Nurse Practitioner

Title: Nurse Practitioner (NP)

Reports To: ED

Location: 2300 Eglinton Ave W or 2000 Credit Valley Rd

FTE: 1.0

Position Type: Permanent

Credit Valley Family Health Team (CVFHT) is an Academic Family Health Team affiliated with Trillium Health Partners and the University of Toronto. It is an engaging inter-professional primary care team dedicated to continuous learning and excellence within primary care with a demonstrated track record of impactful quality improvement activities. It is a not for profit organization that receives funding from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and provides primary health care services to over 12,000 patients in Mississauga. The CVFHT also has a mandate to provide French language primary care services to the Francophone community. The NP will function as a member of the primary care team in the provision of primary health care services at the CVFHT. The NP provides services to clients who include the individual throughout their life span, the family, and the community, with a strong emphasis on health promotion, patient education and disease prevention. The NP provides primary care functions and participates in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programs and services of the CVFHT for the individuals, families and the community of Mississauga.

Accountability:

1. The NP is to practice within the scope and according to the standards of practice as outlined in the following documents:

· College of Nurses of Ontario’s “Practice Standards”

· Nursing Act (1991) and

· Regulated Health Professions Act (1991)

2. As a primary care provider, to the clients by maintaining confidentiality and acting in an ethical and professional manner, in accordance with the professional code of ethics and in accordance with the policies of the CVFHT.

Responsibilities:

Assessment

· Working within the scope of practice of the RN(EC), performs a comprehensive health or symptom directed assessment and synthesizes data from multiple sources to make a diagnosis, as part of the health care team

· Spend adequate time with the client to determine the presence of existing and potential health problems, with a major focus on related lifestyle, psychological, sociocultural, and environmental risk factors which may influence the client’s health status, deals with these personally or by referral to or in consultation/collaboration with, nurses, social workers, dietitians, home care providers, family physicians, specialists, alternate interdisciplinary healthcare practitioners (IHP), specified programs services/agencies

· In accordance with the philosophy of primary health care, encourages clients and families to take responsibility for their own health by involving them in risk factor and health problem identification, goal setting, and the choices of interventions for disease treatment and prevention, and health promotion

· Works collaboratively and in consultation with the physicians and specialists as defined in the RN(EC) scope of practice “Expectation for consultation with physicians”

· Works within medical directives as established and approved by the CVFHT where necessary or appropriate

· Uses case management and a care path model for chronic illnesses management in the continuum of care

· Determines the need for and orders form an approved list and interprets the results of screening and diagnostic laboratory tests, within the scope of practice

· Determines the need for and orders and interprets reports of diagnostic imaging and diagnostic ultrasounds within the scope of RN(EC) practice

· Keeps complete, accurate, legible and timely records of client’s visits, which will provide information to assist other practitioners in continuing the client’s care

· Sees clients at the clinic with scheduled and urgent appointments, and in the community through home visits, during regular and extended hours

Treatment/Management/Planning

• Provides advanced nursing care and treatment (including pharmacological complementary therapies and/or counseling interventions for health problem.

• Monitors the ongoing therapy of clients with chronic stable illness by providing effective pharmacological, complementary, or counseling interventions

• Prescribes drugs included in the Schedules of the Regulations to treat diseases or disorders within the RN(EC) scope of practice

• Collaboration with physicians, independently and with other allied health develop and discuss appropriate individualized care plan with the client/family caregiver based on best practices

• Documents using client health records, refers to and arranges follow-up as necessary

• Implements strategies to promote health and prevent disease with individuals, families and groups

• Targets strategies to foster independent and healthy lifestyles with the chronically ill medical population

• Synthesizes information from individual clients to identify broader implications within the family

• Assesses and manages the care of families, in collaboration with team members

• Synthesize information from individual clients to identify broader implications for health within the community

• Uses community assessment data to identify community needs and resources and develops, implements and evaluates appropriate programming

• Ensures that encounter forms and other statistics have been recorded and

• participates in their analysis

Education/Advisory

• Help clients to identify and use health resources
• In Involve clients in decisions about their own health
• Encourage clients to take action for their own health
• Initiate health education and other activities that assist, promote and support clients as they strive to achieve the highest level of health
• Develop learning resources for clients
• Develop and deliver health education program for patients and communities

Implements strategies to promote health and prevent disease for both primary and secondary prevention

Referrals/Collaboration

• Collaborate with other health care providers
• Coordinate client care

Organizational Role:

• Maintaining current knowledge of policy manuals, reading minutes of meetings and keeping up to date with organizational happenings
• Contributing to the efficient functioning of the organization and the attainment of goals
• Basing practice on sound theoretical knowledge
• Arranging priorities as necessary to perform tasks
• Knowing established work and administrative procedures

Confidentiality Information

• Ensures adherence to the freedom of information and protection of privacy
• Exercises reasonable care with caution in protecting confidential and sensitive information related to clients and personnel

CVFHT Development

• Lead planning and evaluation of treatment education, counseling and health promotion activities of the CVFHT
• Promotes awareness of CVFHT services and programs
• Actively participates in staff, team and committee meetings as appropriate
• Participates in the education of other health professional students
• Uses community assessment data to identify community needs and resources and develops, implements and evaluates appropriate programming
• Ensures that encounter forms and other statistics have been recorded and participates in their analysis

Communication

• Communicates effectively with health care team members to create a cohesive team and seamless services to the community
• Communicates effectively with all clients, families, peers, other health care professionals and community partners
• Participates in interdisciplinary meetings as required

Professional Development

• Maintains and develops professional competence through ongoing professional development.
• Stays current and aware of opportunities to implement new, evidenced-based methods of client assessment, treatment and programming
• Participates on interdisciplinary committees to promote professional/interpersonal development

· Participates in clinical projects / studies as required

Related Duties

• Models the values and philosophy of CVFHT
• Exhibits a commitment to life-long learning
• Maintains confidentiality of team, personnel and client information
• Facilitates appropriate in-house and external education sessions
• Assists with planning and attends special events

· Performs other associated duties as required

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:

• Council of Ontario University Program in Nursing Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program Certificate (or recognized equivalent)
• Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing required, Master of Science in Nursing preferred
• Current registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario as an RN(EC) required
• 3-5 years of relevant experience required
• Current Membership with RNAO and evidence of liability insurance
• Current Ontario Driver’s License
• Demonstrated experience in Community and/or Primary Care Setting

SKILLS / ABILITIES:

• Knowledge/ experience in Women’s Health, Pediatric Care, Palliative Care and mental health or any combination of it preferred
• Knowledge and proficiency in current, evidenced-based methods and practices of primary care delivery, with an emphasis on health promotion and risk reduction
• Superior leadership, organization, research, evaluation, time management, communication and interpersonal skills
• Proficiency in the use of the computer hardware and software, particularly in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook
• Prior experience and knowledge of electronic medical record (Accuro)
• Desire and ability to update knowledge and skills through various means including technology-based opportunities, courses, workshops and conferences
• Multi-tasking skills related to the delivery of efficient primary care including the ability to share information and teach while treating a patient
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Exhibit an ability to be open and non-judgmental
• Knowledge of the goals and structure of the organization, the policies and procedures and the programs
• Fluency in both English and French language is considered an asset