Nurses treat mentally ill with grace

Though China's Mental Health Law, which took effect in May 2013, raised the profile of patients with mental illnesses, few in the country are as familiar with their daily struggles as the nurses who care for them.

On Monday, nurses at the Beijing Anding Hospital will observe International Nurses Day along with their peers worldwide. Nurses at the hospital treat the mentally ill, a high-pressure career that requires specialized skills. Though mental health nursing has not always offered the recognition or career development of other health fields, the nurses say the job gives them access to life stories that often go unheard.

Liu Yulian has worked at the hospital for 29 years and is head nurse of the third inpatient area, where about 60 patients with schizophrenia are being treated.