Psychiatric nursing 'a job worth doing'

The Institute of Health Care of the University of Malta has launched the first degree programme in psychiatric nursing and is urging candidates to take up this "dynamic" career.

The direct-entry degree course was set up due to the shortage of qualified mental health nurses in Malta, many of whom will be retiring over the next few years.

"The time is ripe to introduce the course and prepare qualified nurses to replace the retiring ones, although it will not be possible to fill the void that quickly and could take several years," the overall coordinator for nursing and midwifery at the IHC, Grace Jaccarini, said.

Of the 40 qualified mental health nurses, a third work abroad and another third are working in health care managerial positions outside psychiatry.

"We are trying to provide a cohort not just of qualified but also of well-trained psychiatric nurses. The degree students would offer more expertise, more skills and a higher quality of service," IHC's mental health nursing coordinator Martin Ward said.

He said mental health service provision in Malta was changing for the better and those who start training for a career in nursing at this point would be part and parcel of these changes.

Over time, a community strategy would be developed and the nurses would be a fundamental part of developing and implementing it.

"Everywhere, and particularly in Malta, society is under pressure, stressed and agitated. In many ways, mental health is going to become more significant for the island. It has already become a priority in other EU countries," he insisted, envisaging an increase in mental health problems. The provision of services and an awareness of how to combat mental health issues will increase also, he maintained.

"We need people who can make a contribution. Without them there could be a lot of mentally ill people in the country, with nowhere to go and no support, which completely goes against the whole ethos of our society.

"Malta's suicide rate, according to the World Health Organisation, is in the lower half of the world table but if we do not take immediate action to provide services for people suffering from depression, for example, Malta will go up that table.

"It is an exciting time and an opportunity to make a difference in society," Mr Ward urged.

"Psychiatric nursing is not a job for everybody and has a vocational element to it; it is not a job everyone can do. But then again, most jobs worth doing are hard."

The fundamental qualities are communication, active decision-making and problem-solving skills.

"Some people find their jobs quite dry and what they really want is contact with people. Those who already have life experience, like people and respect them, whoever they are, are the ideal candidates," Ms Jaccarini said.

"The public has a vague idea, or even misconceptions about what nursing, and mental health nursing in particular, is all about."

Mental health nurses work under immense pressure but only get publicity when things go wrong and are, for example, physically attacked, she continued.

Charmaine Borg, 23, a registered mental health nurse, is part of a 12-strong conversion group - on a three-year programme, upgrading from a diploma to a degree. She graduated two years ago and has been working in the psychiatric unit of St Luke's Hospital, where patients stay for not more than three weeks.

Ms Borg finds psychiatric nursing "fascinating" and totally recommends this career path: mental health nurses spend all day with their patients; they communicate with them and understand exactly what they are suffering from.

They almost have more contact and more knowledge of the patients than the psychiatrists and psychologists, she maintained.

"Things are happening all the time; the patients' moods are always changing and when they are satisfied it is very gratifying...

"Everyday, I grow up a lot as a person," Ms Borg said.

"I used to look at psychiatry as a mystery", but her innate communication skills - she "loves talking and listening to people" - made her an ideal candidate for the job.

"You just have to be a good communicator and have the right attitude - patience, tolerance, being a good listener and having a good sense of humour are the prerequisites," she advised.

The four-year course starts in October and the university is currently accepting applications. There are no limits as to the number of students that can join the course and candidates require the necessary 'A' levels, or can enter as mature students if they are over 23.

"Across the world, some of the most successful nurses joined in their mid-20s, having been air traffic controllers, policemen or even insurance brokers," Mr Ward pointed out.

"They started because they wanted to make a commitment to society and were attracted by the knowledge they would gain on human behaviour and the way the brain works, ending up improving their own personal capabilities and contributing to the fabric of society. Few jobs leave such an impact."

It is the first time the course has been organised at degree level and the package is going to teach individuals about psychology, psychiatry, psychiatric nursing, sociology, interpersonal skills and how to enable society to come to terms with its mental health problems, Mr Ward explained.

The course also offers opportunities to travel abroad for parts of the training. It is compatible with EU nursing education standards, which means that those who qualify in Malta can seek registration in foreign countries.

A public meeting to present the course to anyone interested is being held at the Institute of Health Care at St Luke's Hospital on August 4 at 9 a.m.

For more information on the degree programme visit www.um.edu.mt.