Nursing graduate programs

Mental Health Registered Nurse Graduate program

The Registered Nurse Graduate program offers a 54 week program in mental health nursing in partnership with Edith Cowan University (ECU).

Graduates will enrol into the Master of Clinical Nursing course via ECU, but may exit from the course with a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Mental Health). 

During the program, graduates will have the opportunity to work across a wide range of practice settings, gaining a broad range of clinical experience, and be provided with regular and ongoing clinical support, through a site based preceptorship model.

Benefits

• A 54 week full-time contract
• Formal study days at Edith Cowan University
• 10 supernumerary days in the clinical area
• Excellent support from experienced mental health nurses and educators
• Rotational nursing roster (may include day, afternoon and nights). 
• Participants travelling to and from regional locations or rotations may be eligible for financial assistance.

Location

The program offers six months in the Mental Health inpatient unit at Perth Children's Hospital and rotating to WA Country Health Services (WACHS) for a six month rural and remote placement on the roaming program.

Roaming program

The roaming program offers three positions per intake. This program offers an opportunity to undertake the program for the first six months within Metropolitan Mental Health Services and a further six months regional rotation within WACHS. Participating WACHS sites include: 

• Albany Mental Health Unit
• Bunbury Adult Psychiatric Unit
• Broome Mental Health Unit
• Kalgoorlie Mental Health Unit.

What will I learn? 

The successful applicant would enrol in the Master of Clinical Nursing Course, but may exit from the course with a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Mental Health) on completion of three 20 credit point units:

1. Contemporary Issues in Mental Health (CMH5109)
2. Assessment in Mental Health (CMH5110) On completion of these two units students are eligible to enrol in one elective which will complete the Graduate Certificate. Students can select from:

• Community Mental Health
• Forensic Mental Health
• Child, Adolescent and Youth Mental Health
• Drug use and addictive behaviours. 

Course delivery

Units CMH5109 & CMH5110 would be mixed mode i.e. face to face and online. Face to face would comprise:

• One study block at ECU prior to commencement at your health site
• Two follow up study days at ECU
• The third elective unit would be delivered by ECU fully online.

Cost per graduate

The first two units listed below will be funded by the Nursing and Midwifery Office (NMO):

1. Contemporary Issues in Mental Health (CMH5109)
2. Assessment, Intervention and Skills in Mental Health (CMH5110) 
3. The cost of the third unit will be the responsibility of the applicant 

For further course information and fees for the elective unit please contact Edith Cowan University (external website). Grants can be applied for through the NMO for support with the course. 

How to apply

Recruitment into this program is through the CAHS Mental Health option (CAMHS) option via GradConnect (external website), the WA Department of Health’s centralised graduate recruitment website. 

Program start dates

Program commences in February and August 2019.

Questions or queries

If you have any questions relating to the registered nursing program for mental health at CAHS, please contact Chelsey Catchpole, Staff Development Educator on 6456 1217.