NURSE PRACTITIONER

Location: Abbotsford Hospice
Reporting to: Director, Clinical Program
Job status: Flexible options for casual up to full-time 1.0 FTE (temporary contract with potential for renewal)
Compensation: Alignment of HEABC’s community primary care network compensation model, starting at $74.73/hour

JOB SUMMARY

The Nurse Practitioner provides pediatric palliative care for children with serious illnesses and complex conditions and their families across the health care continuum. The Nurse Practitioner within Canuck Place Children’s Hospice is an independent practitioner who contributes to collaborative inter-professional pediatric care to children and families through advance clinical practice, leadership, consultations, referrals, education and research. The Nurse Practitioner is accountable for the comprehensive assessment of patients including diagnosing diseases, disorders and conditions; initiating treatment including health care management, therapeutic interventions and prescribing medications in accordance with the statutory and regulatory standards, limits and conditions, and CPCH policies and procedures. Nurse Practitioners provide professional guidance to other health professionals. The Nurse Practitioner provides inpatient care and community-based services, reporting to the Clinical Program Director.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Successful completion of an approved Nurse Practitioner program with a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN). Current or qualifies for registration as a Nurse Practitioner with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) and have completed or be eligible to complete the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Minimum 5 years’ experience in pediatric care and/or palliative care.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Diagnoses and treats illnesses and conditions within the Nurse Practitioner’s scope of practice, orders appropriate screening and diagnostic investigations, interprets reports of investigations and analyses information to monitor progress and plan treatment.
• Prescribes treatment and medications within the statutory and regulatory standards, limits and conditions for Nurse Practitioners and within applicable employer policies and procedures
• Provides direct care and monitors ongoing care in the hospice and in families’ homes.
• As part of the interdisciplinary team, participates in patient rounds and collaborates with team members to develop and implement care plans.
• Establishes priorities for management of health conditions; provides expertise in pain and symptom management, and ongoing care needs of children and families; supports discussions about serious illness and engages in advance care planning; coordinates care as appropriate
• Promotes ethical decision-making and child/family advocacy.
• Acts as an advocate, clinical resource, consultant, and role model for the provision of content, holistic and ethical pediatric palliative care for Canuck place children and families.
• Provides consultation and education to inter-professional health care providers, community groups, and health care institutions regarding pediatric palliative care.
• Collaborates and coordinates to facilitate complex care at transition points, including admissions/transfers between hospice, hospital and home. Collaborates with other community partners as needed to provide continuity of care based on the family’s goals of care in conjunction with best practices of pediatric palliative care.
• Maintains documentation of patient assessment, treatment and discussions and communicates information to team members and providers.
• Provides input into the development, implementation and evaluation both of organizational and departmental philosophy, objectives, policies and procedures to ensure appropriate levels of care and cost effective use of resources.
• Promotes excellence in clinical practice and patient safety through application of clinical expertise and principles of continuous quality improvement. Evaluates and analyses appropriateness of research for use in the clinical setting and participates and promotes dissemination of research finds and knowledge translation.
• Understands and is able to apply the concepts of outcomes research; identifies research needs within the program or larger pediatric palliative care specialty. Collaborates with physicians, advanced practices nurses, and research team to develop research activities and lead or participate in research projects as appropriate
• Assumes other related responsibilities, as assigned.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE ROLE:

• Models CPCH’s quality of care standards and professional advanced nursing practice
• Demonstrated specialized pediatric and palliative care clinical knowledge. Expertise in pain and symptom management, serious illness conversations with families.
• Knowledge of health care system and ability to collaborate across sectors and settings to support continuity of care
• Excellent leadership, coaching, mentoring and team building skills.
• Strategic thinker with sound decision making, problem solving and evaluative skills.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to interact and collaborate with interdisciplinary team members, build effective relationships and resolve conflict situations with individuals at all levels.
• Effective change agent skills with ability to implement and evaluate planned change.
• Proven ability to develop and sustain partnerships and work diplomatically and persuasively with a variety of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to provide progressive and innovative approaches and solutions to gaps and challenges.
• Able to critically assess and evaluate health research literature to determine best practices; ability to introduce education and evidence based research into practice areas
• Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, set and successfully accomplish objectives
• Able to define and articulate the specific areas of practice and client population for whom the NP is competent to provide health care services.
• Strong computer skills including MS Office suite programs.
• Self identifies learning needs and is a continuous, lifelong learner.
• Experience and comfort working independently and as part of a larger team as well as in a hospice, hospital and home environments.
• Physical ability to do the duties of the position and ability to operate related equipment