Warrants for psychiatric nurses

In response to all recent comments about the issue of warrants to psychiatric nurses, the Maltese Association of Psychiatric Nurses (MAPN) would like to stress the fact that psychiatric nurses are, for all intents and purposes, first-level registered nurses within the psychiatric area of practice. They are registered as first-level nurses within the special part of the register reserved for the care of the mentally sick, similarly to midwives being registered in the special part of the register reserved for midwives.

Sadly, while warrants exist for general (adult) nurses and midwives, it seems that psychiatric nurses were left out in the cold in this regard. It is also important to consider the huge advancement that psychiatric nursing has seen since the first psychiatric nursing diploma course organised locally in 1992.

In addition, since 2004 substantial numbers of psychiatric nurses have upgraded from diploma to degree level within psychiatric nursing specialisation, with another cohort awaiting final results and another group having completed the first year of their studies. In October this year, a further intake will begin this course, with MSc. in psychiatric nursing planned to start in the near future.

We sincerely hope that this whole affair of not issuing warrants to first-level psychiatric nurses has been just a simple oversight or misunderstanding, because actively discriminating against psychiatric nurses by denying them a warrant would be undermining the government's own efforts to improve the quality of mental health care in Malta.

In view of all this MAPN has already requested - on two separate occasions - an urgent meeting with Ray Busuttil, Director General Health. We also called upon MUMN, with whom we are affiliated, for their support regarding this matter. We reserve any further comments until we have clarified this issue with all stakeholders.