Employment Opportunity:

Registered Nurse – Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) (1.1 fte – 77 hours biweekly) 1-year Contract – probability of extension

 The Registered Nurse supports and monitors clients accessing Réseau ACCESS Network’s Consumption and Treatment Services program who use pre-obtained drugs.         

The position is responsible for the following:

• Fulfil the role of Responsible Person in Charge when the Manager is not on site.
• Support and monitor clients injecting pre-obtained drugs. Assess and respond to adverse reactions and overdose events.  Collect and maintain required documentation.
• Build rapport with and provide client-centred support on a drop-in basis to clients accessing CTS, and document these interactions.
• Educate clients about harm reduction and health promotion, including safe injection and overdose prevention.
• Manage acute health conditions, including providing nursing assessments and first aid.
• Work collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team to identify and resolve issues and provide integrated support to clients. Make referrals for internal and external health and social services, (ex. Réseau ACCESS Network’ Outreach Testing Nurse, RAAM, etc).
• Working with community partners, facilitate knowledge transfer of upcoming appointments for mutual clients, or assist in directly observed therapies with appropriate medical directives.
• Assure clinical supply inventory is adequate and order additional supplies as required.

 The successful candidates:

1. Required – Registered Nurse in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
   1. Experience as a HCP to critical, emergency, and/or mental health and addictions considered an asset.
2. Valid proof of double vaccination against COVID-19 using a Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccine (or a single dose vaccine if approved by Health Canada).
3. Clear vulnerable sector police record check (conducted in house).
4. First Aid/CPR-BLS, NVCI, Trauma Informed Care, and Naloxone training.
5. Uses a trauma informed, culturally safe service delivery for all those accessing services.
6. Demonstrated knowledge of Indigenous communities and organizations as well as an understanding of the effects of intergenerational trauma on Indigenous persons
7. Superior communication skills, including written and verbal presentation skills, diplomatic and effective liaison and interpersonal skills
8. Knowledge and skills related to working with individuals who may be vulnerable and marginalized, challenges related to trauma, mental health, addictions and homelessness
9. Work from a model of anti-racism/anti oppression, sex positivity, and principles of harm reduction 

Bilingual (French/English) candidates or those of Indigenous descent will be given priority consideration for this position if found qualified. 

The full job description is located on the Réseau ACCESS Network Website at www.reseauaccessnetwork.com. Interested applicants may submit a resume with a cover letter by the closing date of Sunday, January 2, 2022, to the Manager of Consumption and Treatment Services @ [email protected] .  Please include “job posting” in subject box. We regret that only those candidates selected for an interview may be contacted.

Registered Nurse

REPORT AND ACCOUNTABLE TO:      Manager of Consumption and Treatment Services

POSITION PURPOSE:

Reporting to the Manager of Consumption and Treatment Services, the Registered Nurse supports and monitors clients accessing Réseau ACCESS Network’s Consumption and Treatment Services program who use pre-obtained drugs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Programs and Services

1. Support and monitor clients injecting pre-obtained drugs.  Assess and respond to adverse reactions and overdose events.  Collect and maintain required documentation.
2. Build rapport with and provide client-centred coaching and support on drop-in basis to clients accessing consumption and treatment services, and document these interactions with clients.
3. Educate clients about harm reduction and health promotion, including safe injection and overdose prevention.
4. Manage acute health conditions, including providing medical assessments and first aid on an as needed basis.
5. Work collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team, to identify and resolve issues, and provide integrated support to clients.  Make referrals to internal and external resources, including health and social supports.
6. In consultation with the Réseau ACCESS Network Outreach Testing Nurse, facilitate HIV/HCV/STBBI testing opportunities on site.
7. Working with community partners, facilitate knowledge transfer of upcoming appointments for mutual clients, or assist in directly observed therapies with appropriate medical directives.
8. Assures clinical supply inventory is adequate and orders additional supplies as required. 

Program Planning Evaluation

1. In consultation with the Manager of Consumption and Treatment Services, set deliverables for the Consumption and Treatment Services program.  Develop and implement work plans and program budgets consistent with agency mandate and policies; monitor, evaluate and report on progress towards those goals.
2. Responsible for the completion and timely submission of relevant funding reports and applications to the Manager of Consumption and Treatment Services.
3. Assist in developing evaluation tools while ensuring that clients are an integral part of the evaluation and feedback process.
4. Maintains and strengthens existing community partnerships, and actively seeks new opportunities for community partnership and collaboration.
5. Ensures maximum opportunities for community partnerships in all aspects of program development, including the design, implementation and evaluation of programs and services. 

Community Relations/Advocacy

1. Represent the Consumption and Treatment Services program within community, developing and maintaining relationships with community partners and stakeholders to help achieve the goals of the organization, as directed. 

Typical Job Decisions

1. Typical independent decisions that the job holder is required to make without the input of a supervisor. Show these in order of importance to the job.
   1. Decide how to assess and respond to acute client conditions.
   2. Decide how to assess clients for drug-use related complications.
   3. Decide how to educate clients on harm reduction and health promotion.

1. Typical decisions that the job holder is required to refer to a supervisor.
2. Decide how to respond when client presents atypically to overdose and acute medical conditions
3. Decide when to place service restrictions on a client.
4. Decide how to respond when clients are a threat to themselves and other. 

Media Responsibilities

1. In consultation with the Manager of Consumption and Treatment Services and when appropriate, act as spokesperson to media requests on issues of key affected populations.
2. Represent Réseau ACCESS Network at public meetings and committees and direct partnership relationship strategies to advance the mission of the organization as assigned.

Other: 

• Ensure maintenance and inventory supplies necessary to meet service delivery standards required to operate the Consumption and Treatment Services.
• Perform other related activities, as necessary or as assigned. 

Job Knowledge and Skills (The specialized knowledge and skills required) 

1. Works from a trauma-informed approach and practice.
2. Ability to provide culturally safe service delivery for all those accessing services.
3. Demonstrated knowledge of Indigenous communities and organizations as well as an understanding of the effects of intergenerational trauma on Indigenous persons.
4. Emergency Medical Response/Nursing knowledge and skills, including safe injection, injection drug use, pharmacology, acute medical assessment and treatment.

5. Crisis intervention knowledge and skills.
6. Interpersonal skills.
7. Knowledge and skills related to applying the following to service delivery: Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, Anti-Racism/Anti Oppression, Sex Positivity, Principles of Harm Reduction, Holistic Health and Civil Society.
8. Knowledge and skills related to working with people who are living with, at risk of or impacted by HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C; who may be vulnerable and marginalized; and may also be experiencing challenges related to mental health, addictions and homelessness.
9. Oral and written communication knowledge and skills
10. Health education and promotion knowledge and skills
11. Safe sharps handling and disposal knowledge and skills
12. Social services knowledge, including availability of community resources
13. Fluency in French and English, both oral and written is an asset.
14. Fluency in an Indigenous language specific to the needs of those we serve is an asset. 

Job Qualifications 

1. Required – Registered Nurse certification and a member in good standing with the College of Nurses and with Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.  Experience as health care responder to critical, emergency incidents.  Clear vulnerable sector police record check.  First Aid/CPR-BLS / NVCI, and Naloxone training.
2. Required – Valid proof of double vaccination against COVID-19 using a Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccine (or a single dose vaccine if approved by Health Canada). 

Working Conditions 

Physical Effort

• Physical requirement include the dexterity to reach, stand, squat, twist, repeatedly lift light loads, and to perform sedentary work.
• Potential for performing CPR and assisting to transfer a person onto a gurney (heavy load shorter distance).

Visual and Concentration Effort

• Daily observation and listening, treatment of acute medical conditions

Service Delivery Variables/Dynamics

• Shift assignments of 12-hour shifts on a continental rotation (including weekends)
• Potential exposure to people who are irate and whose values are in opposition to those of the organization
• Engagement with people who may experience unstable/unpredictable behavior due to mental health conditions and/or substance use including: crisis, psychosis and various effects of withdrawal and overdose risk
• Potential for meetings and/or community engagement events after regular work hours. (Overtime compensated by time off in lieu.)

Developed:      September 2020

Revised:           December 2021