Nurse Practitioner

POSITION SUMMARY

Functioning as a member of a Regional palliative care team in a collaborative practice model, you will be accountable for providing services to clients, the family, and the community, with a strong emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention, supportive and palliative care particularly in Retirement Home settings.

The Nurse Practitioner is a self-directed advanced practice nurse prepared at the graduate and post graduate level, who functions in an expanded nursing role in a collaborative practice model. Working in collaboration with a physician or group of physicians the RN (EC) manages and provides comprehensive care to formulate clinical decisions for adults faced with life threatening illnesses.

The target population for the Palliative Nurse Practitioner practice is individuals with advanced cancer, congestive heart failure, renal failure, and/or progressive life threatening or a life limiting illness who wishes to receive palliative care in their home environment. Principal responsibilities include: utilizing and demonstrating a comprehensive theoretical knowledge base and advanced level of clinical competence in caring for patients involving a palliative care to care to address psychosocial and spiritual concerns, collecting data about the health of the patient, determining a medical diagnosis for symptomatic concerns and treating complex responses of individuals and families to optimize their quality of life, comfort, dignity and security; playing a leadership role and performing quality improvement and administrative responsibilities; participating in policy and procedure development; performing research activities; delivering, coordinating and participating in education and professional development activities/programs.

The Palliative Nurse Practitioner demonstrates autonomy by assuming responsibility and accountability to independently communicate a diagnosis, prescribe drugs and order a range of diagnostic tests within the scope of practice; specifically, developing a comprehensive palliative approach to care in partnership with the patient and their family. The Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner works collaboratively to communicate the mutually negotiated plan of care with the most responsible physicians/NPs both in the acute and community setting. This includes WW LHIN care coordinators, retirement home staff team, community nurses, and the inter-professional team members within WWLHIN as well as Physicians included in the circle of care outside of the WWLHIN as required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• The successful candidate will possess a degree in nursing, completion of an educational program for Nurse Practitioners, registration in the Extended Class with the Nurses of Ontario.
• Nurse Practitioners must have successfully completed the College of Nurses approved education to be authorized to prescribe controlled substances and demonstrate proof of completion.

• A minimum of 3 years nursing experience working with palliative persons and their families is required.
• Current certification in Basic Cardiac Life Support required.
• Home Care experience an asset; CHPC(C) designation an asset.
• Experience in and or understanding of nursing research, program planning and evaluation methodology.
• Ability to perform duties in a professional and courteous manner and produce high quality work while meeting deadlines in accordance to WWLHIN standards.
• Exercise initiative and good judgment with ability to multi-task.
• Compliance with confidentiality requirements.
• Effective organizational, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrated teaching, coaching, mentoring skills as well as superior presentation and consultative skills.
• Client service oriented; ability to effectively work with diversity and appreciate differences in opinions, backgrounds and characteristics.
• Commitment to collaborative practice.
• Ability to utilize information technology.
• Strong awareness and utilization of clinical best practice and evidence based care.
• Proven leadership capabilities and success working with community resources and services, combined with an understanding of the roles of health professionals, support workers, and programs related to community health and social services are required competencies.

• Computer literacy and demonstrated ability to work independently in a multidisciplinary team setting with the ability to promote effective working relationships is essential.
• Travel throughout the Waterloo Wellington region will be required.
• With appropriate notice, this position may be assigned other shifts or work locations.
  
  

This position may be required to provide relief at other LHIN locations or teams as needed and may be part of the on call rotation as per the provisions of the ONA collective agreement.

WWLHIN strives to create a respectful, accessible and inclusive work environment. Upon individual request, hiring processes will be modified to remove barriers to accommodate those with disabilities. Should any applicant require accommodation through the application, interview or selection processes, please contact Human Resources at hr.ww@lhins.on.ca for assistance.