MNurs Mental Health and Children's
Qualifying in two nursing fields within a single programme is an ambitious undertaking, but one with significant advantages for both the graduate and the healthcare system. Mental health nursing and children's nursing address two of the most demanding and most rewarding areas of clinical practice, and combining them creates a practitioner with an unusually broad scope of competence and the ability to work across a range of settings and client groups.
At the University of Chester, this four-year full-time MNurs programme leads to dual registration as a mental health nurse and a children's nurse, which is a distinctive and highly valued qualification. You will study both fields in depth, developing the theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, and professional values that each requires. Mental health nursing demands particular skills in therapeutic communication, risk assessment, and working with people experiencing conditions such as psychosis, depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and personality disorders.
Children's nursing requires you to understand child development, family-centred care, communication with children of different ages and abilities, and the specific clinical challenges of paediatric practice. You will spend substantial time in clinical placement across both fields, developing your practice under supervision in a range of NHS and other healthcare settings.
The programme leads to a Master's level qualification, which means you graduate with both the professional registrations and an advanced academic credential, positioning you well for senior roles and further development.
Graduates are eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in both mental health nursing and children's nursing, and the dual qualification opens a wider range of clinical roles and settings than a single-field registration. Many graduates pursue specialist roles in CAMHS, forensic mental health, paediatric intensive care, and community children's nursing. Some progress to advanced clinical practice or nurse consultant roles.