:

• Mental health nursing

• Learning disability nursing

Read the full press release on the Government website to find out more or access“The recent grants for health courses explained"


Additional funding:

Is available via NHS Business Services Authority

The Learning Support Fund offers students additional support while studying for their degree. This includes:

• Dependants allowance of £1,000 per student per year

• Additional travel and accommodation costs to clinical placements over their normal daily travel costs

• An exceptional hardship fund of up to £3,000 per student per academic year


You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

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Full-time Course