A Journey to Mental Health Nursing: From ADF to PCMHN

By Scott Maxwell

In his story, Scott shares his unconventional path to becoming a Provisionally Credentialed Mental Health Nurse. Initially aiming for a career in the Australian Defence Force, Scott's journey took a turn when he discovered a passion for nursing during his time in a pathology lab. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time work and study, Scott found his calling in mental health nursing. His experiences highlight the value of persistence and the importance of recognising and pursuing one’s true interests.

 The reason I became a mental health nurse, joined the ACMHN, and became a PCMHN is far from straightforward.

At 16, I found myself in the Parramatta Australian Defence Force (ADF) recruitment office. I had successfully completed the initial steps to join the Army and was about to enlist at 17. I decided to leave school without completing years 11 and 12 to become a rifleman or submariner in the ADF. Eventually, I realised being 6'4" wouldn't go well with being a submariner, and a six-year minimum service period was a little too much for me.

At the end of year 10, we had a final mathematics exam which I needed to pass for entry into the ADF. I decided I’d try my best, so I studied and prepared for the first time in my life. I did so well in this exam compared to my previous marks that the school thought I’d cheated. I then realised I might actually have a chance at completing my HSC and decided to stay.

I completed my HSC and then started a Bachelor of Medical Science. I eventually dropped out of this as I didn’t feel it was going to be useful and completed a Cert IV in Laboratory Technology. I undertook a traineeship at Liverpool Hospital in the Pathology Lab in Special Chemistry. This is where I was first properly exposed to nursing. I started to see what nurses actually did and how important their role was. I eventually decided nursing was the perfect blend of hands-on clinical work and theoretical knowledge for me.

I eventually took a job working in a chemistry/pharmaceutical laboratory and worked here full-time whilst studying for a Bachelor of Nursing full-time as well, which was a fairly stressful endeavour to say the least. During my nursing course, I was exposed to various clinical environments, though I never actually did a placement in a mental health-specific environment. Despite this, I was highly drawn to it. When I encountered mental health nurses or dual diagnosis nurses, I found their work fascinating.

So for my new graduate program, I decided to go for mental health nursing. 

I felt naturally drawn to it, and have always been interested in anthropology and history. The human condition is something common to all humans, and I view mental health as the overarching factor in health and recovery. If people aren't psychologically well, then their motivation and self-care may suffer, leading to lifestyle disease. I believe if we can work with people to improve their mental health, the population's overall health can improve significantly.

I had asked the grad start coordinator if I could do half of my new grad in drug and alcohol and half in mental health, which they were agreeable with.

I worked for six months in an acute detox facility and then six months in an acute adult mental health unit, completing the mental health graduate program. I really enjoyed my time in drug and alcohol and learned a lot from my experience in acute mental health. I then worked full-time in acute mental health for a while and moved into a unique role in a private outpatient clinic as a mental health nurse where I have continued to advance my career.

Working in private practice is a unique and specialised field, and I realised that it would be beneficial to be a member of a larger body of like-minded professionals. Curiously, the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses had never been recommended to me before. After some research, I found out about the college and joined up.

I made that decision for a few reasons. Firstly, I felt it was important to have representation of my profession and to know there is a large body of mental health nurses advocating for the profession. In my opinion, mental health nursing is a distinct profession, different from general nursing. Historically it always has been, and always will be. Sure, I was trained as a general/medical nurse, but with my experience and postgraduate study, I don’t feel like one. For this reason, I was happy to support the college in forwarding the mental health nursing profession. Secondly, working in private practice can be somewhat isolating. I often work alone and independently. I figured that being a member of the college would connect me with other mental health nurses, which it has. Lastly, given that a mental health nurse is a distinct profession, I thought it reasonable that there be a form of formal credentialing, which is what the ACMHN and C4N do.

Around November 2023, I learnt about provisional credentialing and looked into becoming a provisionally credentialed mental health nurse (PCMHN). I met the criteria, applied, and was granted the title of PCMHN. I applied because I feel that formal recognition of the specialty and distinctiveness of mental health nursing is important not only for the profession but also for the wider multidisciplinary team, our clients, and the wider community. Being provisionally credentialed recognises that I am a specialised nurse who has experience in a particular field and continues to advance my knowledge and experience in that area. Furthermore, the process of credentialing and provisional credentialing is peer-reviewed, meaning you are assessed against a set of standards, which to me increases its integrity and meaning.

Overall, I have found my experience as a member of the ACMHN and becoming credentialed worthwhile. The ACMHN has been responsive and helpful, and a member of the board has even reached out to me to learn more about mental health nursing in a private practice space to better represent us.

Though going from wanting to join the army to now being a mental health nurse is certainly a striking change, I’m glad it happened. Even despite my preference to work in a private clinic rather than in the public system, I have the support of the ACMHN to represent my profession and recognise my experience, which is meaningful to me, and I aim to be an involved member of the ACMHN for the foreseeable future.

Scott Miller
RN, PCMHN 

TAGS   Australian College of Mental Health Nurses membership, mental health career change, mental health nursing career, mental health policy Australia