A clinical nurse consultant at Westmead Hospital's in Consultation and Liaison Nursing, Ms Formosa, who's 37 and has three children, will work with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses to help recruit mental health nurses.

``I'm really looking forward to promoting mental health nursing to high school and university students, and other people passionate about a career that connects them with people,'' Ms Formosa said. ``Too often mental health is portrayed negatively in the media, but mental health nursing is a fascinating and flexible career.''

Ms Formosa said mental health nursing was what she called ``a portable profession'', because it enabled the nurses to travel and work overseas as well as all over Australia.

She said about one in five people were affected by some form of mental disorder every year, which she said meant that a career in mental health nursing gave its practitioners skills for helping people in everyday life.

Annabel Formosa's appointment is part of a wider program by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses to drive recruitment and retention in the profession. The first ambassador team of nine consists of nurses from every Australian state and territory.

This team will recruit others to join them as ambassadors.

They will create a national, grassroots network of mental health nurses to talk at careers events, expos, schools and universities.