There is growing demand for mental health nurses, so now is a great time to advance your skills in health or switch it up and pursue a mental health job.
With more than 40% of Australians estimated to experience difficulties with their mental health at some stage of their lives1, training more mental health professionals is critical to ensuring effective treatment and support.
In the 2021–22 Federal Budget, $2.3 billion was allocated to the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan2, with a further $586.9 million given in the 2023–24 Budget. This focus has allowed for mental health jobs to multiply across Australia, such as the funding and opening of over 20 Headspace centres in underserved communities3.
Government investment isn’t the only big news story for mental health jobs. There’s a wealth of opportunities for aspiring mental health workers, especially for individuals looking to support those in need through nursing.
New infrastructure ensures more mental health jobs
In recent years the Labor Government has committed to focusing on establishing and supporting workplaces that are conscious of mental health, providing more access to services in regional schools and developing the mental health workforce. One of the ways this is being done is investing in infrastructure to support each of these goals4.
Along with the creation of targeted health services such as ‘Yarn13’ – the 24/7 crisis support service co-designed with and for Aboriginal communities –facilities are being developed to allow for more health care and mental health jobs.
According to the Labor Government, plans are underway to fund and hire more than 1,500 mental health workers as part of health system expansions, including 400 mental health nurses and 100 psychiatrists4.
Not only is the need for mental health nurses greater than ever, but the role has some fantastic career benefits. According to SEEK, mental health nurses earn about $100,000 per year on average5, which is 53% higher than the median wage in Australia6.
You might be wondering what a mental health nurse role actually entails. Beyond regular nursing duties, some of the key elements of mental health nursing roles are performing assessment and therapy, medication management, making recommendations to clients and their families, and helping clients learn to manage and understand how to work towards better health outcomes.
Thanks to RMIT’s hands-on approach to teaching, in the Master of Mental Health Nursing you’ll gain all the experience you need during your study. This means you’ll learn in real-world environments and gain the practical skills needed to address the systemic need for mental health support and care before graduation.
Industry and government aim to increase mental health accessibility
As part of the Federal Budget allocations to support mental health in Australia, several projects were rolled out in 2023. Many of the initiatives aimed to make existing support services more accessible, such as the expansion of Lifeline’s crisis support service, Beyond Blue and Kids Helpline. In previous years these services struggled to keep pace with demand. Over 2023–24, the federal government aims to resolve this with extended funding for a range of specialised digital mental health services.
One of the positive outcomes of this investment was that an additional 45,000 people received support sessions in 2023 compared to the same period in 20227.
This higher level of access and further investment means a greater focus on nursing and care roles across the industry as well. This represents an opening that RMIT mental health graduates can take advantage of.
RMIT mental health nursing graduates will be eligible for credentialling by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses, citing this qualification in their accreditation application. Graduates can also lead practice and seek promotion into clinical or management leadership roles beyond base-grade level nurse employment.
Delivering evidence-based outcomes for clients working with clients and carers and seeing progress in clients achieving a better quality of life can be rewarding facets of the career for mental health nurses who are empathetic, well researched and highly skilled.
Mental health nurses need to be effective communicators and have a working knowledge of legislation such as the Mental Health Act, as well as a commitment to strong ethical practice and standards of care delivery. Graduates will work with multi-disciplinary teams and impart caring empathic qualities as part of their interpersonal skills.
According to Nursing Courses Australia, mental health nurses earn about $117,626 per year or $60 per hour on average, which is twice as high the median wage in Australia. As an industry, Mental Health Nursing rates highly for job growth, career opportunities and salary expectations. Add that to the potential for high job satisfaction and a rewarding career, and studying mental health nursing is a promising choice.
Making a difference continues to be at the centre of mental health jobs
Providing access to care is at the heart of all health professions, but a career in mental health can be particularly impactful for many groups in need. The Australian Department of Health has identified several of these key groups8, notably:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
- People living in regional areas
- LGBTQIA+ Australians
- Young people aged 15–24
The care that these groups require ranges from individual management of mental health issues to providing more mental health resources to communities so they can self-regulate equitably. While there is government and private investment in the improvement of mental health infrastructure, there is also the need for more professionals looking to make a positive impact through a career in mental health.
If this sounds like you, a Master of Mental Health Nursing or Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing can provide the expertise to make it happen. RMIT is one of the longest-running and oldest providers of nursing education in Australia, with a history of industry partnership.
Story: Jacob Johnston
References
1 Australian Bureau of Statistics. ‘National study of mental health and wellbeing’. Published 5 October 2023. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/mental-health/national-study-mental-health-and-wellbeing/2020-2022
2 Australian Government. ‘Budget Archive 2021-22'. Accessed 5 March 2024. https://archive.budget.gov.au/2021-22/
3 Australian Government, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. ‘Australia’s mental health system’. Accessed 5 March 2024. https://www.aihw.gov.au/mental-health/overview/australias-mental-health-services
4 Hon Jacinta Allan MP. ‘More mental health workers earning and learning. Published 8 February 2023. https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/more-mental-health-workers-earning-and-learning
5 SEEK. ‘Mental health nurse career insights’. Accessed 5 March 2024. https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/mental-health-nurse
6 Studyworkgrow. ‘What is the median salary in Australia’. Published 5 January 2023. https://studyworkgrow.com/what-is-the-median-salary-in-australia/
7 Department of Health and Aged Care. ‘New digital services the first step towards a better, fairer mental health system’. Published 15 December 2023. https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/new-digital-services-the-first-step-towards-a-better-fairer-mental-health-system
8 Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care. ‘Mental health in Australia’. Accessed 5 March 2024. https://www.health.gov.au/topics/mental-health-and-suicide-prevention/mental-health-in-australia
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