Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health·Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Nurse Practitioner provides advanced clinical care, diagnosis, and management for infants, children, and adolescents in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. They also serve as an educator, consultant, and researcher while collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to ensure safe, ethical, and family-centered care.
Click here to apply as an internal applicant.
IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region.
We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia.
People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities.
We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes.
We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs.
We are proud to support our patients, families, and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.
Promoting an anti-racist environment and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportion of transgender and non-binary people of any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases, and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.The Opportunity Reporting to the Manager of Pediatric Critical Care, the PICU Nurse Practitioner (NP) will function in an advanced practice role including the role components of clinician, educator, consultant, and researcher. The Nurse Practitioner’s (NP) practice is based on in-depth knowledge of nursing and other sciences with emphasis on health assessment, diagnosis, and management of illness. The focus of the NP’s practice will primarily be on providing clinical services to manage the health and needs of infants, children, and adolescents requiring critical care intervention and follow-up. The NP works collaboratively with other health professionals to provide safe, competent, and ethical nursing and inter-professional care. The PICU Nurse Practitioner will have responsibilities that include:
Utilizing and demonstrating advanced knowledge and decision-making skills to conduct comprehensive assessments, diagnose, and manage the clinical care of children requiring critical care.
Function within an approved scope of practice.
Developing, promoting, and maintaining interdisciplinary collaboration in a multi-disciplinary team environment.
Working in partnership with nurses and other disciplines to provide holistic patient/family-centered care and advance the practice of pediatric critical care nursing.
Participating in planning and implementing change related to clinical, educational, and research issues.
Participating in policy and procedure development related to pediatric critical care.
Providing leadership and modeling of behavior related to nursing practice issues, through the role components of clinician, educator, consultant, and researcher.
Promoting communication among nursing and other health disciplines in the care of the patient and family in the IWK Health Centre and in the community.
Dedication to continuing learning for self and team.
Specialized Pediatric Outreach Team member.
Cardiac Arrest Team member.
PICU specific: Focusing on 24/7 PICU coverage by an NP/CA. Hours of Work Rotating shifts, 24/7 coverageYour Qualifications
Successful completion of a Master’s Degree in Nursing with Clinical Nurse Practitioner Certification.
Current license (or eligible) to practice as a Nurse Practitioner in Nova Scotia (as per the Nova Scotia College of Nursing).
Current successful completion of CPR Level-C Healthcare Provider within the last 12 months required.
Minimum of 5 years of experience in Pediatric nursing required, 3 of which must be in Pediatric Critical Care.
Demonstrated clinical competence and experience in pediatric critical care nursing required.
PALS certification is considered an asset and will be required to be obtained within 6-18 months of the position.
Critical Care certification CNCC (C), CNCC (P) is an asset and will be required to be obtained within 1-2 years of the position.
Recognized Critical Care courses (CCNP, Neonatal) as an asset.
Membership in professional associations is an asset.
Demonstrated understanding of evidence-based practice and utilization of research in practice.
Demonstrated sound judgment, independent decision-making, and leadership skills required.
Demonstrated competence in interpersonal relations, problem-solving, communication, negotiation, assertiveness, and innovation.
Demonstrated ability to work and practice autonomously.
Demonstrated ability to adapt to constantly changing, unpredictable situations.
Commitment to family-centered care.
Commitment to patient safety and continuous quality improvement.
Competencies in other languages are an asset. Thank you for your interest in IWK Health. Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing), you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process. This is a Nursing bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units, or employment status are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position. An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.
If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.
Candidates must hold a Master’s Degree in Nursing with Nurse Practitioner certification and be licensed or eligible for licensure in Nova Scotia. A minimum of 5 years of pediatric nursing experience, including 3 years in pediatric critical care, is required.
Market context
Advanced-practice roles in Nova Scotia are often shaped by demand in acute, surgical, and critical care settings, where employers look for clinicians who can step in quickly and work across complex patient needs. These positions are competitive because they commonly require accredited APRN preparation, active RN and APRN licensure, prescribing authority, and preferred specialty experience; this platform’s AI-summarized requirements and benefits help you review the original posting faster. Before applying, confirm your licensure and prescribing credentials match the posting and note any certification timelines, such as BLS within six months of hire.