NURS20163 Mental Health Care Nursing Role in Australia - Assignment Solution

Introduction 

Nursing holds important placing in health care sector as it plays vital role in offering care to people, families and communities, such that health quality can be attained and maintained. The nursing has been divided into different sub roles, which are aimed at offering specialised care based on different health conditions. The mental health nursing has been considered as one of the core area of nursing, based on enhanced levels of mental health issues within population. Mental health nursing is considered as backbone of nursing, as mental health is linked with numerous physical health issues and it does not come in isolation. Mental health nurses are responsible to recognize physical, social, psychological and emotional needs of individuals, such that holistic care can be offered to them to their recovery. Additionally, the nurses have to work across different settings, which require them to be flexibility, have strong personality and effective communication skills, such that effective mental health care can be offered. The underlying portfolio has deeply discussed the metal health care nursing role, by highlighting the patient base, scope of the role and work settings for mental health nurse. Additionally, the governance of mental health nursing is presented by focusing on national level regulations for health practitioners and specific legislations for nursing and mental health nursing. Finally, peak body which closely monitor mental health nursing in Australia is also detailed, along with offering evidences that peak body is managing only mental health nursing workforce. 

Mental Health Nursing Role

Nursing is diverse in nature as there are multiple field tailored to specialized needs of clients and patients (Braithwaite et al., 2015). I would like to return as mental health nurse, as mental health is making up an important part of overall health of individuals. Mental health conditions might be experienced at any age or in any stage of life, which could include; anxiety, depression, mood disorders, personality disorders and substance usage disorder (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). In Australia, mental health issues are much common, as one in every five individuals (20%) of age 16-85 are likely to experience mental health condition at any stage of their lives (Ivancic et al., 2014). It is further addressable that mainly mental health conditions occur in combination, such that any person with anxiety might be prone to mood disorder or can become addict of substance use (Daly, Speedy & Jackson, 2017). As noted, of 20% mental patients in Australia, around 11% have single mental disorder, while remaining 9% have two or more mental health disorders (Duckett & Willcox, 2015). Additionally, another study has reported that mental health disorders are much common in Australian youth, which is among age group of 18-24 years old (Farrer et al., 2018). Additionally, children are also exposed to mental health issues, showing that in terms of age, patients of mental health illness could be of any age.

The research has furthered that patients who seek mental health treatment is half to that of patients with physical health issues (Willis, Reynolds & Keleher, 2016). Yet, community programs are aimed at enhancing awareness to offer treatment to mental health patients, based on the fact that patients who are admitted in public mental health units have shown 75% improvement in their conditions (Edward et al., 2015). Thus, mental health patients are in huge proportion and thus mental health nursing is highly important for overall betterment of public health.