Mental health nurse shares what makes her job special

Olivia Chukwu trained as a nurse in Nigeria before moving to Essex in October 2022 to specialise in mental health nursing.

Although she has worked in a variety of settings: A&E, endoscopy, immunisation and diabetes, Olivia says there is “something special” about mental health nursing – and patients and colleagues agree that Olivia has a gift for connecting with people.

On Mental Health Nurses’ Day (21 February), Olivia shares why she loves being a mental health nurse.

She said: “I became a Mental Health Nurse because I am passionate about supporting people who are struggling with difficult situations.

“We often see people with social problems that are impacting their mental health – trouble with housing, relationships or bereavement. They need someone to listen to them, understand how they are feeling and help them create a plan for what comes next.”

Olivia currently works at the Mental Health Urgent Care Department at Basildon Hospital. This new facility opened in March 2023 as an alternative to A&E, tailored to the needs of adults in mental health crisis.

She works as part of a team of mental health specialists who work with people to understand what has triggered their crisis and help them access the most appropriate support, whether this is at home or on an inpatient mental health ward.

Olivia’s patients and colleagues have noted her gift for supporting people through their most vulnerable moments and finding ways to connect.

One person who attended the Mental Health Urgent Care Department said:

“Olivia, our care practitioner, was amazing. She made us feel incredibly comfortable and helped my brother more than I can say.

“She was non-judgmental, she helped my brother feel at ease, safe and relaxed enough to open up and talk. She was positive, sung us a song, got him smiling at times – he was really able to engage with mental health services and I can’t thank Olivia enough.”

Olivia has received countless other compliments from patients, carers and colleagues. She said: “It gives me such joy when I know I have supported a patient well. I believe it’s important to support families too – when a relative is unwell it can be very difficult so I try to get them involved whenever I can.”

“Oftentimes people don’t really need much – they just need someone they can actually talk to, who can help them understand that life doesn’t end there.

 “As a mental health nurse, you are giving yourself. You listen, you share parts of yourself and it helps people open up and engage. That’s what’s special about mental health nursing.”

To those who are inspired to take on a career in mental health nursing, Olivia says:

“Follow your dreams and aspirations, and stay focused. And remember to make sure you look after yourself – if you are unhappy, you won’t be able to make others happy.”

If you are inspired to work in a job that makes a difference, you can view all vacancies at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) on our Careers page.