Lt Col Mohammed Fertout, Organisational learning and lesson lead for the Defence Medical Services, Registered Mental health nurse

In this episode Lt Colonel Mohammed Fertout discusses his career in the army, where he was a combat medic for 11 years prior to starting his Mental Health Nursing training. Mo worked at an inpatient unit on qualifying and talks about his transition to working in the community and the need for the appropriate support for nurses making this transition. Mo went on to complete the Regular Commissions Board to become an Army Nursing Officer completing Professional Qualified Officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He then worked as a nursing officer in Cyprus and was also deployed to Iraq twice during a very tough period.Mo has also worked as a Lecturer and Research Fellow and was seconded to the Kings College Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) London. He discusses how he contributed and published research focused on post deployment mental health problems. He also completed a MSc in War and psychiatry, and how this enabled him to explore the roles nurses play in population and public Mental health and witness the impact of conflict and violence on populations as much as individuals.Mo discusses the need to be open minded to opportunities and how his career has been impacted by advice and recommendations from colleagues. He talks about how he then took up a role focusing on health improvement and how this enabled him to develop his knowledge and experience about the links between physical and mental health. During the Covid-19 pandemic Mo was responsible for coordinating some of the Defence response to supporting the NHS but still ensuring enough clinical workforce remained to support Defence operations held at readiness or deployed around the globe.Mo shares how he is on the Defence medical leadership programme in partnership with Cumbria university and gives advice to anyone wishing to complete any further study. He gives advice for people interested in joining the military and for student nurses. The episode ends with Mo sharing his plans for the future and his career aims.For further information please follow:X = @DMS_MilMedLinkedin = Defence Medical ServicesInsta = @StrategicCommandUK armed forcesYou can browse regular and reservist roles here:Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing ServiceQueen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing CorpsPrincess Mary’s RAF Nursing ServiceCivil ServiceThe MOD employs civilians in clinical and other relevant business and technical roles:Civil Service JobsFlexible Resource Pool (Bank)