Administering the New Zealand Professional Practice Audit Questionnaire to mental health nurses in Australia based on the Australian and New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses standards

Aims: The primary aim was to assess Australian mental health nurses' perceptions about how their practice achieved pivotal aspects of the Australian and New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses professional practice standards. A secondary aim was to obtain the nurses' opinions on their approach to nursing indigenous Australians. Methods: Eighty five mental health nurses from northern New South Wales and Townsville, Queensland, Australia, participated in this study. This survey was based across 3 separate Australian health services from these 2 areas. A remodelled Professional Practice Audit Questionnaire, initially developed for New Zealand, was used in an Australian mental health nursing professional practice survey. The Nursing Work Index was used to measure clinical practice and patient outcomes. Results: The application of the Professional Practice Audit Questionnaire showed large effect sizes between the 5 subscales of professional and evidence-based practice, consumer focus and reflective practice, professional development and integration, ethically and legally safe practice, and culturally safe practice. Significant differences were also reported between qualifications, educational preparation, and gender for the 5 subscales. Conclusions: The project further confirms the validity and relevance of the items in the 5 subscales across services for Australian and New Zealand mental health nurses. This highlights the need for future evaluation in the nurses' practice experiences. Whilst this survey was not a benchmark for professional Practice for registered nurses, it was useful to identify specific areas of clinical practice such as relationships of the subscales to quality of care, nurse satisfaction, and interest in mental health nursing.