Overview
The Nurse Practitioner provides primary care services with an emphasis on mental health care to clients throughout their lifespan, along with their families and their communities. The Clinic focuses on health promotion, patient education and disease prevention.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Assessment
- Works within the Nurse Practitioner scope of practice as set out by the College of Nurses of Ontario to determine the presence of existing and potential health problems, with a major focus on related lifestyle, psychological, sociocultural, and environmental risk factors which may influence the client’s health status, addresses risk factors and/or referrals/consults with other health care providers and agencies/services
- Performs comprehensive health or symptom directed assessments
- Synthesizes data from multiple sources to make diagnosis, as part of the health care team
- Encourages clients and families to take responsibility for their own health by involving them in risk factor and health problem identification, goal setting, and the choices of interventions for disease treatment and prevention, health promotion to align with the philosophy of primary health care,
- Works collaboratively and in consultation with the collaborating physicians and specialists as defined in the NP scope of practice.
- Assesses and manages the care of families, in collaboration with team members to achieve the best possible outcomes
- Synthesizes information from individual clients to identify broader implications within the family
- Implements strategies to foster independent and healthy lifestyles with the chronically ill medical population
- Orders appropriate screening and diagnostic tests and interprets the results of screening and diagnostic laboratory tests, within the scope of practice to achieve the best possible outcome
- Maintains complete, accurate, legible and timely records of client’s visits, to provide seamless client care with other practitioners
Treatment
- Provides advanced nursing care and treatment (including pharmacological complementary therapies and/or counselling interventions for health problem) to achieve the best possible outcome
- Monitors the ongoing therapy of clients with chronic stable illness by providing effective pharmacological, complementary, or counselling interventions
- Prescribes drugs included in the Schedules of the Regulations to treat diseases or disorders within the Nurse Practitioner (NP) scope of practice
- Collaborates with physicians, independently and with other allied health to develop and discuss appropriate individualized care plans with client/family caregiver based on best practices
- Documents using client health records systems, refers to other health care providers and arranges follow-up as necessary
- Involves and encourages clients in decisions and actions about their own health
- Utilizes community assessment data to identify community needs and resources and develops, implements and evaluates appropriate programming
- Initiates and develops health education and other activities that assist, promote and support both clients and communities as they strive to achieve the highest level of health
- Implements strategies to promote health and prevent disease for both primary and secondary prevention
- Advocates for services with clients
Organizational Role
- Maintains current knowledge of policy manuals, meeting minutes, emails and organizational activities to keep updated and informed
- Participates in organizational activities such as performance evaluations, strategic planning, team/clinic meetings and goal setting.
- To practice and demonstrate leadership within the clinic, delegate client care tasks as appropriate to other clinic team members within their scope of practice and role responsibilities.
- Ensures that encounter forms and other statistics have been recorded and participates in their analysis
- Establishes and adjusts priorities as necessary to perform tasks
- Follows established work and administrative procedures to contribute to the team success
Client Safety
- Adhere to CMHA client safety programs including program policies as well as infection control and prevention procedures. In partnership with clients, family members, and fellow staff, maintain open lines of communication to assist the organization in identifying and achieving quality outcomes for client safety. Report client safety incidents and suggested improvements to manager or delegate.
RISK MANAGEMENT
- Minimizes risks adhering to CMHA policies and procedures identifying, assessing, evaluating and controlling risks ensuring the well-being of staff and clients
- Assists in developing the skills, performance and cohesion of the Emergency Response Team
Other Duties as Assigned
- Attend, participate in team meetings and all employee meetings
- Participate in organizational quality improvement activities, e.g. accreditation projects, committee work, special events
- Participate in quality improvement activities at the team/program level
- Participate in external committees as required
EFFORT
- Minimizes risks adhering to CMHA policies and procedures identifying, assessing, evaluating and controlling risks ensuring the well-being of staff and clients
- Assists in developing the skills, performance and cohesion of the Emergency Response Team
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Current registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario as an RN(EC) required
- Masters in Nursing or recognized equivalent required
- Valid Basic Life Support required
- Current Membership with the Nurse Practitioner Association of Ontario (NPAO)
- A certificate in Mental Health and Addictions for Nurse Practitioners or other additional formal training in mental health is considered an asset.
- Satisfactory vulnerable sector and criminal reference check
- Incorporates sound theoretical knowledge and best practice guidelines into client care
- Excellent communication (written and verbal) skills with the ability to formally present information to individuals or groups
- Proficient in use of internet, Microsoft software, drug database programs, virtual meeting platforms
- Current valid Ontario Driver’s License an asset
- Experience with electronic medical records system is an asset
- Sound knowledge of the Mental Health Act, Health Care Consent Act, and other related legislation in Ontario is an asset
- Sound knowledge of psychotropic medications including usage and potential side effects
- Ability to manage a system of medication checks ensuring accuracy
- Fosters positive relationships with clients, community, partners, often with diverse backgrounds, and always represent the agency in a professional manner
- Resolves complex client problems to ensure a high standard of nursing service
- Demonstrates flexibility to adapt to change and support any function required within the clinic (i.e. injections, phlebotomy, administrative support)
- Works independently when necessary
- Applies critical and creative thinking skills to problem solving
- Ensures accurate nursing assessments and implements best practices
- Minimizes risks by adhering to established policies and procedures
- Participates as a member of a high performance multi-disciplinary team
- Intermediate proficiency in written and verbal French is an asset
WORKING CONDITIONS
- Works in a medical office environment and, as required in residential homes and/or shelters
- Exposure to clients in crisis
- Exposure to abusive/irate clients, deadlines, multiple demands, distractions/Interruptions
- Exposure to hazards such as blood and bodily fluids and cleaning fluids
- Extended clinic hours as scheduled
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $64.35 per hour
Expected hours: 37.5 per week
Work Location: In person