Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing

The Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing prepares you for specialty mental health nursing practise beyond base grade roles.

You will be exposed to a range of blended learning and teaching activities which include online learning, face-to-face lectures and tutorial sessions.

All lectures are video recorded to enhance the flexible, multimode (on campus or external) delivery of this program.

RMIT University’s discipline of nursing and midwifery is one of the oldest providers of nursing education in Australia.As a graduate of the Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing you will be able to demonstrate advanced, evidence-based mental health nursing disciplinary knowledge, skills and their application.

You will be well placed to identify and address contemporary and emerging issues that influence current and future mental health nursing practice.

The development of counselling, leadership, research appraisal and scholarship capabilities are all reflected in the design of the program structure and associated learning and teaching approaches and activities.The purpose of the program is to enable you to:Discover the similarities and differences in theoretical stance and philosophical thought underpinning the various counselling approaches used in contemporary mental health practice.

Demonstrate an awareness of self as a therapeutic tool when engaging in the process of individual counselling and group therapy.

Explore historical and contemporary notions of mental health, mental illness and human responses to the experience of mental illness Review psychiatric classification systems of mental disorders in current use Develop professional competency in the administration of the Mental Status Examination (MSE) for individuals within the context of a culturally diverse population.

Examine critically the notions of substance abuse, dual diagnosis and co-morbidity in relation to mental health nursing practice Consider the appropriate longitudinal application of Psycho-therapeutic interventions, Psychopharmacological considerations and holistic management of clients with mental illness and their families in a variety of contexts - including emergency, acute and long-term care Explore consumer and carer perspectives on contemporary classification and management of the mentally ill in relation to consumer rights, respect and dignity Examine critically the assessment processes used in assessing the mental health status of clients with mental illness.

Explore the context within which contemporary nursing and health care research is undertaken.

Discuss the ethical and legal responsibilities of mental health nursing research and practiceYou can enrol in GD158 as a stand-alone program.

Alternatively, if you are enrolled in MC268 Master of Mental Health and elect to terminate your enrolment after successful completion of Year 1 (96 credit points), you will be eligible for the award of the Graduate Diploma in Mental Health (GD158).

All courses listed may not be available each semester

Year One of Program

Complete the following Seven (7) Courses:

Select and Complete One (1) of the following Courses:

Entry requirements:

A Bachelor of Nursing (BN) degree, or equivalent, or a Bachelor Degree in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing from an approved higher education institution.

And a current registration (or be eligible for registration) as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia

AND

evidence you are completing a graduate year in mental health nursing whilst a Registered Nurse

OR

have completed 840 hours of supervised clinical practice as a Registered Nurse in the field of mental health nursing

Please Note:

For registration, International applicants will need to meet the English language IELTS score of 7.0 in all bands required by AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency).

The Program Learning Outcomes arising from this program of study are based on the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) Credentialing Guidelines. The ACMHN Standards of Practice guide the program content and desired outcomes. http://www.acmhn.org/publications/standards-of-practice

The ACMHN Standards of Practice require that a Mental Health nurse:

PLO 1: Acknowledges diversity in culture, values and belief systems and ensures his/her practice is non-discriminatory, and promotes dignity and self-determination.

PLO 2: Establishes collaborative partnerships that facilitate and support people with mental health issues to participate in all aspects of their care.

PLO 3: Develops a therapeutic relationship that is respectful of the individual’s choices, experiences and circumstances. This involves building on strengths, holding hope and enhancing resilience to promote recovery.

PLO 4: Collaboratively plans and provides ethically based care consistent with the mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social and cultural needs of the individual.

PLO 5: Values the contributions of other agencies and stakeholders in the collaborative provision of holistic, evidence based care and in ensuring comprehensive service provision for people with mental health issues.

PLO 6: Actively pursues opportunities to reduce stigma and promotes social inclusion and community participation for all people with mental health issues.

PLO 7: Demonstrates evidence based practice and actively promotes practice innovation through lifelong education, research, professional development, clinical supervision and reflective practice.

PLO 8: Practises by incorporating and reflecting common law requirements, relevant statutes and the nursing profession’s code of conduct and ethics. The Mental Health Nurse integrates international, national, local and state policies and guidelines with professional Standards and competencies.

PLO 9: Holds specialist qualifications and demonstrates advanced specialist knowledge, skills and practice, integrating all the Standards competently and modelling leadership in the practice setting.

(Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc (2010) Standards of Practice for Australian Mental Health Nurses 2010.ACMHN, Canberra)

GD158 is an embedded program in MC268 and forms the first two semesters of that three semester full time program. The nine Program Learning Outcomes for both GD158 and MC268 reflect the Standards of Practice published by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses. Achievement of these learning outcomes assists the graduate to apply for credentialing as a Mental Health Nurse. Research within GD158 is based on critical appraisal and consuming research where MC268 translates this to more independent research with the student being required to complete an independent project of 12 of 24 credit points.