There is no health without mental health: Implementing the first mental health nursing postgraduate program in Fiji

Kim Foster
Mental Health Nursing, Sydney Nursing School, University of Sydney, Sydney NSW

Kim Usher
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Nutrition, James Cook University, Cairns QLD

Sainimere Gadai
Tutor and Program Coordinator - Mental Health, Fiji School of Nursing, Suva, Fiji

Rusieli Taukei
Director, Nursing Services, Ministry of Health, Suva, Fiji

PP: 179 - 186

Abstract

Despite the high demand for skilled care of mental health consumers, many countries experience difficulty attracting and maintaining a sufficiently educated and trained mental health workforce, including nurses.

In developing countries such as Fiji, nurses are the primary providers of mental healthcare, yet often do so with minimal specialist education and training. In this paper, we discuss the development and implementation of the first mental health nursing postgraduate program in Fiji. We also raise critical issues in building successful educational partnerships between developed and developing countries, including those of capacity-building, managing organizational change, and achieving sustainability.

In doing so, our aim is that our experiences may be helpful to others seeking to work together in similar ways.

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Keywords

mental health nursing, nurse education, educational partnerships, sustainability, Fiji

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