Do you have a Passion for Children and Young People and are Considering a Career in Nursing?
Mental Health Services for children and youth in New Zealand are always on the look out for staff from a range of disciplines with a passion for working with children and young people. Being a Registered Nurse with the Nursing Council of New Zealand provides opportunities for entry into the specialty area of child and youth mental health.
The work is stimulating and rewarding, reflecting the many opportunities to make a difference in the lives of children and young people and their families/whanau. Within the nursing role, you will be part of a multi-disciplinary team. You will have the opportunity to develop a broad range of skills in areas such as case-management of children and young people presenting with a range of mental health difficulties, psychotherapy, family-therapy, community liaison and consultation and child and youth forensic psychiatry. Current workforce initiatives will enhance your opportunities for professional development in these areas. There will be opportunities for you to practice from a beginning to an advanced/expert level practitioner. Read on to find out how you enter this exciting scope of practice.
First of all- Here are some comments from nurses working in child and youth mental health settings:
SARA: Clinical Coordinator in a specialist service for youth:
I am proud to work as a mental health nurse and of the opportunity it provides to promote improved and more informed discussion on mental health issues. I work as a case-manager. I try to bring to this an energy, sense of fun and humour, but mostly a passion to provide education, support and care to young people experiencing a mental health concern, and their families.
KIM: Clinical Nurse Specialist in a specialist service for youth:
For many years I had worked with adults in rural areas. I then did some relieving work in an adolescent inpatient unit in Brisbane. I really enjoyed it. When I returned to New Zealand I decided to try for a position as a case-manager in the youth service. Things just moved on from there. I find working with young people and their families really rewarding, being able to make a difference early in the lives of young people.
LYNLEY: Clinical Nurse Specialist in an in-patient unit for youth:
I really enjoy working with young people and their families. We see young people at the unit when they are very unwell, and then support them and their families to the point where inpatient care is no longer required. It is very satisfying work.
CLAIRE: New Graduate in an in-patient unit for youth:
I love working with young people. They have such energy. I have been fortunate to have been offered so many learning opportunities at the unit. My largest placement during my post-grad. programme was here, and then I was offered a permanent position. There are such career opportunities here.
IAN: Nurse-Family-Therapist at a child out-patient service:
I completed a Family Therapy programme in Melbourne, and went on to study Family-Work as the basis of my Master's degree. I really enjoy working with families. I lead the family team, and provide teaching on Family-Therapy to other clinicians in the CAFMHS units. I find this work really rewarding.
JO: Senior Nurse in an in-patient unit for children:
I have worked in this unit for several years. I love working with the children and their families. I did the post-graduate certificate in child and youth mental health at The Christchurch School of Medicine. This was a great way of supporting me to develop important skills- especially in assessment and care-planning.
MARIA: New Graduate working in a specialist service for youth:
I had a background of working with young people with drug and alcohol problems in the community and I wanted to understand more about how mental health issues impact upon young people, and to know what I was able to offer. I have been on a very steep learning curve, and it is so stimulating.
Listen to a nurse talk about her work.
You will have completed a nursing undergraduate degree and have gained Registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand. The map below shows the major New Zealand tertiary providers offering a Bachelor of Nursing.
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After you have competed your undergraduate training and have registered as a nurse with the Nursing Council, you will need to enter a post-graduate nursing programme. Once you have secured employment in a CAFMHS, it will be important to consider entering a post-graduate study programme specific to Child and Youth Mental Health. These are offered at both Certificate and Diploma level, depending on the University.
The programmes are available via Auckland University in Auckland, and Otago University at Christchurch and Wellington. They provide an important broad understanding of the area, and an orientation to the therapies used in child and youth mental health services. They range in length from 1-2 years, and are available on and off-site. Other papers to consider would include:
Papers/programmes focusing on specific therapies such as Family-Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative and Solution-focused therapy
Case-management as an intervention
Alcohol and Drug assessment and treatment
The Nursing Council will define what is required for a nurse returning, or changing their scope of practice to mental health nursing. This will often mean completing a programme tailored to the nurses individual needs. Many of the larger District Health Boards offer such programmes.
During your post-graduate or return-to-nursing programme, it will be important for you to meet with the Clinical Nurse Specialists and/or the Clinical Nurse Consultant in the CAFMHS in order to discuss a clinical career pathway for your future. These nurses will be able to support your entry to the CAFMHS by informing you of opportunities and of the best way that you can prepare yourself for the application process.
During this process you will need to be able to demonstrate the following:
A passion for working with children and young people
A good understanding about people and the systems that they live in
An excellent understanding of child and youth development
A good understanding of mental health assessment and care-planning processes, especially as this pertains to children and young people
A knowledge of some of the interventions used in the care of children and young people with mental health difficulties, and their families
An understanding of the agencies across sectors, that work with children, young people and their families
The ability to work as part of a team
Your application will also be enhanced by the following:
Previous work in one of the residential services for children or youth in the community, or other community services for children or youth with mental health difficulties
A commitment to further study in the area of child and youth mental health
Passion, passion and more passion for working in this area
Nurses working in the specialty area of child and youth mental health have the opportunity to work through a well-defined career pathway. Here is an example of a structure available at the larger District Health Boards:
Nurse Intern (A registered nurse who is new to the area and is completing a supported orientation programme)
Staff Nurse (A registered nurse working within a unit of a CAFMHS)
Clinical Coordinator (A position often held by a nurse, responsible for the day to day operation of a unit)
Clinical Nurse Specialist (A nurse with several years of experience in the area who is able to demonstrate practice at an advanced level and is on a relevant post-graduate pathway)
Clinical Nurse Consultant (A nurse with several years of experience and has attained a Master's level relevant qualification, who is charged with developing the nursing expertise in the CAFMHS, acting as a Consultant to other nurses, and to management on nursing issues)
Nurse Practitioner (A nurse who has specialised in a specific area of nursing, and has been assessed by the Nursing Council of New Zealand as having attained an advanced level of practice in combination with Masters level academic achievement in a relevant area)
So
If you have not considered a career in this area of nursing before, and you recognise that you would really like to work with children and young people, and their families,
Then
You are encouraged to think of this really exciting, constantly developing and increasingly resourced area of mental health as offering a career that is full of opportunities and personal fulfillment.
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