Video transcript

As far as people coming into Mental Health, I think from my point of view, knowing the level of support that was there in terms of debriefing and dealing with the difficult situations you come across.

All the other nurses that you're working with are in the same boat and there are experienced nurses that know what you're going through and the new ones that also know what you're going through. It's important to debrief. The team are great – Mental Health staff are really supportive.

Be open minded. Learn as much as you can. Ask as many questions as you can. Find a really good mentor or supervisor that can help you work through the issues that you will come up with in your beginning career.

I think you have to have a real genuine interest in people, so be curious about that. Be open to experience. It's a fantastic career and I've been very blessed. It's provided me with enormous opportunity.

Learn from people – don't be afraid to ask questions.

Try to have some normality in your life – play sport, read books, what ever it is – make sure you fit in some time for yourself. Keep yourself mentally healthy as sometimes being surrounded by all that and getting really involved in your work, you forget about yourself. It's important to keep yourself mentally and physically healthy.

Choose your electives at university that relate to mental health. I found those electives particularly stimulating and I know there are probably more now than there used to be. That helps expose you to the current thinking and models of practice that are used in Mental Health currently. And absolutely make the most of your clinical placements and have a good hard look at what you want to get experience in as often if you have a positive experience in your clinical placement that will lead to job opportunities down the track.

Be open to the experience and hear the lived experience of consumers and carers.