Nursac Durmus has worked in the NHS for almost 16 years and is a Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist.
She is part of the south east Essex Adult Community Psychological Services team based at the Knightswick Clinic in Folksville Road, Canvey.
Ahead of Mental Health Nurses’ Day tomorrow (21 February), Nursac explains why she became a mental health nurse and what she enjoys most about her work.
What inspired you to become a mental health nurse?
Witnessing the impact of mental health difficulties for family members and a close neighbour made me want to know more about mental health and how they could be better supported.
Working as a mental health nurse on acute wards had its rewards and challenges. When I started co-facilitating psychology groups with the psychologist on the ward it gave me a different perspective on how I could help the patients I was working with.
I became a qualified therapist in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which is a talking therapy that can help people manage their problems by changing the way they think and behave.
I then developed a clinical interest in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trained in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). This is a psychological treatment that has been found to reduce the symptoms of PTSD.
I work with eight to ten clients during my working week. I offer psychological assessments, which involves understanding how their difficulties have developed and what’s causing them to continue. I then offer recommendations for treatment.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
There are lots of things I enjoy about my job but most importantly, giving people hope and a quality of life that they may be missing is the number one for me.
I also love the team I work with as my managers and colleagues are all amazingly understanding, compassionate and supportive.
What advice would you give to anyone who would like to be a mental health nurse?
Working in mental health nursing can be challenging and you generally work in fast paced environments.
Therefore, having a real passion for understanding and wanting to help those with mental health difficulties will absolutely help with being empathetic towards those who need it at the most difficult times of their lives.
Being a good listener and observer and being patient will go a long way and will be hugely appreciated by your patients.
Seeking the support of colleagues and working in a team will also help minimise burnout and enable a fulfilling environment to work in.
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