Provide immediate nursing assessment, crisis intervention, and harm reduction support to individuals experiencing acute mental health and substance use crises. Deliver care across various community settings, including shelters and mobile clinics, while connecting clients to primary care and recovery services.
Requirements summary
Requires a Diploma in Practical Nursing and current registration as an RPN with the College of Nurses of Ontario. Candidates need 2-3 years of experience in mental health, addictions, or emergency care, with a strong commitment to anti-oppressive practices.
professional certificateCase ManagementPatient AdvocacyCrisis InterventionNursing AssessmentClinical DocumentationRisk AssessmentTrauma-Informed CareInterprofessional CollaborationWound CareHarm ReductionCultural SafetyPrimary CareElectronic Medical RecordsDe-escalation TechniquesOverdose ResponseMental Health Stabilization
Job description
Hamilton urban core community health centre
Strong Core Healthier Lives
Job Type: Temporary Full-time (18 Month Contract)
Position Type: On-Site/ Mobile Van
Salary Range
$52,000 - $61,000
Position Summary
The Crisis Intervention Nurse (Registered Practical Nurse – RPN) provides immediate nursing assessment, crisis intervention, harm reduction support, and coordinated care to individuals experiencing acute mental health, substance use, and psychosocial crises. Services are delivered at Hamilton Urban Core’s satellite located at 70 James St S and mobile health clinic, as well as within shelters, encampments, collocated community services, partner agency sites, and other community-based settings.
Working as part of a multidisciplinary and interprofessional team, the RPN delivers timely, responsive, trauma-informed, and person-centred nursing care to individuals with complex and urgent needs, including those experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, addictions, poverty, and social marginalization.
The role focuses on crisis de-escalation, urgent nursing support, mental health stabilization, harm reduction, overdose response, health promotion, and enhancing overall well-being through direct clinical care, health teaching, advocacy, and collaboration with internal teams and external community partners. A key component of the role includes connecting individuals to services and supports available through the Hamilton HART Hub, including primary care, mental health and addictions services, counselling, treatment pathways, shelter transition beds and housing supports, case management, and recovery-oriented programming.
Operating within a health equity, anti-racism, anti-oppression, and culturally safe framework, the RPN conducts clinical assessments, supports stabilization during crises, facilitates referrals and service connections, and contributes to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment that promotes dignity, recovery, and client-centred care.
Accountability
The Crisis Intervention Nurse (RPN) reports to the Substance Use Health Manager, with overall accountability to the Executive Director.
Key Responsibilities
Provide immediate crisis assessment, intervention, stabilization, and supportive nursing care to individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, or psychosocial crises.
Benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Life Insurance
Paid Time Off
Vision Care
Dental Care
Extended Health Care
Disability Insurance
Company Events
On-site Parking
Hoop Pension
Conduct nursing assessments including mental health status, substance use presentations, physical health concerns, risk assessments, and overdose response.
Support individuals in crisis using trauma-informed, de-escalation, and harm reduction approaches.
Perform skin and soft tissue assessments, provide basic wound care, and refer clients to appropriate clinical providers for advanced treatment when necessary.
Administer medications and treatments within the RPN scope of practice and organizational policies.
Monitor and respond to urgent medical or psychiatric concerns and facilitate emergency intervention when required.
Provide overdose prevention education, naloxone administration/support, and harm reduction supplies as appropriate.
Support clients with wound care, infection prevention, chronic disease monitoring, and basic primary care needs.
Promote client safety, dignity, autonomy, and recovery-oriented care practices.
Deliver nursing and crisis intervention services in community settings including shelters, encampments, outreach locations, partner agencies, and mobile health units.
Engage vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations using low-barrier and relationship-based approaches.
Build therapeutic relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health concerns, addictions, and complex psychosocial challenges.
Connect and support clients in accessing services available through the Hamilton HART Hub at 430 Cannon Street East, including primary care, mental health and addictions services, counselling, case management, treatment pathways, housing supports, and recovery-oriented programming.
Assist clients in navigating healthcare and community systems and accompany or coordinate warm handoffs to services when appropriate.
Participate in interdisciplinary case conferences, care planning, and service coordination activities.
Advocate for clients experiencing barriers to healthcare and social services.
Facilitate referrals to internal and external services including withdrawal management, primary care, psychiatry, housing, and community supports.
Support continuity of care and follow-up planning for clients with complex needs.
Promote client engagement in ongoing care and recovery supports through the HART Hub continuum of care.
Maintain timely, accurate, and confidential clinical documentation in accordance with organizational policies, professional standards, and legislative requirements.
Complete incident reports, risk assessments, safety documentation, and required program statistics.
Participate in quality improvement initiatives, program evaluation, and organizational reporting processes.
Deliver care within a culturally safe, anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and health equity framework.
Maintain professional boundaries and uphold ethical nursing standards.
Contribute to maintaining a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment for clients, staff, and community partners.
Participate in ongoing education, staff training, and professional development activities.
Carry out other duties as assigned.
Performance targets
TBD
Qualifications
Diploma in Practical Nursing from a recognized educational institution.
Current registration in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario as a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN).
Minimum 2–3 years of experience in mental health, addictions, crisis intervention, emergency care, or community nursing.
Demonstrated experience supporting individuals with acute mental health concerns, substance use disorders, and concurrent disorders.
Strong knowledge of crisis intervention, de-escalation techniques, suicide risk assessment, and harm reduction principles.
Experience working with marginalized populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness, poverty, trauma, and complex social needs.
Knowledge of community health resources, emergency response systems, and referral pathways.
Strong clinical assessment, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to maintain professional boundaries in high-pressure situations.
Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Proficiency in electronic medical records and documentation systems.
Commitment to anti-racism, anti-oppression, and culturally safe care practices.
Crisis intervention certification (e.g., CPI, ASIST, or equivalent) is considered an asset.
Fluency in French is considered an asset.
Working conditions
Work is based on-site within community health, residential, or outreach settings, with potential travel to partner or community locations.
Experience operating and maintaining large vehicles or mobile service units.
Valid Ontario G Driver’s License with a clean driving record
Familiarity with mobile health, outreach, or community-based service models in Ontario.
Follow established safety protocols for mobile and community-based work, including situational awareness, communication procedures, and de-escalation techniques.
Flexible scheduling is required, including days, evenings, overnights, weekends, and participation in on-call rotations.
Exposure to high-stress and unpredictable crisis situations involving mental health emergencies, substance use, and behavioural concerns.
Physical demands may include prolonged standing, responding to emergencies, and supporting clients during crisis de-escalation.
Benefits
4% of Vacation and Benefits
Company Events
HOOP Pension
On-Site Parking
Employee Assistance Program
Hamilton Urban Core is committed to equity in employment.
While we appreciate every application only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
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