Mental Health Nursing Course

Mental health nurses, also known as psychiatric mental health (PHM) nurses, deal with psychiatric disorders, mental health problems, substance use disorders, and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. PHM nurses are responsible for providing physical and psychological care to a wide range of patients. These nurses are specialized to deal with a variety of patients be it teens, children, or adults belonging to any age group. They know about handling anxiety, PTSD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, substance abuse, etc. Their primary role is to educate patients, families, and communities to help them understand the whole healthcare system that includes mental health also. They focus on breaking down the stigma associated with mental health care. They help patients with their routine day-to-day activities, treatment plans, and proper medication, and give support to patients and their families. They also observe patients’ progress and consult with psychiatrists and other professionals. This course can also be done in the part-time form for the duration of one or one and a half years.

Mental Health Nursing Course Eligibility Criteria 

Students are mainly selected based on performance in their entrance exams. Therefore students must study hard and score well on their entrance exam so that they can get admission into the top colleges in India. Students are required to fulfill certain criteria listed below to be eligible for Mental Health Nursing Course. 

Criteria include:-

• Completion of  a bachelor’s degree in Nursing course 
• A degree should be granted by a university that is recognized by the Indian Nursing Council.
• It is compulsory to score a minimum of 55% or above in the bachelor’s degree.
•  The student should be a registered nurse and registered Midwife or equivalent with the state Nursing Registration Council.

Entrance Exam for Mental Health Nursing Course

Entrance exams are a very necessary part of this course as it plays an important role in getting the good knowledge, skills, and experience required for this course. The top entrance exams preferred by colleges and students for pursuing Mental Health Nursing Courses are:-

JIPMER B.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam – Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research Post Graduate Entrance exam is conducted at the university level for securing admission in top medical courses in JIPMER of various states. It is conducted for paramedical courses, undergraduate courses, and Postgraduate courses in online mode with a duration of 3 hours.

NIMHANS – This is another well-known national-level entrance exam given by students to purses a Mental Health Nursing Course for securing admission to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences for post-graduate and Ph.D. courses.

Mental Health Nursing Course Average Fees

Fees in the medical field are always seen as very high but you would be glad to see that fees for Mental Health Nursing Course are just INR 5000 – INR 1.5 LPA. This fee structure allows students with average financial conditions to study this course. 

Mental Health Nursing Course Syllabus and Duration 

It is necessary to know and understand the syllabus of any course before preparing for entrance or choosing a course as a career. Below is the basic overview of the syllabus of the Mental Health Nursing Course:-

• Positive Psychology
• Personality Theories
• Mid Mental Disorders
• Psychotic Disorders
• Psychological Testing

Mental Health Nursing Course Average Salary in India

The salary that a student can expect after completing Mental Health Nursing Course is INR 3- 6 LPA. However, note that this is just a starting salary that you get directly after completing this course, the salary would increase continuously as you gain experience over time. Also, this is just an average salary that is observed over time and is subject to change as per factors like the type of college, knowledge, skills, experience, etc.

Mental Health Nursing Course Top Institutions

Top  Institutes that provide Mental Health Nursing Courses are:-

• JIPMER, Pondicherry
• Vydehi Institute of Nursing Sciences, Karnataka
• Kempagowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Banglore
• All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata
• Sri Ramchandra University, Chennai

Job Position for Mental Health Nursing Course

Job position and annual salary data are important and help to get a good idea about the type of work you would be doing and the salary you would be getting. Below is the list of Job descriptions along with the Average salary of each:-

• Psychiatric Technician – INR 1,92,000
• Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor – INR 3,60,000
• Mental Health Counsellor – INR 7,20,000
• Clinical Psychologist – INR 3,71,411
• Health Psychologist – INR 3,18,000
• Research Associate – INR 3,02,473
• Psychologist – INR 3,18,000

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