Worried about your Mental Health placement? Will you fit in? Will you have the right skills? What do you need to learn for practice assessments?

This book will help you with all these concerns. It will tell you what to expect from the placement, what you can learn, how to link theory and practice, and how to make the most of your learning opportunities.

Placement Learning in Mental Health Nursing covers the following areas:

• A logical, step-by-step approach to preparing for a mental health placement
• Helps make the most of learning opportunities
• Explains how to develop mental health competencies
• Narratives from other students describe what the placement will really be like
• Honest discussion of the challenges of a mental health placement to help avoid problems
• Advice on possible approaches to situations that may arise
• Keeps the aim of recovery as a central philosophy in line with contemporary thinking in mental health services.

• Takes a logical, step-by-step approach to preparing for learning on a mental health placement
• Introduces the principles of care, support and treatment of an individual with mental health problems, linking university-learned theory to practice
• Uses narratives from other students to describe what the placement will really be like
• Highlights potential learning opportunities and experiences available on a mental health placement
• Explains how to develop your clinical portfolio by completing specific exercises and activities
• Maps all activities and exercises to the NMC competencies
• Discusses the possible challenges that may arise during a mental health placement and advises on approaches to a range of situations
• Keeps the aim of recovery as a central philosophy in line with contemporary thinking in mental health care.

• A unique guide to getting the most from clinical placements
• How to prepare for your placement
• What you can expect to learn during a placement
• Clear links to, and examples of, achieving NMC competencies
• Guidance on what to use as evidence for your portfolio
• Case studies that link theory with practice
• How to consolidate your experience and learn from the placement
• Tips, activities, further reading suggestions and useful websites.