Department of Health

Mental Health Intensive Care Framework

The Mental Health Intensive Care Framework has been released for circulation and acknowledgement. The OCMHN will contact all services individually in early 2020 through their Senior Mental Health Nurse and Director of Clinical Services to discuss training and implementation.

A comprehensive state-wide clinical training program will be provided by the Centre for Psychiatric Nursing University of Melbourne.

The framework further identifies and highlights key contemporary and best practice principles that are vital for mental health practice. It is with genuine connection, interest and compassion that we promote human rights and recovery for all Victorians.

Read the Mental Health Intensive Care Framework

Addiction Medicine Skills in Emergency Departments

This research project was part of the Ice Action Plan. It examined practices in EDs with a view to enhancing staff skills in working with Ice affected individuals.

Read the research project report

Research on Collaborative Handover

Report on project pilot – Collaborative handover practices for mental health inpatient units. 'Collaborative handover' refers to bedside nursing handover that involves the client (known hereafter as client) in the process. Peninsula Health was supported to trial an innovative 'collaborative handover' project that involves consumers and carers in the process of clinical handover between nursing shifts.

Read the evaluation report

Community mental health nursing

The Community Mental Health Nurse – Transition to Speciality Practice Competency Framework aims to support mental health nurses transitioning to community positions through a 12 month competency based program. It is comprised of manuals for the Facilitator and a Participants manual.

Additionally, the community mental health toolkit provides some information and resources that may be useful in planning a community mental health nurse transition to specialty practice program in your service.

Read the competency framework

Centre for Psychiatric Nursing

The Office of the Chief Mental Health Nurse funds the University of Melbourne Centre for Psychiatric Nursing to provide education, professional development and research related to psychiatric nursing practice, with the aim of facilitating and overseeing changes in nursing practice in order to improve health outcomes for people using mental health services.

Centre for Psychiatric Nursing websiteExternal Link

Gender-sensitive training

Mental health providers must provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals accessing their services. The Gender Sensitivity and Safety Project, delivered by the Centre for Psychiatric Nursing, embeds gender-sensitive training in public inpatient mental health settings in Victoria. A 'train-the-trainer' package equips key staff in adult mental health services with the knowledge and skills to deliver training to their peers.

Foundation Skills in Child and Youth Mental Health Service Nursing

This course provides nurses working in child and youth mental health inpatient units with skills in engagement and reflective practice. This training is being rolled out in all acute child and adolescent inpatient settings in Victoria.

Working with the suicidal person - clinical guidelines

Working with the suicidal person: clinical guidelines for emergency departments and mental health services provides guidance to healthcare professionals working in Victorian emergency mental health services on how to improve the assessment and management of people with suicidal behaviours. The guidelines are principally intended for emergency departments, area mental health triage services and acute community intervention services.

Read the guidelines and find out more about preventing suicide in mental health services.

Nursing observation through engagement in psychiatric inpatient care

Nursing observation through engagement in psychiatric inpatient care provides guidance to mental health services in developing local policies and procedures with respect to nursing observation of people receiving care in inpatient mental health facilities.

Read the guidelines

Find out more about nursing observation in psychiatric inpatient care

Working with people prescribed and undergoing electroconvulsive therapy

Nursing practice: working with people prescribed and undergoing electroconvulsive therapy provides clinical guidance and information about the nursing care of people undergoing electroconvulsive therapy in public services and private licensed premises in Victoria. Services should develop or revise local policies and procedures consistent with the Electroconvulsive therapy manual (2009) and this guideline to promote the provision of effective nursing care to people undergoing ECT.

Read the guideline

Find out more about ECT

Reviewed 13 September 2023

Health.vic

Contact details

Anna Love is Victoria's Chief Mental Health Nurse.

Chief Mental Health Nurse Department of Health and Human Services

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