Nurse Practitioner (RFT 1.0 FTE)

The Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a nurse who has an advanced level of clinical nursing practice that maximizes the use of graduate educational preparation, in-depth nursing knowledge and expertise in meeting the health needs of individuals, families, groups, committees and populations. The Nurse Practitioner brings to patients a holistic approach to care, including mental health and addictions, physical, and social needs. Practices independently within legislated scope of practice.

As a member of the Substance Use & Concurrent Disorders Program, you will use best practices to provide person centred care to clients and their families within the hospital, community, residential, withdrawal management, and public health settings (including at supervised consumption sites) on site at the Royal and through an outreach model of care. This includes assessment, therapeutic intervention and discharge planning; in consultation with addiction medicine physicians and psychiatrists and in collaboration with the clinical team, client, and families. This position specifically requires expertise in opioid agonist therapy, alcohol withdrawal management and prescribing of anti-craving medications, harm reduction interventions, and capacity building with community agencies.

• Responsible for connecting, liaising, and supporting community agencies (on-site) in order to assist with management of patients with opioid use disorders including use of buprenorphine/naloxone and methadone and alcohol use disorders and the use of anti-craving medication.
• Provide harm reduction teaching and training around opioid use to patients, families, other healthcare and community workers.
• Provide harm reduction supplies and education to patients including naloxone kits, blood borne infection and STI testing and immunization.
• Recognize patient readiness to change, engaging patients using motivational interviewing techniques.
• Assess patients who are experiencing alcohol/opioid intoxication or alcohol/opioid withdrawal including assessment using CIWA and COWS scales.
• Identify complicating physical health issues (i.e. hepatitis C, HIV) and potential emergencies (i.e., overdose).
• Participate in assessment, diagnostic, therapeutic management and consultation activities related to acute and chronic medical needs of our patients.
• Perform comprehensive physical assessments for patients as needed including a health history, a review of systems, all current medication, and health promotion.
• Liaise, consult and work collaboratively with primary care (family physicians and nurse practitioners), hospital services including emergency departments, withdrawal management, community agencies, residential services, public health and others, including involvement in building capacity for substance use disorders.
• Provide education, mentorship and support to primary care providers and community mental health and addiction providers.
• Provide educational presentations to primary care, hospital partners, community groups, and conferences (travel required).
• Integrate evidence-based research findings into clinical practice.
• Participate in the dissemination and utilization of best practice guidelines.
• Able to rotate between various services within S.U.C.D program as required.
• Work collaboratively and effectively as a member of the interdisciplinary team.
• Work in a manner that is in compliance with staff and patient/client safety practices, policies and procedures of the Royal.
• Ensure a work environment that is conducive to the Royal’s Anti-Racism, Harassment, & Discrimination Free Workplace policy.
• Other assigned duties as required.

Qualifications:

• Current registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario as a Registered Nurse in the Extended Class is required.
• BScN with specialty certification as a Nurse Practitioner – Primary Health Care (NP-PHC) or a Nurse Practitioner – Adult (NP-Adult) is required OR Masters degree in Nursing with certification as a Nurse Practitioner – Primary Health Care or Adult.
• Certification of completion of Prescribing Narcotics and Controlled Substances Course.
• Able to meet the Standards of nursing practice of the College of Nurses of Ontario.
• Excellent health assessment skills combined with sound clinical judgement and diagnostic skills relevant to dealing with a wide variety of health concerns complicated by mental health issues.
• Demonstrated ability to respond appropriately to rapidly changing clinical conditions.
• Knowledge of Psychosocial Rehabilitation & Biopsychosocial model of addiction and mental health principals.
• Clear understanding of patient centered care, motivational communication, harm reduction and best practices as it applies to individuals with substance use and concurrent disorders, throughout the age continuum.
• Able to demonstrate knowledge and skill in psychiatric illnesses, addictions, concurrent disorders, and physical health complications.
• Strong knowledge and experience working with vulnerable and marginalized clients, including knowledge and experience in harm reduction models including safer consumption practices, screening/treatment of blood borne infections and STI’s, and overdose prevention.
• Knowledge and experience working with public health and other related community agencies.
• Experience identifying the signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal or intoxication, and opioid withdrawal or intoxication is required.
• Knowledge and experience with opioid agonist therapy is required.
• Knowledge and experience with medical detox protocols and medication for alcohol withdrawal and alcohol use disorder is required.
• Experience with capacity building with community partners and primary care.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team setting and to communicate and collaborate in an inter-professional team context are essential, including working collaboratively between hospital, primary care, public health and community services.
• Able to demonstrate knowledge of relevant legislation and incorporation of this legislation into practice (Mental health Act, Health Care Consent Act, Substitute Decision Act, and PHIPA).
• Able to demonstrate achievement of the nurse practitioner competencies of professional role, responsibility and accountability, health assessment and diagnosis, therapeutic management and health promotion and prevention of illness and injury.
• Minimum 2 years Addiction or related experience preferred.
• Minimum 2 years in a Nurse Practitioner role preferred.
• Have met the Royal nursing and hospital standards for mandatory education (CPR, WHIMIS, Fire Safety and Evacuation Training).
• CPI and ASSIST training is considered an asset.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Satisfactory Criminal Reference Check – vulnerable sector.
• English level A- is mandatory in oral expression, oral comprehension, reading and writing. Bilingual (French/English) is considered an asset.

About the company

The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group is made up of: The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre: A 284-bed state-of-the-art mental health facility located in Ottawa, Ontario. The Brockville Mental Health Centre: A specialized 183-bed mental health facility.