There are some changes for the Certification Program that pertain to the eligibility criteria to apply to write an initial nursing specialty certification exam. No changes were made to the eligibility criteria for the nurses who will be renewing their nursing specialty credential either by submitting 100 CL hours or writing the nursing specialty certification exam every 5 years. The eligibility specialty experience hours required for nurses to apply for certification will be reduced. There are two options: 1,950 hours of experience in your nursing specialty within the last five years (for ..read more

In a typical Canadian winter, many of us seek comfort on colder, darker days – like hearty foods and fun activities. Others escape to warm destinations. In fact, a travel company dubbed Jan. 18 as “Blue Monday” to promote sunny locales as an antidote to the seasonal blues. This is a winter like no other and you may be struggling to know what to say or do to comfort yourself and others. Using the art of storytelling, we’ll share real-life scenarios of people who need support and our expert panel will suggest realistic ways to help yourself and others. This live national event is on Jan. 18, 202 ..read more

by Michelle Danda Symptom reduction must not be the only goal of medication Psychopharmacological interventions are a large part of the mental health nurse’s role in the inpatient setting. Acute inpatient mental health admission is often focused on the stabilization of a person’s acute crisis and symptoms, necessitating consideration of psychotropic medications. Antipsychotic medications are a particularly important intervention, especially for people who are experiencing symptoms of psychosis. Early in my nursing career, I noted that nurses often assessed and documented the reduction of psych ..read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, January 28, 2021 – Toronto In 2018, when Jill Andrew, MPP for Toronto-St. Paul’s first championed Bill 61, to get Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) proclaimed officially in Ontario, it didn’t make it through the house. Thanks to her tenacity, and over many years, that of the co-founders of National Initiative for Eating Disorders (NIED), Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association (BANA) and the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC), Bill 61 passed unanimously on December 3, 2020, proclaiming Eat ..read more

The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) has partnered with the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) to help healthcare workers and organizations select and compare available suicide risk assessment tools in Canada. For every death by suicide, 15-30 people are profoundly affected - this toolkit can help inform and strengthen the suicide risk assessment process. The Suicide Risk Assessment Toolkit seeks to provide a high-level overview of what to consider when using suicide risk assessment tools, along with a non-exhaustive list of available Canadian and international tools, and t ..read more

Contact us to get involved today! ... on CFMHN – Volunteers Wanted ..read more

Did you know that March 19 is Certified Nurses Day? It’s an international day of recognition celebrating certified nurses’ contribution to the profession. Created by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Nurses Association in 2008, it’s now celebrated around the world. Those organizations chose March 19 to commemorate the birthday of Margretta ‘Gretta' Madden Styles, the renowned American nurse credentialing expert who advanced practice and regulation for more than two decades worldwide.  The Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses (CFMHN) is inviting all CNA-certi ..read more

An interdisciplinary research team led by Dr. Mary Bartram at the Mental Health Commission of Canada and Dr. Ivy Bourgeault at the University of Ottawa and Canadian Health Workforce Network has contacted our organization, asking us to inform you about an important study they are conducting. Their team is working to assess how COVID-19 is impacting the capacity of Canada’s mental health and substance use workforce. The pandemic has brought about big changes for this workforce, such as the sudden shift to online approaches and responding to increasing levels of anxiety, trauma and grief in the p ..read more

Good morning and welcome to CMHA’s 70th Mental Health Week! How are you feeling this morning? Almost 8 in every 10 of us report feeling ‘worried or anxious,’ ‘bored,’ ‘stressed,’ ‘lonely or isolated’ or ‘sad’, according to research we are releasing today with UBC. The pandemic has taken an emotional toll on us. Emotions may be running high, but good mental health doesn’t mean being happy all the time. It’s knowing and sharing how we feel—and knowing how to deal—that makes the difference. This Mental Health Week, put your feelings front and centre, whatever they happen to be.&nbs ..read more

This week I had an opportunity to join an amazing group of nurses to be part of a discussion session with PM Justin Trudeau to talk about COVID-19 and the stories and impacts to nursing.  While I did not participate in this event formally as my role of President of the CFMHN, I represented Registered Psychiatric Nurses within Manitoba and also tried to advocate for the ongoing need for a strong work force for mental health across Canada.  As mental health nurses, we all have impactful stories to share through the pandemic and see the need for a stronger mental health strategy to help ..read more