This chat is the first of a series of chats that #WEMHNS hopes to run on the theme of student mental health nurses.

This chat will be held onMonday the 15^th of August 2016 8-9pm. We will be using our regular hashtag- #WEMHNS and a transcript of the chat will be available afterward.

As with all our chats,everyone is welcome to join the conversation. Whether you are a Mental Health Nurse, other Health Care Professional, Academic, Service User, Carer or Citizen with an interest in the subject, we would like to hear your thoughts! The questions for this chat are proposed to student mental health nurses, however please feel free to offer your thoughts.

Student mental health nurses are the future workforce of nursing it is therefore vital to explore what their experiences are of being a student mental health nurse. As a student mental health nurse they attend university and also have placement experiences. Not only do they complete a full time degree, including doing full time hours when on placement, but they also have families, mortgages and work to contend with.They work with service users who may be distressed and struggling to cope. They are being assessed each day they are on placement and also have heavy workloads of essays, exams and presentations while in university. Many would argue it is one of the most rewarding jobs being a mental health nurse, being able to help and care for people who need support during very difficult times in their life.It offers such a variety of career opportunities, even international careers.So, with all this in mind, is it all worth it? What is it like? What do they enjoy and why do it? This we chat aims to explore the thoughts of student mental health nurses of their learning experience. With the hope of opening up future chats about mentorship, preceptorship and the transition from student to qualified nurse.

1. What do you enjoy about being a mental health nursing student?
2. What is the best bit about being a student mental health nurse?
3. What do you find difficult about being a mental health nursing student?
4. What have you taken from your placements? Both good and bad.
5. How can mentors/tutors support you with your learning?  
6. How can you encourage physical activity in practice?
7. What can you do to reduce stigma regarding mental health problems?
8. What do you think about support for students with mental health issues?
9. Any other thoughts about what it is like being a student mental health nurse? 
10. Advice for other students?

Hiya, I’m Em Jones. I am a mental health nurse and facilitator of learning at the University of Central Lancashire. I lead Social Media for the college and just love it. I have a huge interest in personality disorder, which is the focus of my doctorate. I also work in this area in practice and lead personality disorder courses at the university. Another interest area I have is public engagement. I am highly motivated in exploring ways of making learning fun and interactive. Learning should be fun! I love open water swims and running. My favourite saying is- there is always a solution!

Hey! My name is Tiffany Allan and I'm a student mental health nurse almost qualified woo! I am motivated to reduce stigma around all mental illnesses and I believe that everyone can be a teacher of wellbeing! I have a keen interest in mental health promotion and most of my tweets are regarding this.I chose the option module of personality disorder in year 3 as 1 in 10 service users you will meet in your career will have this diagnosis,so it is essential to gain as much knowledge as possible on this subject! I love exercise and often try hard to promote this as much as possible as it does wonders for your mental and physical health. Always remember - a problem shared is a problem halved!  

Hi! My name is Suzanne Marsden. I am a first year mental health nursing student and currently on my first placement. I am loving every second of it. My main areas of interest are substance misuse, psychosis and cats. I have yet to develop any mottos but think that yoga and a good listener (cats again) can get you through a lot.

My name is Joanne Wheeler, I am currently coming to the end of my 3rd placement and officially half way through my training wooooooo. I fundraise several times a year for various charities most recently raising just under £3000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK with a boys vs girls charity netball game. I am just in the process of starting a netball training evening for ladies with personality disorders and other mental illness, for me sport should be fun for all and a great way to make friends, build confidence and stay active. My placement has been very much focussed around personality disorder and I have just been given this as a module in year 3, something I can’t wait to start and develop my knowledge further.