FORENSICARE - OVERVIEW 

Forensicare is the statutory agency responsible for the provision of adult forensic mental health services across Victoria.   

Forensic mental health is a specialist area within the mental health service system. The services provided by Forensicare address the needs of offenders experiencing mental health issues, the mental health sector, the justice sector and the general community.  

The primary focus of this work is on providing clinical services for the effective assessment, treatment and management of forensic patients and clients and people with a mental illness who have offended or are at risk of offending. We are committed to providing Recovery-orientated forensic mental health services in which the principles of hope, social inclusion, personalised care and genuine collaboration are fundamental to practice. 

These services are delivered through three streams, inpatient services at Thomas Embling Hospital, community services through the Community Forensic Mental Health Service and prison based services at several locations.  Forensicare provides a comprehensive research program and specialist training and professional education for our staff and mental health and associated fields.

ORGANISATIONAL VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS

The following values reflect who we are as individuals and as an organisation.   

• Responsiveness 
• Impartiality 
• Respect 
• Human rights  
• Integrity 
• Accountability 
• Leadership 

All employees are expected to display behaviours that reflect and promote these values.  Staff must adhere to all Forensicare’s policies and procedures at all times.

INPATIENT SERVICES

Inpatient Services at Thomas Embling Hospital (T.E.H.) is provided within a high-security forensic hospital. Primarily designed to facilitate the provision of assessments, acute or continuing care and treatment for patients from the criminal justice system, the T.E.H. is a unique service provided nowhere else in Victoria.  

T.E.H comprises various units that accommodate patients requiring acute and sub-acute levels of care; and providing similar services for rehabilitation & independent living. The Corporate and Administration building sits outside the high security perimeter and provides support to all services of Forensicare. 

NURSING  

Nursing at Forensicare has a strong focus on recovery-oriented health care that meets the needs of individuals with a mental health diagnosis who have a history of criminal offending or who may be at risk of offending behaviours.  

Nurses at Forensicare are guided by the Forensic Mental Health Nursing Standards of Practice (2012), the ACMHN Standards of Practice for Australian Mental Health Nurses (2010) and the National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse (2010).   

The nursing team at Forensicare is comprised of highly trained and motivated nurses who are experts in providing day to day care that meet the legislative framework and professional nursing codes of conduct and ethics for mental health. 

POSITION OBJECTIVE 

The Registered Psychiatric Nurse Grade 2 will provide high quality of psychiatric nursing care and maintain the therapeutic milieu. This position also requires the nurse to be a Primary Nurse to coordinate care for allocated patients and to be a Preceptor or undergraduate nurses and postgraduate nurses.  The Registered nurse will also rotate through the Early Intervention Support Team. Whilst in this team the nurse provides support to unit-based staff to increase clinical and therapeutic time engagement with consumers and provide early intervention and de-escalation.  

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES  

AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY 1:  Operational Requirements / Clinical Performance 

• Demonstrate initiative in the delivery of nursing care. 
• Apply the recognised nursing competencies and psychiatric nursing standards of practice. 
• Use an evidence based practice approach to nursing. 
• Maintain the therapeutic milieu and utilise the social, emotional and structural environment to promote health. 
• Integrate security and therapeutic practices. 
• Develop a therapeutic relationship that is respectful of the patient’s choices, experiences and circumstances. This involves building on strengths, holding hope and enhancing resilience to promote recovery. 
• Utilise a planned systematic approach to providing care that is consistent with the mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social, forensic and cultural needs of the patient. 
• Competently undertake the role of primary nurse.
• Formulate, document and evaluate patient focused care coordination plans for allocated patients. 
• Contribute to risk assessment and development of risk management plans in consultation with the interdisciplinary team. 
• Facilitate the involvement of patients and carers in care planning and delivery. 
• Consult and collaborate with the inter-disciplinary team, Consumer Consultants and other relevant agencies in care planning and delivery. 
• Provide education and resources to patients and carers. 
• Administer and monitor the effects of medication and provide education to patients and carers about prescribed medication. 
• Contribute to therapeutic programs for individuals and groups of patients at a unit and at a campus level. 

AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY 2: Early Intervention Support Team 

• Regular appearances on units to provide a visual presence and to provide engagement with consumers. (Rounds)  
• Engage consumer through individual sessions, group sessions, sensory modulation skills and distraction techniques.  
• Introduce afternoon groups and be actively engaged in the therapeutic programs.  
• Assist in escorting consumers between units, to and from campus based groups (escorted leave within the campus), trust, kiosk, and to and from the sallyport on return from off ground leaves and when collecting shopping/deliveries.  
• Support seclusion reviews to enhance available staff to maintain continuity of care.  
• Provide support where staff on a unit notes that there is a potential or actual escalation of agitation, noise or increased frustration and/or potential for aggression or any other need for extra staff and remain on the unit until the unit settles.  
• Cover units during team meetings, handovers, staff meal break periods, clinical supervision and debriefing. Provide cover at consumer meal times and medication rounds. 

AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY 3: Works within an Ethically and Legally Sound Framework 

• Demonstrate sound knowledge of relevant legislation. 
• Application of legislation to nursing practice.. 
• Adhere to the professional code of conduct and code of ethics. 
• Participate in processes to clarify and negotiate ethical problems and dilemmas. 

AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY 4:  Communication and Consumer Focus 

• Use a range of therapeutic communication skills in individual and group contexts to promote the health of patients. 
• Demonstrate sound communication skills in recording and reporting information. 
• Ensure clinical documentation meets professional standards. 
• Provide support and education to carers/significant others. 
• Engage constructively and share information on work related matters with colleagues and team members to support delivery of the best and most appropriate service outcomes. 

AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY 5:  Professional Development 

• Participates in mandatory safety training and any Forensicare specific mandatory training on an annual basis as defined in the Learning & Development policy. 
• Performance will be appraised from the results of the listed key responsibilities. Formal appraisal will be carried out by the Manager at six months and twelve months, with annual performance appraisal occurring thereafter. 
• Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing education and professional development through accessing internal and external staff development opportunities. 
• Attend training courses as agreed. 
• Provide competent preceptorship for undergraduate and postgraduate student nurses. 
• Utilise resources and processes for reflective practice.

Other tasks and duties as deemed appropriate by the manager and within the capabilities of the person at the time. 

CONSUMER AND FAMILY/CARER LEADERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION 

Forensicare engages and works together with consumers and families/carers by promoting a recovery approach that is enriched when the diversity of experiences is shared. By endorsing the lived experience of those who use our services across all levels of the organisation, we take steps to bring about a genuine and meaningful approach to service design, delivery and evaluation. 

It is therefore expected that all employees will: 

• Demonstrate a commitment to person-centered and family/carer inclusive care, incorporating consumer and family/carer perspectives into service delivery at both and individual and organsation wide level. 
• Collaborate with the members of the Lived Experience Team (Consumer Consultants, Peer Workers and Family Care Consultants) to improve service design and quality. 
• Acknowledge the unique issues and concerns experienced by consumers and families/carers involved in the forensic mental health system. 
• Understand the core principles and philosophies of the Australian mental health consumer and carer movement and recovery. 
• Promote the principles of consumer and family/care rights and responsibilities.

QUALITY, SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT  

Forensicare is committed to providing high quality care to consumers and carers where safety and risks are actively managed and a culture of transparency, team work, collaboration and continuous improvement is encouraged.  

All staff must take personal responsibility for the quality and safety of their work. This requires staff to:  

• Follow organisational safety, quality and risk policies, procedures and guidelines.  
• Participate in the reporting and analysis of safety and quality data and adverse events.  
• Escalate concerns regarding safety, quality and risk to an appropriate staff member.  
• Ensure identified opportunities for improvement are raised and reported appropriately.  
• Participate in improvement activities and service redesign initiatives.  
• Practice within the guidelines of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.  
• Comply with professional regulatory requirements and codes of conduct as appropriate. 
• Regularly update skills, knowledge and competencies to provide the best care and services possible by participating in appropriate professional development activities and other quality, safety and risk training.  

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES 

It is the policy of Forensicare to provide the healthiest and safest working conditions and systems of work practicable. The personal commitment and involvement of all employees is essential to establish and maintain a healthy and safe working environment.  

• Comply with OHS requirements by providing a safe physical and emotional environment. 
• Endeavour to understand safety standards and policies. 
• Take care to protect own safety and safety of other people in the workplace. 
• Follow safe work practices. 
• Seek clarification on safety matters and when uncertain or unresolved, escalate to a higher level. 
• Participate in OHS consultation and OHS training initiatives. 
• Cooperate with managers and supervisors in the interest of health and safety. 
• Report hazards and injuries. 

INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL 

Staff must comply with all policies in relation to Infection Prevention and Control and with ongoing risk reduction strategies.  Standard precautions must be used at all times to ensure safety of patients/clients, and staff.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA  

• Holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing or equivalent and possess current registration with AHPRA.  
• Demonstrated commitment to mental health consumer recovery. 
• Knowledge of relevant legislation. 
• Knowledge of contemporary and ethical mental health nursing practice. 
• Demonstrated ability to undertake comprehensive nursing assessments of mentally ill patients, and to plan, implement and evaluate nursing interventions. 
• Effective communication skills.

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION 

• Forensicare is an equity employer, and does not tolerate Bullying and Harassment.   
• Forensicare acknowledges and values the cultural and social diversity of our consumers, families and carers and staff and seeks to ensure that our work environment and service delivery is responsive to diversity and free from discrimination and prejudice 
• Forensicare is a smoke free environment 
• A police check will be required prior to any appointment and will be periodically carried out during your employment 
• You may be required to have a current Victorian drivers licence.