Psychiatric nursing in Victoria, Australia: a profession in crisis

The introduction of the Nurses Act in 1993 resulted in the cessation of separate undergraduate education as preparation for psychiatric nursing practice in Victoria, Australia. The focus of this paper is to present the nature and implications of the current legislation in light of the relative size of the psychiatric component within Victorian courses and the relevant literature and research findings regarding the position of psychiatric nursing within comprehensive courses. The potential crisis faced by the psychiatric nursing profession in securing a viable workforce for the future will be highlighted.