Position Details:
- Work Location: AVI Westshore Health Centre, 111-2787 Jacklin Road, the Sooke Shelter and outreach in the Western Communities including Sooke
- Hours of Work: up to 15 hours/week, hours can be flexible dependent on applicants availability
- Schedule: Monday – Friday, days can be flexible dependent on applicants availability, days can be flexible dependent on applicants availability
- Start Date: ASAP
- End Date: May 30, 2022
- Remuneration: as per BCNU Wage Grid
- To Apply: Please submit your resume and cover letter to jobs@avi.org – this posting closes on February 1, 2022
Job Summary:
The Sooke Outreach Nurse will work in partnership with our interdisciplinary team and the Sooke Shelter Society staff to provide patient centered healthcare including assessment, screening, education to support patients who are Sooke residents and who are accessing mental health and/or substance use treatment. The Outreach Nurse will use a harm reduction approach and is required to have demonstrated clinical skills and experience to independently assess individuals with complex primary care health needs and active poly-substance use. This position reports to the Manager of Westshore AVI Health Centre.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provide care and support for individuals living in Sooke with poly-substance use and a variety and complexity of acute and chronic conditions, related but not exclusive to conditions of poverty and criminalization.
- Support people contemplating or accessing pharmaceutical alternatives to illicit substances in a variety of settings (eg. parks, drop-in centres, shelters, supported housing, OPS/SCS, etc).
- Support participants to maintain ongoing access to pharmaceutical alternatives to illicit substances.
- Provide assessments, screening, education, referrals, and advocacy regarding substance use, acute and chronic health concerns, mental health, sexual health, wound management, and general wellness, including primary and specialist care, substance use services, diagnostic and laboratory services, and medication management.
- Provides harm reduction support through collaborative risk reduction strategy, education, distribution of harm reduction supplies, and naloxone trainings and distribution.
- Collaborate with participants and care teams to develop and maintain individualized care plans, providing ongoing monitoring and support with participants in accordance with the care plan.
- Works closely with community partners to ensure seamless support of mutual clients/patients/participants.
- Provide screening and assessment and administer medications as ordered by client’s physicians.
- Provide education, information and appropriate referrals that are responsive to the self-identified needs of participants to manage their health, enhance understanding of their health status, and navigate through the various services and community supports related to their care.
- Active participation in staff meetings, trainings, educational forums, and engagement in community building and networking.
Qualifications:
- Registered Nurse
- Minimum 2-5 years’ full scope, community or outreach nursing experience working with people with high levels of poly-substance use and mental health challenges.
- Commitment to harm reduction and social justice principles and experience working with individuals who experience intersecting systemic oppression.
- Strong knowledge of substance use disorder, opioid agonist treatment and Safe Supply.
- Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License and use of own vehicle for work purposes.
- Excellent communication, conflict resolution and non-violent crisis intervention skills
- Works well under pressure and in stressful situations.
- Capable, independent practitioner and committed team member.
- Demonstrated commitment to person-centered healthcare service provision.
- Certifications in phlebotomy, immunizations, STBBI services, Well Woman Exams and/or BCCSU Addiction Care and Treatment course are considered assets.
Skills and Abilities:
- Demonstrated skills, experience, and knowledge in the areas of primary care, substance use, harm reduction, HIV, HCV, sexual health, mental health, health promotion, and impact of systemic poverty.
- Understanding of the impact on individual health and well-being, as well as the considerations for service delivery related to systemic barriers associated with poverty, mental health, substance use, trauma, racism, ongoing colonialism, heterosexism, and gender discrimination.
- Demonstrated commitment to the policy and practice of harm reduction, cultural safety, and trauma and violence informed practices.
- Ability to establish and maintain respectful rapport with participants.
- Ability to observe and recognize subtle changes in participants.
- Strong advocacy skills.
- Ability to organize and prioritize workload.
- Ability to use related equipment including computer to complete documentation, data, and reports using Electronic Medical Records (EMR).
We encourage applications from, but not limited to, Indigenous persons, persons of colour, persons living with disabilities, persons who use/d illicit drugs, persons with experience of sex work, and persons representing diverse genders and sexualities.