POSITION SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Manager, Special Programs the Nurse Practitioner functions as a practitioner, leader, consultant, educator, and advocate in the implementation, evaluation, and provision of high-quality, client-centered care within a team-based environment. Specifically, the Nurse Practitioner will support the operation and provision of Addiction Medicine Clinics and primary care as appropriate.
The location for the provision of these services will vary throughout Huron and Perth Counties and surrounding areas. Services are delivered in-person, by phone, and virtually based on client need.

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION AND TRAINING: Current Certificate of Registration as RN (EC) in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario. Master’s Degree is preferred. Liability protection under Registered Nurses Association of Ontario or independently is required. Meets CNO requirements to prescribe controlled substances. Completion of the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Course is preferred. Current Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification is required.
EXPERIENCE: 3-4 years experience of community health care and/or primary care, and an understanding of issues individuals face with substance use and mental health concerns from a trauma-informed lens is required.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS: Broad knowledge of addiction and mental health treatments and explanatory theories, homelessness, harm reduction and community resources is required. Completion of the Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder program and the Prescribing Narcotics and Controlled Substances courses are an asset.
Abilities: Communication-written and oral, planning, leadership, interpersonal, negotiating, directing/motivating, organizing, and decision making. Experience in the development of clinical guidelines and protocols, promoting the use of research and evidence-based practice to guide client-centred care.
Coping: Able to maintain a mature problem-solving attitude while dealing with interpersonal conflicts, hazardous conditions, personal rejection and hostility. Demonstrates time management skills with the ability to manage workload and adapt quickly to a fast-paced, dynamic work environment. Demonstrated high levels of initiative, resourcefulness, flexibility, and adaptability. In addition, the incumbent will demonstrate integrity and ethics, good coping skills and commitment to the work.
Decisiveness: Able to make decisions quickly on available information and take action, make commitments and not change decisions when challenged, deal with emergencies as necessary.
Decision Making and Problem Solving: Able to take action in solving problems while exhibiting judgement and a realistic understanding of issues, able to use reason, even when dealing with emotional topics. Proven leadership abilities with high levels of critical and logical thinking, analysis, and/or reasoning to identify underlying principles, reasons, or facts.
Creativity: Able to develop unique and novel solutions to problems; use intuition and a new way of thinking to give birth to new ideas; present information in an attention-getting and interesting manner; develop and utilize strategies to build capacity and improve health outcomes

ORGANIZATIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Contribute to and support the overall culture and working environment of the organization
• Demonstrate and exemplify the organization’s mission and values in day to day work
• Act with the highest standard of professionalism with clients, family members, community partners, the general public and colleagues.
• Work in a manner that preserves and respects the privacy and confidentiality of personal health information.
• Work in a manner that is fiscally responsible.
• Work in a manner that promotes and maintains the reputation of the organization and minimizes risk of harm and/or liability to the organization.
• Work in a manner that complies with the organization’s policies and procedures.
• Work in a manner that meets all Health and Safety requirements to ensure a healthy and safe workplace.
• Acknowledge, respect and affirm the diverse needs of our community, clients and the organization’s employees with the goal of reducing disparities in health outcomes
• Contribute to the organization activities to collect, analyze and report data.
• Maintain competence, demonstrate a commitment to ongoing professional development and a professional license to practice.
• Contribute to the organization’s work by promoting awareness, participating in committees and agency events.

KEY POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

Nurse Practitioner

• Practices autonomously, offering the full scope of Nurse Practitioner (NP) practice as outlined in the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) Practice Standard: Nurse Practitioner, and provincial and federal legislation. Practice may be guided by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) publication “Canadian Nurse Practitioner Core Competency Framework”.
• Performs the responsibilities of the position within the legislative and regulatory standards set out in the applicable Provincial and Federal Acts and consistent with the operational policies of CMHA HP.
• Provides comprehensive health assessments to diagnose health/illness conditions, working within the legislated scope of an NP with a specific focus on addictions medical support.
• Provides some primary care services for marginalized individuals.
• Provides evidence-based treatment for clients presenting with addictions and/or concurrent disorders.
• Provides comprehensive biopsychosocial support for individuals who are acutely intoxicated and/or withdrawing from a variety of substances.
• Works in collaboration with the team to determine appropriate discipline to respond to initial consult requests within the organization or community.
• Completes program intakes and develops/implements treatment plans with clients and families accessing services.
• Participates in program development at a local and regional level.
• Facilitates a variety of education sessions locally and regionally.
• Develops plans of care with the help of other health care professionals to meet clients’ needs and communicates actions to maintain continuity of care.
• Prescribe medications as appropriate and supports follow-up stabilization.
• Monitors, records and reports to personnel on client care reflecting nursing intervention, client response to care provided, client needs, problems, capabilities, limitations and progress.
• Systematically and continuously evaluates the extent to which individuals’ health needs are being met and modifies plan of care as indicated by client response and condition.
• Provides clients and families with counselling and advice on health maintenance and arranges for the continuation of required care after client discharge.
• Attends regular in-service sessions, conferences, and seminars to keep abreast of new developments, trends, and techniques in the nursing field, attending more intensive sessions related to specialties as required.
• Assists in determining and developing the philosophy and objectives of the Community Withdrawal Support Team in collaboration with Management.
• Communicates with clients about health assessment findings and diagnosis where appropriate.
• Consults, refers, and collaborates with members of the multidisciplinary team and community services as required.
• Provides direct comprehensive care to clients to manage acute and chronic addictions within a holistic and trauma informed model of care.
• Counsels clients on harm reduction, withdrawal and craving symptom management, health maintenance, pharmacotherapy, alternative therapies, psychosocial rehabilitation strategies and other health programs.
• Identifies and mobilizes resources in crisis situations. Acts confidently and independently in the formulation of future interventions and to appreciate the individual’s role in decision making, where appropriate.
• Provides leadership in the development, implementation, and evaluation of addictions care strategy across the addictions service programs.
• Develops and maintains professional working relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary team and community agencies.
• Collaborates with inter-professional teams, other health care providers, and community members to determine and address health care priorities and related issues.
• Oversees the work of other clinical staff, providing education, direction and supervision where appropriate.
• Assesses population health trends and patterns and participates in designing services that promote harm reduction philosophies and healthy living.
• Assists in the development and implementation of standards, guidelines, policies and procedures as well as medical directives for addictions services programs.
• Participates in pertinent evaluation and research studies related to relevant services within the organization.
• Participates in education and training specific to current relevant federal and provincial health and safety legislation, standards, and guidelines.
• Maintains flexibility in the work environment while maintaining personal safety and the safety of the client at all times.

Administrative

• Maintains a complete, accurate and comprehensive clinical record of each client contact.
• Reports statistics about clinical activities using designated agency format as required.
• Completes monthly, annual and other reported documentation as required in a punctual and comprehensive manner.
• Demonstrates proficiency in computer skills and experience with electronic medical record systems.

General

• Participates on internal agency committees and/or outside community committees as appropriate.
• Attends and actively participates in any team and staff meetings, the Annual General Meeting, and periodically scheduled strategic planning, team building and agency events
• Provides coverage of CMHAHP AMHS services for other team members as needed.
• Helps ensure the organization and program objectives are met.
• Works harmoniously with colleagues, including not behaving in ways that are likely to be offensive in any manner to others and confronting such behaviours by others.
• Conducts self in a responsible, professional manner.