Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) Symposium (By Luren Reddy)
I was fortunate to attend the ACMHN Central Coast Hunter New England branch winter symposium held at Newcastle. The symposium’s keynote ACMHN president Dr Rhonda Wilson spoke on the history of the ACMHN (75 years old) and the ACMHN influence in the creation of the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing (45 years old) which is a key worldwide mental health journal. Rhonda also spoke about promoting mental health nursing and making ourselves (mental health nurses) visible to the wider nursing workforce. Discussing the National Report 2024(click link), Rhonda informed on the importance of mental health nurses monitoring the status of mental health across Australia.
Associate professor Sophie Isobel discussed Reflections on being transformed within mental health nursing: Vicarious trauma, self-care and imagining alternatives. Her work is well worth reading to consider self care and trauma informed care within mental health nursing practice. Dr Melsina Makaza talked about suicide and mental health nursing care with her paper titled: Connecting to the life world experiences of community mental health nurses after a patient dies by suicide.
Other highlights from the symposium were Therapeutic Presence in mental health nursing care, use of AI in mental health nursing care, a variety of mental health nursing models, PACER, Wellbeing of mental health workers, Transformative continuing nursing education in practice discussing the move from Andragogy (facilitation of adult learning) to heutagogy (self-determined learning) and an innovative integration of Safewards intervention into reflective practice groups across a hospital setting.
If you want to discuss any of the symposiums activities contact me via email.
Keynotes mental health nurse speakers (left to right): Associate Professor Sophie Isobel, Dr Melsina Makaza, Dr Rhonda Wilson
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