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9 November 2020
It’s been a busy year for youth mental health service Headspace Adelaide, with COVID impacting heavily on the mindsets of our younger generation.
“We have been really busy with referrals, young people are often more isolated during COVID,’’ says Registered Nurse Mandy Braund.
“A lot of their time is spent online, resulting in less face-to-face communication and engagement.
“Young people are deep-thinkers. They’re concerned about what’s going on in the world, with climate change, politics and the fragile economy, whilst dealing with their own relationships and emergence into adulthood.
“They might worry about their family members as well, if mum or dad has lost their job and the feelings of hopelessness this might bring.’’
A mother of four, Ms Braund last month won the ANMF (SA Branch)’s Student of the Year Award, after graduating with a Bachelor’s of Nursing, studying remotely through Charles Darwin University (which is based in Darwin), so that she could continue working full time to support her family.
Ms Braund started at Headspace Adelaide in Wakefield St as an Enrolled Nurse Diploma (END) and since completing further studies is now working as a Registered Nurse (RN) in charge of the Headspace Nursing Clinic.
She was nominated for Student of the Year by her former Glenside Hospital colleague Kerrie Brown, who said Ms Braund made many sacrifices to undertake her studies, “such as using holidays to complete placements, often with reduced or no income and a reduced social life in order to study’’.
“This commitment saw her receive an Outstanding Academic Achievement award from CDU. She chose to continue her Mental Health journey in the private sector, rounding out her ability to work in different settings and to truly fulfil her passion for mental health for younger people,’’ Ms Brown said.
“Mandy wants to make a difference in young people’s lives and to support them through the tough times. To this end she plans to continue studying and to apply to do her post graduate diploma in Mental Health in the new year.’’
Ms Braund says her involvement at Headspace Adelaide is with the early psychosis program for young people aged between 12 and 25 years.
“It (psychosis) can be brought on by various different triggers including family history, increased stressors in their lives, past trauma or drug and alcohol use,’’ Ms Braund says.
“We are primary health care, so the young people we see will often have had an inpatient hospital admission due to experiencing a psychotic episode.
“They have been referred to us (Headspace) for ongoing care in the community. Young people can be supported by us for up to two years and have access to various Headspace services including GPs, psychiatry, psychology, social work, occupational therapy, peer support and help with study/job seeking.
“The focus is on person-centred care and recovery.”
As for winning the ANMF award, Ms Braund says she was “very surprised and happy to have received the accolade’’.
She said she was thankful to her friend Kerrie for nominating her, to her family and friends for their support and to “the ANMF for their generosity with the luncheon and the trophy/gift. “Finally, I would like to encourage other mature-age students to follow their nursing dreams,’’ she said.