Company Bio
Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) is an active, acute-care community hospital located in the heart of the City of Kawartha Lakes. Among our acute and continuing care services, our team cares for 45,000 patients per year in the 24/7/365 emergency department, provides orthopedics and ophthalmology, operates a dialysis unit, and is renowned for its mental health programs and restorative seniors care. The Ross family takes pride in providing compassionate, quality patient care.
Position Summary
Responsible to the Manager of the Continuing Care Program, the Central East (CE) Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) Acute Care Registered Nurse (RN) will provide support and expertise to patients and their care partners throughout the organization, who are experiencing responsive behaviours related to dementia, mental health, addictions or neurodegenerative conditions. This role requires the BSO Acute Care RN to liaise with the in-patient teams at Ross Memorial Hospital. As well as Geriatric Assessment and Intervention Network (GAIN) teams, Geriatric Emergency Management (GEM) nurse, family, Home and Community Care (HCC) and other practitioners involved in the Circle of Care. The goal of this role is to facilitate collaborative cross-sectoral relationships, help build capacity of teams to support patients living with responsive behaviours, and help support transitions in care. The BSO Acute Care RN will utilize the depth and breadth of knowledge and leadership competency in hospital by enabling others to develop expertise and confidence in their abilities. In collaboration with the care team, the BSO Acute Care RN supports the coordination of care for complex patients.
As a Specialized Geriatrics Services (SGS) partner, the BSO Acute Care RN plays a central role within in-patient teams providing consultation and supporting holistic behavioural health care. Participates in a collaborative model of behavioural health care centered on the patient and care partners by providing education, behavioural modelling, care coaching and planning with an inter-professional team in the acute setting. Responsible for making best practice clinical decisions and exercising judgement to ensure the best possible care pathway is provided within available resources. Possess remarkable collaboration skills, to facilitate a complex case resolution process among providers, ensuring patients have the ability to access the required services. Supporting ongoing quality improvement in the healthcare system, examine opportunities, identify and track system barriers to discharge and communicate themes to appropriate stakeholders.
The BSO Acute Care RN will optimize internal resources, provide strategies to manage responsive behaviours, facilitate complex case discussions among key partners such as Alzheimer Society, HCC and Long-Term Care. Provide support with safe transitions home by helping the in-patient team to articulate the patient's story as part of a contribution to the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA). Be able to collect pertinent patient information, perform a specialized assessment (reflective of the BSO and lnterprofessional Geriatric Assessment competency frameworks), and prioritize the needs of patients requiring behavioural supports, in a time sensitive manner. The BSO Acute Care RN will be able to establish boundaries of physiological and psychological stability as well as predict the potential trajectory of the patient's condition, having proficient accuracy in problem identification which is a crucial component of clinical decision making. Draw from an extensive internal base of knowledge and experience to identify salient cues and act based on the patient presentation, while having superior advocacy, interpersonal, interprofessional and written and verbal communication skills.
The BSO RN works in collaboration with the patient and their care partners, GAIN Teams, Seniors Care Network, Alzheimer's Society, Long Term Care Homes, LHIN-HCC and other key BSO stakeholders to facilitate timely behavioural health care plans and promote seamless transitions of care across the continuum.
The RMH team currently has a Permanent Part-Time position for Registered Nurse (Acute Behavioural Support - Central East Behavioural Supports Ontario) to join their team.
Effective Date: March 09, 2026
Essential Qualifications
- Unrestricted Certificate of Registration from the College of Nurses of Ontario
- P.I.E.C.E.S., GPA, Montessori-based Dementia Programming training certification, Validation Communication certifications or certified within 3 months of start date
- Required: A well-developed clinical understanding of dementia and the ability to appreciate the unique impact of the disease (i.e. amnesia, agnosia, aphasia, altered perception etc.) on the person and their support system, and the ability to creatively intervene to support them
- Extensive clinical knowledge and skill (understanding diagnosis, signs and symptoms, treatment) as they apply to the older adult
- Demonstrate thorough knowledge of home and community based care practices, community and multi-disciplinary resources and possess the ability to provide linkage to the appropriate services necessary to best serve the person
- A proven ability to liaise with referral sources and other community agencies to promote effective inter-collaborative communication and positive relations among care partners
- Excellent interpersonal and team building skills that enable rapport building with stakeholders to achieve outcomes of a complex nature
- Must be able to practice independently and interdependently
- Excellent organizational, interpersonal, problem solving and decision-making skills
- Ability to provide written consultation and plan of care for identified behavioural presentations
- Recent experience in supporting point of care clinical staff
- Proven ability to prioritize and effectively manage a diverse caseload, utilizing exceptional time management skills
- Must have valid driver's license and full-time use of reliable vehicle required
- Proficient in advanced computer and technological applications
- Self-starter who can work with limited guidance
- Demonstrated ability to maintain a good attendance record and meet the performance standards of the Ross Memorial Hospital
Preferred Qualifications
- Recent experience in specialized geriatrics- assessing, treating and developing care plans for older adults with dementia, neurodegenerative conditions, mental health or addictions issues who exhibit responsive behaviours - a minimum of 3 years' is preferred
- Current CNA certification in Geriatrics preferred
- Member of RNAO preferred
- Experience working in both acute care and long-term care settings preferred
- Familiarity with program development, evaluation and research methodology would be an asset
- Epic trained or ability to train and pass testing
- BSO Certificate
Hours of Work
Must be available to work 8-hour shifts, Days, Monday to Friday. Shifts and hours may change according to departmental requirements and as per the ONA collective agreement
Employment Equity
Ross Memorial Hospital is committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities. Accommodation will be provided throughout the hiring process at the request of the applicant.
Employees must meet expectations for appropriate, respectful and professional conduct, as set out in the RMH Code of Conduct.
