Mental Health Nurse

Position Title: Mental Health Nurse
Department: Mental Health Services
Reports To: Nurse Unit Manager / Mental Health Clinical Lead

Position Purpose

To provide safe, therapeutic and person-centred nursing care to patients experiencing mental health conditions, emotional distress or behavioural concerns.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct mental health and psychosocial assessments within scope of practice.
• Monitor patients for changes in mood, behaviour, cognition and risk.
• Identify and escalate risks relating to self-harm, suicide, aggression, abuse or neglect.
• Develop and implement nursing care plans.
• Administer and monitor prescribed psychiatric medications.
• Monitor medication effectiveness and adverse effects.
• Establish therapeutic relationships with patients.
• Use appropriate de-escalation and crisis-management techniques.
• Support patients in developing coping and self-management strategies.
• Work collaboratively with doctors, psychologists, social workers and other professionals.
• Engage families and caregivers appropriately and with patient consent where applicable.
• Maintain confidentiality and patient dignity.
• Maintain accurate mental health documentation.
• Participate in discharge planning and continuity-of-care arrangements.
• Provide patient and family education.
• Participate in mental health awareness, prevention and community outreach initiatives where required.
• Participate in incident reviews, audits and quality improvement.

Qualifications & Experience

• Registered Nurse with current professional registration/licence.
• Mental health nursing qualification or relevant experience preferred.
• Experience in mental health or behavioural health services preferred.
• Current Basic Life Support certification.

KPIs

• Incident reporting and quality improvement participation.
• Completion of mental health assessments and care plans.
• Compliance with risk assessment and escalation procedures.
• Medication safety.
• Accurate documentation.
• Appropriate use of de-escalation techniques.
• Patient engagement and education.