Professor Nicholas Procter RN, BA, Grad Dip Adult Ed, MBA, PhD is Chair: Mental Health Nursing and Director of the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Research and Education Group, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences. He is the author of more than 300 academic outputs.
I am currently Australia's national representative to the International Association for Suicide Prevention Council of National Representatives, member of the Steering Committee for the National Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Strategy and member of the Migrant and Refugee Mental Health Partnerships Council. I have held several senior independent advisory roles, including to the Office of the Prime Minister’s National Suicide... Read more
About me
Professor Nicholas Procter RN, BA, Grad Dip Adult Ed, MBA, PhD is Chair: Mental Health Nursing and Director of the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Research and Education Group, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences. He is the author of more than 300 academic outputs.
I am currently Australia's national representative to the International Association for Suicide Prevention Council of National Representatives, member of the Steering Committee for the National Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Strategy and member of the Migrant and Refugee Mental Health Partnerships Council. I have held several senior independent advisory roles, including to the Office of the Prime Minister’s National Suicide Prevention Taskforce, Commonwealth Ombudsman, and to the Ministers Council for Asylum Seekers and Detention. I am committed to lifelong learning and have completed advanced training in Trauma Informed Practice with the United States Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and as a Psychological Autopsy Investigator with the American Association of Suicidology. My latest book Mental Health: A Person-centered Approach (published in its 3rd edition by Cambridge University Press in 2022), is the first mental health nursing title by this publisher in 500 years. It is also a standard textbook for mental health education in Australia and is well known internationally.
The strategic intent of my work is to partner with people and organisations who can use research evidence and lived experience to co-design ways forward in person centred care in mental health and suicide prevention. People and their lived experience are central to the work I do. Most importantly, the knowledge and insights gained by bringing together people with lived and living experience of mental distress and suicide, their loved ones, clinicians, policy makers and academic faculty. All research undertaken - including PhD student projects - relate to empowering and supporting people in distress and the next generation of workers willing and able to advocate for recovery with dignity. Deep scholarship, connectivity and diffusion of the insights through publication, practice and policy development are central to our community engagement strategy.
Updates arising from our work are regularly posted on Twitter at @MHResearchUniSA or can be subscribed to by contacting mentalhealth@unisa.edu.au.
Awards and Honours
About me
About me
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 09/01/2018 |
For a full listing of media engagements from the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Research Group please go to this link and scroll down., http://www.unisa.edu.au/Research/Sansom-Institute-for-Health-Research/Research/Mental-Health-and-Suicide-Prevention/Initiatives-and-Resources/ |
About me
Doctor of Philosophy Flinders University
Master of Business Administration University of South Australia
Graduate Diploma of Adult and Community Education University of South Australia
Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) Flinders University
Registered General Nurse North Western Adelaide Health Service
Certificate of Advanced Clinical Nursing Flinders Medical Centre
Registered Psychiatric Nurse South Australian Mental Health Service
Research
Excludes commercial-in-confidence projects.
Crisis response in mental health care, Neami National, 01/02/2021 - 31/07/2024
Uniting SA Scholarship, Uniting SA, 01/03/2019 - 31/08/2022
SA Health Scholarship, SA Health, 01/03/2019 - 30/08/2022
National Mental Health Commission 'Spotlight' Report on Person Centred and Person Led Care Concepts Used in Mental Health, National Mental Health Commision, 01/07/2021 - 30/06/2022
Evaluation of Connecting with People training for South Australian Health Professionals, 4 Mental Health Ltd, 01/02/2018 - 31/07/2021
CHSA PHN Suicide Prevention Evaluation, Country SA PHN, 31/10/2020 - 30/06/2021
Development of Learned Experience (LE) workforce to examine and describe how LE advocacy and leadership embedded within the mental health system can be defined, recognised and utilised in South Austra, Fay Fuller Foundation, 01/04/2019 - 30/06/2021
CVC Mental Health Pilot, Cwth Dept of Veterans' Affairs, 03/01/2018 - 31/12/2020
Engagement of Professor Nicholas Procter by 4 Mental Health Ltd, 4 Mental Health Ltd, 04/08/2020 - 31/12/2020
Open Minds Alliance CIC Scholarship, Open Minds Alliance CIC, 01/01/2017 - 30/05/2020
Supporting refugee and asylum seeker survivors of torture and trauma in the context of prolonged and indefinite detention and uncertainty, including regional processing environments., Overseas Services to Survivors of Torture and Trauma, 12/08/2019 - 30/03/2020
Help-seeking of emergency service first responders for mental health concerns, The Road Home (formerly the Repat Foundation), 01/07/2017 - 30/06/2019
Are young adults aware of the long-lasting consequences of methamphetamine ('ICE') use on all health & would knowledge of a visible long-lasting consequence decrease use of the drug?, Fay Fuller Foundation, 06/03/2017 - 30/06/2019
Independent review on literature on evidence to advance a mental health workforce strategy and development of a protocol to evaluate state-wide mental health nursing workforce strategy, SA Health, 01/04/2019 - 07/06/2019
Systematic Literature Review: What are the barriers and enablers of psychological well-being in refugees and asylum seekers/displaced people?, HOST International, 04/01/2018 - 31/07/2018
SA Health Chair in Mental Health Nursing, SA Dept of Health, 01/01/2009 - 30/06/2018
Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Services Training, Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Services, 27/02/2018 - 30/04/2018
Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors Engagement of Professor Nicholas Procter for 2 day training course, Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors, 16/02/2018 - 30/03/2018
Design of a Research Methodology for Suicide Prevention Research, SA Health, 01/07/2016 - 30/06/2017
Developing a research protocol for evaluation of a suicide prevention network, Local Government Association of South Australia, 10/10/2016 - 31/03/2017
Unexpected but Important: A mixed methods inquiry into the positive workplace effects of suicide prevention education and training, Mates in Construction, 11/03/2016 - 31/01/2017
Determining the multidisciplinary primary health care team required to support best practice in community mental health care and prevention to enhance mental wellbeing, NHMRC - Partnership Project, 01/10/2012 - 31/12/2016
Shared learning in clinical mental health practice symposia and evaluation, SA Dept of Health, 02/05/2011 - 30/07/2016
Trauma-Informed Practice Education and Training, SA Health, 18/02/2016 - 30/06/2016
SA Health Mental Health Nursing Research and Practice Project, SA Health, 29/09/2015 - 30/06/2016
Scoping review of medical safety in mental health, Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Patient Healthcare, 15/12/2014 - 30/12/2015
Stopping the run-around: comorbidoity action in the north (CAN), Unknown, 01/01/2011 - 31/12/2014
Mental health in multicultural Australia (MHIMA), Cwth Dept of Health, 01/07/2012 - 30/06/2014
The MHiMA Project in Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention, Cwth Dept of Health, 01/04/2011 - 01/04/2014
2016 Dr Monika Ferguson, Prof Nicholas Procter. Design of a Research Methodology for Suicide Prevention Research. SA Health.
2016 Prof Nicholas Procter. Refugee and asylum seeker suicide an self-harm prevention, mental distress and supportive engagement. Commonwealth Government of Australia.
2016 Prof Nicholas Procter, Dr Jonathan Crichton, Dr Andrew Champion, Mr John Strachan, Professor Libby Roughhead. When should a client’s case be closed in a community mental health setting? University of South Australia Research Themes Investment Scheme.
2016 Prof Nicholas Procter. Expert Consultation: Teachers working with students of refugee and asylum seeker background. Teacher's Health Foundation, Sydney, Australia.
2015-18 Prof Nicholas Procter. Lived Experience: Teaching, research and community engagement in mental health. Mind Australia.
2015-16 Prof Nicholas Procter and A/Professor Martin Jones, Dr Monika Ferguson, Ms Lee Martinez, Ms Kathryn Cronin, Ms Lynne James, and A/Prof Jim Dollman. Distress Management, Mental Deterioration and Suicide Risk: A Rural and Regional Intervention and Workforce Development Initiative. University of South Australia University Department of Rural Health.
2016 Dr Raymond Choo, Dr Barbara Spears, Prof Nicholas Procter, Dr Carmel Taddeo, Dr Colette Langos, Dr Lesley-Anne Ey. A public health approach to dealing with sexting. University of South Australia, Research Themes Investment Scheme.
2013-14 HELFIMED Pilot: Healthy Eating for LiFe wIth a MEDiterranean style diet - dietary intervention under development to investigate influences of healthy dietary patterns on mental and physical health, in collaboration with Dr Natalie Parletta (project leader) Dr Andrea Gordon, Prof Kerin O'Dea and A/Prof Catherine Itsiopoulos; and John Strachan, Dr Andrew Champion, Matt Ballestrin and Janine Compton (Noarlunga Health Services).
2011-14 Prof Charlotte F de Crespigny, Prof Cherrie A Galletly, Prof Nicholas Procter, A/Prof John R Moss, Ms Catherine E Rowlands, Dr Dennis T Liu, Dr Panayiotis Tyllis, Mr Alwin J Chong, Ms Debra Lee. Stopping the run around: Co-morbidity action in the North CAN. Australian Research Council Linkage Project Grant (ARC-ID No 110100087).
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2018 |
Open access
25
19
156
|
| 2017 |
Open access
|
| 2016 |
Open access
12
12
6
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2018 |
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2019 |
Open access
|
| 2019 |
|
| 2017 |
|
| 2017 |
|
| 2016 |
|
| 2016 |
|
| 2015 |
|
| 2014 |
|
| 2011 |
|
| 2009 |
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
Open access
1
1
22
|
| 2022 |
34
|
| 2022 |
Open access
|
| 2022 |
Open access
|
| 2021 |
1
4
|
| 2021 |
Open access
1
|
| 2021 |
1
11
|
| 2021 |
Open access
2
25
|
| 2021 |
5
4
52
|
| 2021 |
Open access
10
|
| 2021 |
Open access
1
1
10
|
| 2021 |
Open access
5
23
|
| 2020 |
Open access
7
7
57
|
| 2020 |
Open access
18
|
| 2020 |
Open access
4
3
39
|
| 2020 |
Open access
14
15
121
|
| 2020 |
24
|
| 2020 |
Open access
4
4
14
|
| 2020 |
Open access
7
5
17
|
| 2020 |
Open access
71
|
| 2020 |
Open access
8
8
25
|
| 2020 |
Open access
15
15
26
|
| 2019 |
Open access
3
3
22
|
| 2019 |
Open access
2
3
37
|
| 2019 |
Open access
5
5
22
|
| 2019 |
Open access
2
44
|
| 2019 |
13
13
21
|
| 2019 |
Open access
22
19
60
|
| 2018 |
Open access
6
6
66
|
| 2018 |
11
10
6
|
| 2018 |
11
10
25
|
| 2018 |
Open access
7
7
20
|
| 2018 |
Open access
25
19
156
|
| 2018 |
14
15
51
|
| 2017 |
12
12
16
|
| 2017 |
Open access
18
18
23
|
| 2017 |
26
26
61
|
| 2017 |
5
5
3
|
| 2017 |
15
16
12
|
| 2016 |
Open access
11
8
17
|
| 2016 |
Open access
16
12
24
|
| 2016 |
1
|
| 2016 |
5
5
3
|
| 2016 |
Open access
6
13
|
| 2016 |
Open access
24
|
| 2016 |
4
5
8
|
| 2016 |
Open access
22
20
19
|
| 2016 |
Open access
6
5
35
|
| 2016 |
Open access
12
12
6
|
| 2015 |
Open access
10
8
8
|
| 2015 |
2
2
1
|
| 2015 |
11
11
|
| 2015 |
Open access
2
|
| 2015 |
Open access
|
| 2015 |
Open access
23
20
9
|
| 2015 |
22
18
9
|
| 2015 |
Open access
4
5
7
|
| 2015 |
11
10
1
|
| 2015 |
11
11
6
|
| 2015 |
Open access
|
| 2015 |
Open access
|
| 2015 |
Open access
|
| 2015 |
Open access
1
2
19
|
| 2015 |
Open access
3
3
14
|
| 2014 |
12
11
4
|
| 2014 |
5
6
3
|
| 2014 |
Open access
39
38
24
|
| 2014 |
6
5
|
| 2014 |
Open access
|
| 2013 |
Open access
9
9
4
|
| 2013 |
2
1
|
| 2013 |
9
6
3
|
| 2013 |
Open access
2
1
3
|
| 2013 |
3
3
|
| 2013 |
Open access
53
58
11
|
| 2013 |
Open access
34
38
8
|
| 2013 |
18
3
|
| 2011 |
3
2
|
| 2011 |
24
22
|
| 2011 |
|
| 2011 |
12
10
|
| 2011 |
4
2
|
| 2010 |
12
11
|
| 2010 |
9
7
|
| 2010 |
2
|
| 2009 |
Open access
18
|
| 2009 |
73
73
|
| 2008 |
12
14
|
| 2008 |
1
1
|
| 2008 |
1
1
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2015 |
Open access
|
| 2014 |
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
Open access
|
| 2021 |
Open access
|
| 2021 |
Open access
|
| 2021 |
Open access
|
| 2020 |
Open access
|
| 2020 |
Open access
|
| 2019 |
Open access
|
| 2019 |
Open access
|
| 2017 |
Open access
|
| 2017 |
Open access
|
| 2017 |
Open access
|
| 2017 |
Open access
|
| 2017 |
Open access
|
Conference presentations
Editorials
Edited Books
Books and chapters
Research
2017 Dr Margaret Tobin Award Mental Health Excellence Awards, SA Health
2016 Refugees and asylum seekers research consortium
Prof Sverre Varvin, Faculty of Health, Department of Nursing and Health Promotion. Oslo and Akershus University College (Chair); A/Prof Mette Sagbakken, Faculty of Health, Department of Nursing and Health Promotion. Oslo and Akershus University College; Prof Nicholas Procter, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of South Australia; Prof Marianne Leuzinger-Bohleber, Sigmund Freud institute, Frankfurt, Universität Kassel, Germany; Prof Vladimir Jovic, Faculty of Philosophy University of Prishtina Kosovska Mitrovica; Ms Biljana Petrovic, Executive Director, International Aid Network IAN, Belgrade, Serbia; Prof Stephan Hau, Institute of psychology, University of Stockholm; Dr Roberta Sammut, Head of Department, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta; Tamara Fischmann, Sigmund Freud institute, Frankfurt. International Psychoanalytic University, Berlin.
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| Aalborg University Hospital | DENMARK |
| Aboriginal Health Council SA | AUSTRALIA |
| Adelaide Metro Mental Health Directorate | AUSTRALIA |
| Adelaide Metro Mental Health Services | AUSTRALIA |
| Australian Catholic University | AUSTRALIA |
| Australian Red Cross | AUSTRALIA |
| Australian Regional and Remote Community Services | AUSTRALIA |
| Bangor University | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Boston College | UNITED STATES |
| Central Adelaide Local Health Network Incorporated | AUSTRALIA |
| Central Northern Adelaide Health Service | AUSTRALIA |
| Central Queensland University | AUSTRALIA |
| Charles Sturt University | AUSTRALIA |
| Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) | AUSTRALIA |
| Community Forensic Mental Health Service | AUSTRALIA |
| Country Health SA | AUSTRALIA |
| Department of Health and Ageing | AUSTRALIA |
| Drug and Alcohol Services SA | AUSTRALIA |
| Eastern Assessment Crisis Intervention Service | AUSTRALIA |
| Eastern Mental Health Service | AUSTRALIA |
| Flinders University | AUSTRALIA |
| Griffith University | AUSTRALIA |
| HOST International | AUSTRALIA |
| James Cook University | AUSTRALIA |
| La Trobe University | AUSTRALIA |
| Lyell McEwin Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| Mental Health in Multicultural Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| Mental Health Services | UNITED STATES |
| Middlesex University | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Molde University College | NORWAY |
| Monash University | AUSTRALIA |
| Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service | AUSTRALIA |
| Murdoch University | AUSTRALIA |
| Nan Tien Institute | AUSTRALIA |
| Northern Adelaide Local Health Network | AUSTRALIA |
| Northern Adelaide Medical Local Health Network | AUSTRALIA |
| Northern Adelaide Medicare Local | AUSTRALIA |
| Open Minds Alliance CIC | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Orygen Youth Health Research Centre | AUSTRALIA |
| Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences | NORWAY |
| Oslo Metropolitan University | NORWAY |
| Oslo University Hospital | NORWAY |
| Outer Southern Community Mental Health | AUSTRALIA |
| Port Pirie Regional Health Service | AUSTRALIA |
| Private Individual | AUSTRALIA |
| Repatriation General Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| Repatriation General Hospital Inc | AUSTRALIA |
| Royal Adelaide Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| SA Health | AUSTRALIA |
| Shandong University | CHINA |
| Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) | AUSTRALIA |
| Southern Adelaide-Fleurieu-Kangaroo Island Medicare | AUSTRALIA |
| St Vincent's Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Service | AUSTRALIA |
| Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Services | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Adelaide | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Auckland | NEW ZEALAND |
| University of Canberra | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Eastern Finland | FINLAND |
| University of Jinan | CHINA |
| University of Melbourne | AUSTRALIA |
| University of New England | AUSTRALIA |
| University of New South Wales | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Newcastle | AUSTRALIA |
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Southern Denmark | DENMARK |
| University of Sydney | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Tasmania | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Technology Sydney | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Wollongong | AUSTRALIA |
| Victoria University | AUSTRALIA |
| Western Sydney University | AUSTRALIA |
| Whyalla Suicide Prevention Network | AUSTRALIA |
| Women's and Children's Health Network | AUSTRALIA |
External engagement & recognition
| Engagement/recognition | Year |
|---|---|
Editorial Board MemberAdvances in Mental Health |
2018 |
Editorial Board MemberInternational Journal of Mental Health Systems |
2018 |
Member, Medical and Health Sciences Committee (MHS), Research Evaluation CommitteeAustralian Research Council (ARC) |
2018 |
Member, Minister Council on Asylum Seekers and DetentionAustralian Government |
2018 |
Dr Margaret Tobin AwardGovernment of South Australia |
2017 |
Editorial Board MemberAdvances in Mental Health |
2017 |
Editorial Board MemberMigration Letters |
2017 |
Editorial Board MemberInternational Journal of Mental Health Systems |
2017 |
MemberInternational Association for Forensic Mental Health Services |
2017 |
MemberAustralian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law |
2017 |
MemberInternational Association for Suicide Prevention |
2017 |
MemberAmerican Association of Suicidology |
2017 |
MemberAustralian College of Mental Health Nurses |
2017 |
Member, Special Interest Group - Clusters and Contagion in Suicidal BehaviourInternational Association for Suicide Prevention |
2017 |
Member, Minister Council on Asylum Seekers and DetentionAustralian Government |
2017 |
Member, Advisory Group on Suicide PreventionNational Mental Health Commission |
2016 |
Member, Minister Council on Asylum Seekers and DetentionAustralian Government |
2016 |
Member, Minister Council on Asylum Seekers and DetentionAustralian Government |
2015 |
Advisory Board Member, South Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy Ministers Advisory CommitteeGovernment of South Australia |
2014 |
Finalist and Highly Commended title, Educational Publishing Awards Australia Tertiary, Wholly Australian, Student Resource CategoryAustralian Publishers Association |
2014 |
Member, Detention Expert Health Advisory Group, Mental Health SubgroupAustralian Government |
2014 |
Member, Minister Council on Asylum Seekers and DetentionAustralian Government |
2014 |
Advisory Board Member, South Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy Ministers Advisory CommitteeGovernment of South Australia |
2013 |
Member, Detention Expert Health Advisory Group, Mental Health SubgroupAustralian Government |
2013 |
Member, Minister Council on Asylum Seekers and DetentionAustralian Government |
2013 |
Member, Statutory CommitteeMinisters Council on Asylum Seekers and Detention |
2013 |
Advisory Board Member, South Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy Ministers Advisory CommitteeGovernment of South Australia |
2012 |
Member, Detention Expert Health Advisory Group, Mental Health SubgroupAustralian Government |
2012 |
Member, Minister Council on Asylum Seekers and DetentionAustralian Government |
2012 |
Member, Detention Expert Health Advisory Group, Mental Health SubgroupAustralian Government |
2011 |
Member, Minister Council on Asylum Seekers and DetentionAustralian Government |
2011 |
Member, Detention Expert Health Advisory Group, Mental Health SubgroupAustralian Government |
2010 |
Member, Minister Council on Asylum Seekers and DetentionAustralian Government |
2010 |
Professor Procter supervises PhD student projects primarily in nursing however also from several other disciplines including, social work, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychiatry, psychology, law, education and health sciences. Projects span areas of mental health and mental illness, refugee law, transcultural mental health, psychological autopsy following death by suicide, situation awareness in mental health, rural mental health, emergency mental health, mental health education and community mental health care. He is committed to quality supervision; actively helping to ensure students build both research and career development skills. He believes in a consistent and stable level of student contact and support. To this end he encourages research students to meet fortnightly for structured support and supervision. He also encourages student participation in UniSA's Mental Health Research Group meetings, the Shared Learning in Clinical Practice Seminars, Mental Health Master Classes, and external opportunities for networking, information exchange and capacity building with fellow researchers, service users, clinical staff and policy makers. Information about current PhD scholarship opportunities are regularly posted on Twitter at @MHResearchUniSA.
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
| Thesis title | Student status |
|---|---|
| An evolutionary framework for traditional creative support organisations in an age of transformative technologies and environments | Current |
| Crisis Response in mental health care: Lived experience and philosophy of care | Current |
| Exploring the role of police in providing a mental health response to the community | Current |
| Investigation and analysis of the nature, extent, drivers and contributors to suicide and suicidal ideation amongst workers in the Australian construction industry. | Current |
| Mental health and the fast track assessment of asylum seeker claims: the experiences of refugees and legal professionals | Current |
| Psychological autopsy nd the other public sector heatlh response to men who die by suicide in South Australia | Current |
| The coordination of treatment and support for young people with mental illness transitioning into adult mental health services in South Australia | Current |
| The lived experience of those with an NDIS plan presenting to the emergency department: a mixed methods study | Current |
| Attempted suicide in older people: within and between the meaning of protection | Completed |
| I am myself again: a hermeneutic of learning in rehabilitation following spinal cord injury | Completed |
| Losing touch and Telos: a participatory action research study exploring loss from mental illness, recovery and human flourishing | Completed |
| Situated knowledge of the client's experience: an ethnography of the involuntary-admission decision | Completed |
