A mental health nurse who manages a budget of �2 million has been chosen to appear on a new NHS careers website to inspire others to join the nursing profession.

A MENTAL health nurse who manages a budget of �2 million has been chosen to appear on a new NHS Careers website to inspire others to join the nursing profession.

The story of Christopher Dzikiti works as a matron at Tower Hamlets Centre for Mental Health in Mile End features on the Nursing Careers website which is designed to promote the wide range of nursing careers available, challenge people’s misconceptions and encourage them to consider a career in nursing.

Mr Dzikiti was inspired to move from his job in banking by his cousin’s enthusiasm for nursing.

After experiencing a range of specialisms including elderly care, paediatrics and midwifery during his training, he decided to specialise in mental health nursing. He is currently a modern matron at Mile End Hospital in Bancroft Road and works with a team of ward managers, nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists and psychiatrists.

The 32-year-old studied part time for a nursing degree before taking a masters and spent a year as a unit manager in a private hospital where he learnt about financial management before he moved to his current job.

He said: “Nursing has given me the opportunity to be kind to others and ninety-nine times out of a hundred, my kindness and care has been rewarded with gratitude and kindness returned by the patients I look after.

“You can feel the difference deep down when you do something nice for someone else; you just sleep better and wake up happier when you feel you have the ability to give to others. So if you’re looking at career options, find out more about nursing. The biggest shame of all would be to overlook such a fantastic career opportunity, with all its life-changing experiences.

The website www.nhscareerss.nhs.uk/nursing is launched as nurse training shifts from a mixture of diploma and degree courses to an all-graduate entry profession by 2013. In the next three years, the nursing profession needs to attract enough applicants to fill thousands more degree places.