College Profile
About the College
The Australian College of mental health Nurses is the peak professional body for mental health nurses in Australia.Established as a congress in 1975 it is the only organisation that soley represents mental health nurses.
The college employed a full time salaried Executive Officer in August 2004, however the college primarily relies on the work of volunteers.
The Australaian College of Mental health Nurses is constantly striving to ensure that mental health nursing is on the agenda at Local, State and National levels.
Philosophy
The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc. believes that mental health nursing is a unique interpersonal process, which promotes and maintains behaviours that contribute to integrated functioning for individuals and communities.
Mental health nursing is therapeutic in itself in the caring, honest and trusting relationship it conveys. Mental health nursing embodies the concept of caring by supporting clients who are unable to maintain mental, social or physical health functions for themselves and empowers the client to take an active role in self-advocacy and self-care.
Caring extends to self and peers, as an active factor in promoting mental health.
Objectives
- To promote public confidence and professional recognition of mental health nursing
- To set standards of practice and encourage professional accountability, autonomy and partnership
- To participate in National Benchmarking for mental health nursing
- To provide a forum for collegial support, networking and collaboration
- To provide and support quality education and ongoing professional development
- To develop and facilitate research into mental health nursing practice and health care
- To represent the profession and provide advice to consumer and carer agencies, the government and non-government sector, community groups and the general public
- To participate in policy development concerning the profession, health care delivery, promotion of mental health and prevention of mental illness and disability
Download the College Constitution Strategic Direction Document