Day in the life of a community mental health nurse

To round off Mental Health Awareness Week, we asked community mental health nurse Sarah to capture a ‘day in the life’ yesterday on International Nurses’ Day....

Morning update

Hi everyone! My role at Somerset FT is a community mental health nurse. No two days are the same when it comes to nursing, but today I’m going to give you a brief snapshot into what I’ve been up to.

Mental health nursing isn’t just looking at mental health. It’s also about looking after the physical health of patients as well. This morning (Thursday) I’m at the well-being clinic based at Foundation House. Here we administer anti-psychotic medication, alongside monitoring the physical health of patients.

I find my role very satisfying, and so it’s also great to share our experiences and knowledge with students from all fields of health. Here you can see a teaching session on how to take blood…

Lunchtime update

Yesterday we asked community mental health nurse Sarah to document her day, to give an insight into her role and what a typical day consists of. Sarah spent her morning at Foundation House, so we are passing back over to find out her plans for the afternoon…

Thursday afternoons are busy for myself and my lovely colleague Emma (who took this lovely action shot while we were out and about!). After our morning in the wellbeing clinic, we’re heading off to administer depot medication to patients in their homes. These patients might have issues getting to our morning clinic, or in some cases, can be vulnerable and chronically unwell, which can lead to chaotic lives - offering that extra level of support ensures they are getting their medications when needed.

The patients we’re about to see today can often be overlooked by society under a stigma of mental health, and it’s these patients I care about so much. Mental illness can happen to anyone of us, at any time in our lives, no matter where we come from or who we are – no one should be overlooked.

Evening update

It has come to our final update from community mental health nurse Sarah, as she rounds up on her day and reflects on her role. A huge thank you for sharing your day with us, highlighting Mental Health Awareness Week, as well as International Nurses’ Day, and giving us all a little more insight into the world of mental health nursing…

My role as a community mental health nurse brings such variety, and I never know what each day is going to bring. Like every other job in the NHS, it can be stressful at times, but it also brings such satisfaction. I go home at the end of each day, knowing that I have helped to make a difference to someone’s life. I am very proud to say I am a registered nurse working in the NHS, alongside some amazing colleagues across the county.

Thank you Sarah, for sharing your day with us, highlighting Mental Health Awareness Week, as well as International Nurses’ Day, and giving us all a little more insight into the world of mental health nursing.