title: Released potential: a qualitative study of the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program in Australia.
abstract: The Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP) is a Commonwealth Government funded scheme that supports people living with a mental illness. Despite its significance, the program has received little attention from researchers nor critical discussion within the published work. This paper first critically examines the MHNIP from the contexts of identities, autonomy, and capabilities of mental health nurses (MHN) and then reports on findings from a qualitative study that explored the experiences of staff working in the MHNIP. Key findings from this qualitative study include four main themes indicating that both the program and the nurses working within it are addressing the unmet needs of people living with a mental illness. They achieve these ends by adopting holistic and consumer-centred approaches and by providing a wide range of therapeutic interventions. As well, the MHN in this study valued the freedom and autonomy of their practice outside public health services and the respect received from colleagues working in other disciplines. Findings suggest that MHN within the study were experienced as having autonomous identities and roles that may be in contrast to the restrictive understandings of MHN capability within the program's funding rules.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lakeman
authors.forename: DoRhen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Angking
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cashin
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: autonomous nursing practice; consumer centred; holistic mental health care; mental health nurse identity; psychotherapeutic interventions