Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse Program

Registered nurses who are employed in the Royal Melbourne Hospital Mental Health Services (RMH MHS) Graduate Mental Health Nurse Program will move into the Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse Program in the second year of their contract.

The program is also available to registered nurses that have completed a Mental Health Nursing Graduate Year at other health services who are interested in developing their career and mental health nursing knowledge and skills at the RMH MHS.

Registered nurses undertake their Postgraduate Mental Health Nursing studies at university while rotating to clinical areas in a range of specialty mental health settings.

Through the Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse Program, registered nurses working with us can complete a Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing in conjunction with our affiliate universities:

• The University of Melbourne
• RMIT University
• LaTrobe University

Postgraduate Mental Health Nurses in the program will have the opportunity to work in various clinical settings within the RMH MHS adult and older adult clinical programs, including community mental health settings and specialist mental health teams.

Aims of the program

Postgraduate Mental Health Nurses can build on their theoretical knowledge and the practical skills required to work in their specialty area at an advanced level through programs at the University of Melbourne, RMIT University or LaTrobe University.

Some of the ways subject are presented include:

• Lectures
• Tutorials
• Clinical simulation
• Online learning
• Worksheets

As a postgraduate nurse with us, you will be supported and mentored by the Mental Health Nursing Workforce Skills Development Unit Course Coordinators and Clinical Nurse Educators, as well as other senior mental health nurses in the clinical areas.

Our program

We offer Postgraduate Mental Health Nurses several benefits and services, including professional study days, clinical support and clinical supervision/reflective practice groups.

Clinical rotation speciality areas

Two 6 month clinical rotations in a bed-based/residential program:

• Inpatient settings – Acute Adult Psychiatry and Eating Disorders/Neuropsychiatry
• Community Care Unit

12 month clinical rotations:

• Adult Community Mental Health Teams
• Older Adult Community Mental Health Team
• Emergency Mental Health
• Substance Use and Mental Illness Treatment Team (SUMITT)

Employment requirements

You must be employed with us to undertake our Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse Program.

All positions are part-time (0.8 EFT or 32 hours per week) and include study leave and six weeks of annual leave. Your salary is as per the Victorian Public Mental Health Services Enterprise Agreement 2020-2024.

How to apply

Applications are closed for the 2025 program.

As the current RMH MHS graduates will transition into the postgraduate training positions, active recruitment will not be occurring at this stage.

However, there are other pathways available to join our mental health services to undertake the program and your postgraduate mental health nursing academic studies.

Note: To apply for this program, you must be a registered nurse who has completed a Graduate Mental Health Nurse Program.