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ACMHN's 37th International Mental Health Nursing Conference
Marriott Resort & Spa, Gold Coast, 4th to 7th of October 2011"Ever wondered who decides where the flags should be positioned? Ever contemplated the safety of swimming just outside the flags? Ever decided to swim at the other end of the beach and ignore the flags altogether? Ever seen a rip swirling in close, creating havoc in seemingly safe waters? The imagery of the beach speaks to so much of what we love about Australia. It also provides a rich metaphor for our role as mental health nurses. The theme of this conference, "Mental Health Nurses: Swimming between the flags?" promises participants an exciting opportunity to contemplate and discover how mental health nurses from around the world are interpreting and responding to changing conditions in education, practice, research and management. Mental health nurses are increasingly pushing the boundaries of their traditional scope of practice. Regardless of your role or the context in which practice, you will be challenged to respond to changing conditions in line with a changing world. As lifesavers, sitting on the beach amidst the sandcastles and cricket matches, with the binoculars trained on choppy waters watching for trouble - how do you prepare yourself to respond to the shifting ‘flags’ in the broader field of mental health care? As a profession, how do we support people when rips and dumpers develop between the flags?
Conference ProgramDownload the program for the 2011 Conference here.
Conference 2011 Highlights
Mental Health Nurse of the Year
Jon is an experienced Mental Health Nurse who has shown commitment to professional leadership in several areas, most notably community service. He has also contributed significantly to the development of skilled Mental Health Nurses. He was a founding member of the Mental Health Council of Australia and served as a Board Director for Psychiatric Rehabilitation Australia and Lifeline Hunter until 2006. Peter Santangelo ACMHN President said ‘I have known Jon for many years and congratulate him on this award. Jon has been a tireless advocate for mental health service, most recently in the Hunter region, and the Mental Health Nursing profession. Jon has been a previous College President and provided leadership to Mental Health Nurses across Australia.’ Media enquiries: Kim Ryan, CEO ACMHN 0417 289 189
ACMHN Inaugural Mental Health Nurse Achievement Award Winner
Eli-Lilly Partnerships in Wellbeing Major Award WinnersThe Women’s Wellbeing Group at St John of God Mental Health Service in Warrnambool were awarded the major Partnerships in Wellbeing Award for 2011, worth $6,000. These unique awards recognise and support innovative programs that assist people living with a mental illness to optimise their lifestyles and improve their quality of life. The awards are designed to support programs that have not attracted significant funding from other sources and are a departure from core business. The Women’s Wellbeing Group was developed in May 2011 with a goal of promoting social inclusion and encouraging a healthy lifestyle in women who have become socially isolated due to their mental illness. ‘This program has already achieved some significant outcomes for clients and we hope this award will assist them to continue their good work’, ACMHN President Peter Santangelo said. Two encouragement awards worth $3,000 each were awarded to the Dual Diagnosis Consumer and Carer Advisory Council run by the Eastern Dual Diagnosis Service in Victoria, and the Healthy Body Healthy Mind program run by Kaleidoscope Youth Health in New South Wales.
Other Award WinnersSeveral other awards were presented at the Conference and the winners will be listed shortly. Research Award winners Research Award runners-up Quitting Cannabis 1-6. Stan Alchin Award winner Stan Alchin Award runners-up Learning to swim between your own flags: Assisting young people with a disability to make ethical judgements and develop healthy sexuality Poster award winner
Keynote PresentationsAssociate Professor Jane Burns Nick Bowles Dr Rufus May Dr Rufus May Debra Nizette Professor Dianne Wynaden Associate Professor Grant Blashki Sandy Jeffs also presented a keynote address, however it did not have a powerpoint presentation to accompany it.
Oration 2011Presented by Peter Santangelo, President Australian College of Mental Health Nurses
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The Board of Directors of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) congratulates Jon Chesterson from Newcastle for winning the Mental Health Nurse of the Year Award for 2011. The award recognises Jon’s dedication to the rights and needs of people with mental illness.
The Board of Directors of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses also congratulates Timothy Wand for winning the ACMHN Mental Health Nurse Achievement Award, co-sponsored by Curtin University. Tim is a Nurse Practitioner at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Clinical Senior Lecturer with the Sydney Nursing School at the University of Sydney and was one of the first nurses in Australia to become a Nurse Practitioner. He has established a successful mental health clinic based in the Emergency Department at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney providing free care to people who are under served by regular mental health services. Timothy is a worthy recipient of this inaugural award.
