What makes a good mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) nurse? What is the best thing about the job? And why are Gold Coast Health's mental health and AOD nurses special?
As the nation celebrated Mental Health Nurses Day in February, we asked these questions and more to a few of our Mental Health and Specialist Services (MHSS) colleagues who spend their days and nights caring for some of society’s most vulnerable with compassion and understanding.
With more than 40 percent of Australians expected to experience a mental health concern in their lifetime, the role of mental health and AOD nurses has never been more important and we thank our MHSS nurses for the difference they make every day to the lives of consumers and their loved ones.
And now, let’s hear from the stars of the day …
What make a good mental health and AOD nurse?
Rounny Lin, Registered Nurse – “Just do what I do (laughs). Seriously, it’s about collaboration. Collaborate with your nursing colleagues. Collaborate with your consumers. Some of our consumers can be quite unwell but you need to care for them like they’re one of your family. They are human beings and you don’t know what everyone’s story is. A good mental health (and AOD) nurse recognises that and approaches every person with compassion, respect and dignity. Just be there for them.”
What is the best thing about your job?
Eva Stengewis, Registered Nurse – “I really enjoy the variety of the consumers we work with. That makes every day different. I always feel good when a consumer doesn’t return to the ward because it means we did our job. One day I saw a couple of consumers at Robina and I said ‘I haven’t seen you in years’ and they were doing really well. It was nice thinking we had played our part in their recovery.”
How important is the support of your fellow mental health and AOD nurses?
Donna Greenhalgh, A/Nurse Unit Manager – “So important. It can be a stressful job with a high psychosocial demand and we need each other for support. I also know that if we have happy staff, we have happy consumers. That’s a major focus of my job as a NUM – ensuring we have a positive and supportive environment for our nurses.”
Why are our MHSS nurses special?
Diana Grice, MHSS Director of Nursing – “We are so fortunate at MHSS to have such a wide array of nurses who are committed to working with consumers and their families and carers. One of the benefits of offering so many services and specialty areas is that we can provide nurses with multiple career paths and, coupled with our investment in education and training, that helps us attract and retain quality people. Our mental health and AOD nursing colleagues deserve to be celebrated.”
What are you most proud of about our mental health and AOD nurses?
Matthew Lunn, Gold Coast Health, Executive Director Nursing, Midwifery and Patient Experience – “Where do I begin? Our mental health and AOD nurses are an integral part of our nursing workforce and continually reinforce Gold Coast Health’s reputation for delivering high quality, consumer-focused care. It’s difficult to reflect on only one achievement but a highlight for me would have to be last year when the Magnet Recognition Program appraisers recognised MHSS in one of the seven exemplars after teams submitted a number of excellent examples within inpatient units and community teams, including the Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit partnering with consumers to design and deliver care to consumers with mental illness.”
