April 2004

Psychiatric nurses discuss the latest mental health practices

A one-day conference organised by psychiatric nurses from the Southern Alliance—a consortium of seven health services—explored current challenges and solutions for a variety of mental health issues.

The conference exposed mental health nurses to practices that could be implemented in a variety of settings.

Key presentations included:

• Consumer participation in quality improvement;

• A multi-sensory environment for aged care;

• The art of self-reflection;

• Community Nurse Practitioner Demonstration Project;

• Patient safety.

The conference also covered the latest approaches in cognitive behaviour therapy.

‘Psychiatric nurses across Victoria are already being trained in this drug-free treatment for patients,’ said Barbara Keeble Devlin, Chief Psychiatric Nursing Officer at Peninsula Health and one of the conference organisers.

It is an effective, medication-free treatment that studies have shown can be used successfully to treat several conditions including anxiety, depression and schizophrenia.

Jodie Ten-Hoeve of Peninsula Health, another conference organiser, explained the benefits of cognitive behaviour therapy for both patients and nurses.

‘For patients, it offers increased independence and empowerment with an alternative to medication.

‘By centring on their thought process, patients can practise the therapy in the comfort of their own home or at times when they are feeling most distressed,’ she said.

‘It provides nurses with another positive psychotherapeutic tool instead of the traditional methods of medication, which can cause adverse reactions.’

Nurses at Peninsula Health and Gippsland Health have been involved in an introductory course to the therapy during the past two years.

They have attended a series of lectures provided by Monash University School of Psychiatric Nursing Lecturer Charanjit Singh at Frankston Campus.

Members of the Southern Alliance Consortium are Peninsula Health, Southern Health, Bayside Health, Eastern Health, Barwon Health, La Trobe Regional Hospital and St Vincent’s Health.

• For more information on the conference or discussion topics contact the mental health department of any of the organisations making up Southern Alliance.