Why did you choose to become a mental health nurse and how long have you been working in the profession?
I did my Bachelor of Nursing at Deakin University between 1991 and 1994. When I did the mental health unit and clinical placement, it was like a light bulb went off and I knew this was for me. In 1995 I did a graduate year in Rockhampton and was able to work in their mental health unit for a significant period of time. With the support and encouragement of the ward staff I applied for, and was accepted into, the psychiatric nursing endorsement program at Wolston Park. Since that time, the majority of my nursing career has been working in the mental health sector.
What is your current role and what do you enjoy most about it?
Another of my passions has been teaching nursing students and I am currently teaching the Diploma of Nursing at South West TAFE in South West Victoria. To be able to travel the learning journey with nursing students as they move through the Diploma is wonderful. I am very passionate about our present nurses and those of the future, so being part of their education journey is a joy for me. There is something deeply satisfying about watching a student have their own light bulb moment — the same one I had back in 1991 when I first encountered mental health nursing.
How did getting credentialed help you in your career?
Being a Credentialed Mental Health Nurse is extremely important to me. I was working at Barwon Health in Geelong in 2003 when a representative from ACMHN visited, explaining what it meant to be a member and to consider becoming credentialed. To be recognised as a mental health nurse and to have a professional body that supported the mental health nursing concept was significant to me. Mental health nurses deserve to be recognised and respected for who they are, the qualifications they have, their influence in the mental health sector, and to have a professional body that supports that. This is where the ACMHN fits in and why I became a credentialed member.
What advice would you give to mental health nurses who are considering getting credentialed?
I would highly recommend mental health nurses becoming credentialed. Yes, it can seem a huge process and yes, people may wonder what is in it for them or why they should bother. Well, all I can say is be proud of who you are, what you do, and get credentialed. Other disciplines that work in the mental health sector have embraced their professional recognition, and so should mental health nurses. The credential is not just a piece of paper — it is a statement about the kind of nurse you are and the standards you hold yourself to. It says to your patients, your employer, and your colleagues that you have committed to excellence in mental health nursing practice.