Nearly half of Australia’s population have experienced a mental health disorder at some point. That troubling statistic underscores the pressing need to bolster the mental healthcare workforce, including through the development of specialist nurses.
The demand for mental health nurses has intensified in line with the growing needs of Australians of all ages. According to a recent study, 42.9% of people aged 16 to 85 years have experienced a mental disorder at some stage, and 21.5% experienced a 12-month mental disorder.
A 2023 report by the National Mental Health Commission indicates no improvement in mental health and well-being as well as a system struggling to meet growing demand. The report also indicates a 32% workforce shortfall, with only 15 psychiatrists for every 100,000 people, 122 psychologists, and 97 mental health nurses.
“Mental health presentations are escalating at a rapid rate, particularly among young women, almost half of whom are experiencing a mental health condition — almost double compared with last year,” said Professor Rhonda Wilson, president of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) and deputy head of the University of Newcastle’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.
Expanding the curriculum for mental health nurses
According to ACMHN, Australians’ mental health needs will not be met without the development of a mental health nursing workforce with the necessary specialist skills across the healthcare continuum. With that in mind, the college has a rigorous national accreditation program with universities across the country and a credentialing program for individual registered nurses. “The objective is to assure the public of the quality of the mental health nurse who might be caring for them,” Professor Wilson said.
In addition, ACMHN is collaborating with Wolters Kluwer to equip healthcare providers and nursing communities with the most-current, evidence-based procedures to improve patient outcomes in this growing population. “Building the right resources for nurses to care for patients holistically is a powerful way to support nurses,” Professor Wilson said. “Working with Lippincott® Solutions as the Australian market leader for evidence-based nursing resources developed locally, we are thrilled to help bring these resources to nurses across the country.”
Understanding the role of mental health nurses
Mental health nurses can play an impactful role in supporting and empowering patients to better manage every stage of distress. They can provide counselling and psychotherapy; perform risk assessments and mediation for those at risk of suicide, self-harm, or violent behaviour; and offer relational and emotional support.
Person-centred care is integral to the way mental health nurses engage with people who have mental health issues. Mental health nurses draw on specialist skills and evidence-based care to support people in all communities, across all developmental stages and supporting diverse cultures — all in collaboration with caregivers, family members, community members, and other healthcare professionals.
Mental health nurses often work at the community level, helping at-risk individuals and their families. Their roles involve:
- Carrying out assessments to determine needs and develop patient-centred treatment plans
- Offering expert advice, including advice on management of medications and adverse events associated with psychiatric medications in support of evidence-based practice
- Assisting and counselling those struggling with adversity in navigating their healthcare requirements
- Collaborating with other healthcare professionals to ensure people who have mental health issues get the best possible care
One example of mental health nurses’ increasingly important role in community support involves helping those affected by climate-related disasters manage emotional distress and anxiety. In such situations, mental health nurses play a crucial role in identifying and treating the mental health impacts of climate change at individual, community, and systemic levels.
Connecting those in need with the right support
Efforts are in place to connect those in need with mental health professionals — for example, through the Better Access Initiative. The program, which grants Medicare rebates to eligible people, does not include support by mental health nurses.
Recently, the federal government announced it is investing more heavily in mental health services, providing $360 million through the course of four years to expand access to free mental healthcare. The funding includes primary health networks that will engage mental health nurses and allied professionals in support of patients between appointments with physicians.
At a state level, various programs are under development to reduce the pressures faced by the mental healthcare workforce and members of the community. A Western Australian taskforce report on mental health services for children highlights the importance of building mental health leadership, including executive roles in mental health nursing. The report emphasises the need to provide safer models of care for children presenting at emergency departments with mental health crises, including the presence of trained psychiatric liaison nurses at all major metropolitan and regional hospitals as well as nurse-practitioner-led community programs to support children in communities.
Nevertheless, much remains to be done to make sure that the millions of Australians with mental health disorders get adequate help. Putting specialist nurses at the centre of any program is widely seen as key to meeting communities’ needs.
Learn how Lippincott® Solutions can support nurses in Australia’s healthcare settings.
