I don't clearly recall how mental health nursing became my specialisation. But I do remember that my undergraduate nursing degree — nearly 20 years ago — was three and a half years long and had two mental health subjects. I had somewhat of a typical mental health nurse foundational experience: I completed my graduate year in psychiatry, then worked in acute and community mental health. I completed my postgraduate diploma in psychiatric nursing, spent time working in a homeless outreach team and nursing education before venturing into working state-wide. This is where I first started presenting at conferences and published my first peer-reviewed article. This is also where my mental health nursing career took an unexpected turn, buoyed by my credentialing as a mental health nurse.
Working with people with intellectual and developmental disability had always been my true professional interest. I was able to combine that with mental health nursing when I worked in a state-wide mental health service for people with intellectual disability. My clinical disability career took off at this point and I moved into state government — and this is where I have remained. Not very typical for a mental health nurse — or is it?
Nurses broadly aren't known for tooting their own horn. We get on with the work with the aim to deliver meaningful outcomes for people. We try to fill the gaps in services, to make sure people aren't missing out on the treatments and supports they need. Perhaps we can do more to privilege just a little time to quietly say, "this is what mental health nursing brings to the table." On reflection, I think this is something I've been trying to accomplish.
I've sometimes felt professionally isolated since beginning work in state government. While I've been surrounded by a couple of mental health nurses and even a few allied health colleagues, I think I will always miss the camaraderie of a dedicated team of nurses. But that hasn't curtailed my own professional development. I was eager to complete a master's degree and after a few false starts fell into an atypical one — a Master of Special Education, disability-specific and not clinically orientated. I enjoyed the challenge and insights of a new discipline and delving into pedagogy, curriculum, and instructional techniques. I was able to contribute my unique mental health nursing perspective in my course assessments.
Fast forward a few years and I'm active in several professional associations with more publications and conference presentations in my CV — predominantly in the disability field but more recently turning my attention back to nursing to explore nursing practice in government.
That PhD is close to being submitted, and I'm still in state government but have joined the Department of Education and Training. I've been fortunate to build on my experience, skills, achievements, and interests to now lead the Department's broad work in behaviour support, restraint and seclusion, and health workforces. Working in state government has instilled in me the importance of social determinants of health. Where one lives, the challenges of one's family circumstances, education, friendships, employment, and disability are many of the things which shape physical and mental health — and all these things are influenced by government policy and service provision. I could never have imagined this trajectory of my mental health nursing career. But without that practice experience I would not have the depth and breadth from which to draw to inform the work I now do.