Job summary
The Nurse in our Supportive Living home acts as a primary caregiver for children with complex medical needs. Our nurses play a fundamental role in providing hands on medical care and a holistic and inclusive approach to each child’s health and healing. Our nurses advocate for the needs of each child and work in collaboration with staff, families, and each child’s healthcare team to ensure each child reaches their full potential.
Responsibilities
- Nursing care
- Provide medical care within the scope of practice per valid license, as outlined in SALPN/SRNA/RPNAS competencies, including, but not limited to:
- Physical assessments of children.
- Administer medications, gastric tube feeds.
- Monitor and administer tracheotomy care.
- Monitor and manage oxygen saturation and ventilator equipment.
- Create an inclusive and stimulating environment that is safe and suitable for all children, including those with complex medical or developmental needs.
- Be up to the challenge of promoting independence in children with complex medical needs by helping them manage and understand their own medical care.
- Offer direct nursing care for complex medical, nursing and intervention therapies due to disabilities and/or chronic diseases.
- Develop and manage nursing care plans for children with complex medical needs.
- To be an advocate on behalf of children with complex medical needs and help their families navigate the system and the services they can access.
- Follow and implement the therapeutic care plan for each child.
- Independently oversee the home, when necessary, by providing guidance and supporting staff.
- To take control in emergency situations by being calm, resourceful, and efficient.
- In an emergency, accompany child to hospital or other medical facility in the absence of the Nurse Supervisor.
- Complete daily assessments of all children that require nursing intervention.
- Education
- Teach the children about topics such as needle safety, physiology, and biology to promote inclusion.
- Explaining the individualized care plan to families/guardians to ensure transparency and clear communication.
- Support families in advocating for each child’s educational needs.
- Answer medical questions from staff and help create greater understanding of medical conditions and procedures.
- Participate in community inclusion and making sure all activities are adapted to suit the needs of the child.
- Administration
- Update various forms daily.
- Conduct narcotic med counts daily at the beginning and end of their shift.
- Ensure ratios are being maintained throughout the day.
- To be an advocate on behalf of children with complex medical needs and help their families navigate the system and the services they can access.
- Collaborate with Public Health regarding communicable illnesses and outbreaks.
- Maintain a safe work environment by ensuring Public Health guidelines are being followed and updated as required.
- Participate in Public Health, MSS and Fire Inspections.
- Occupational health and safety
- Create a psychologically safe work environment (resolve conflicts in respectful ways and ensure a fair resolution, provide an environment where employees feel safe and supported to share ideas, listen, learn from, and seek to understand the ideas of others).
- Operate within OHS legislative requirements within the home.
- Complete all required OHS training.
- Monitor, report and resolve any safety hazards in the work environment.
Qualifications
- Practicing License in good standing with the licensing body: SALPN, CRNS, or RPNA
- Minimum 2 years of pediatric experience preferred.
- Up to date First Aid, CPR Level BLS.
- Transferring, Lifting and Repositioning (TLR) training an asset.
- Experience with ventilators an asset.
- Must have a valid drivers’ license.
- Skills and abilities
- Strong collaborator with staff, families, and outside agencies.
- Ability to build and maintain collaborative, professional relationships.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to take a lead in emergent situations and direct others as necessary (remain calm, resourceful, and efficient).
- Able to work independently and as a team player.
- Demonstrated organizational and problem-solving skills.
- Demonstrated critical thinking skills.
- Flexible and adaptable to changes in the work environment.
- Working conditions
- Shift work – rotates every four (4) weeks.
- Exposed to unpredictable behaviors.
- Fast paced, noisy work environment.
- Exposure to:
- cleaning chemicals and products
- needle sharps
- blood and body fluids.
- Driving of children required.
- Standing for most of the shift.
- Physical ability to perform and safely work with objects or persons of varying sizes:
- Exertion of ~100 lbs of force occasionally.
- Exertion of ~50 lbs of force regularly.
- Exertion of ~25 lbs of force continuously.
- Use a variety of adaptive equipment.
Days, evenings, nights, weekdays, weekends
