Background
Funded by the Mental Health & Drugs Division of the Department of Human Services, Victoria Australia, the Centre for Psychiatric Nursing (CPN) is located at the School of Nursing & Social Work, The University of Melbourne. The CPN is operated in partnership with NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health.
The CPN officially commenced operation in November 1999, and is funded to address education, professional development and research issues, particularly as they relate to psychiatric nursing practice, with the aim to facilitate and oversea changes in nursing practice in order to improve health outcomes for consumers of mental health services.
In being a focal body for psychiatric nursing in Victoria, the CPN encourages cooperation between stakeholders in order to promote psychiatric nursing practice.
The CPN is committed to programs and other initiatives designed to bridge the gap between practice, research, education and professional development, to promote the unification of psychiatric nursing towards a common, consumer focused goal.
Vision
The Centre for Psychiatric Nursing is an essential resource for practice development of the psychiatric and mental health nursing profession.
It provides excellence in mental health nursing research which includes high quality publications and competitive external grants.
The Centre’s research program is clinically relevant and the research results contribute to changes in policy and practice. This work influences the delivery of nursing care provided to people affected by mental health problems and disorders.
Mission
The mission of the Centre for Psychiatric Nursing is to foster the contribution of nurses to the improvement of mental health in Australian society.
Strategic Plan