Community Health Nurse 

Health Matters, under the NARSF Programs umbrella, has an opening for a part-time (32 hour per week) Community Health Nurse (CHN) with STI certification. This unique and challenging position is geared to a person with a calm disposition and solid theoretical foundation from their practice working in community. The CHN will demonstrate an ability to develop mutually trusting and respectful relationships while adopting a collaborative learning approach in working with all facets of the organization. The chosen candidate engages, connects, and delivers harm-reduction and nursing interventions to promote positive health and wellness among vulnerable populations living in Nanaimo.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, wage expectation and availability to admin@narsf.org when applying for this position. This position is subject to annualized funding being in place. Resumes will be received with strict confidence so indicate your preferred contact method.

The Role

The CHN will provide a combination of testing, care, connection, coordination, and linkage functions to reduce the spread of HIV, viral hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) within a distributed community-site model and in the Health Matters Clinic. CHN will promote healthier choices, positive relationships with clients, enhance individual capacity to prevent and transmit infection, and provide harm reduction through health promotion.

The CHN’s related scope of practice includes nursing functions for front line primary health care services to clients in the form of immediate assessment, intervention, and treatment in accordance with BCCDC guidelines, Communicable Disease Control Manual, Immunization Manual, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) HIV Guidelines, Provincial HIV PrEP Guidelines, and BC Point of Care (POC) HIV Testing Programs Guidelines, Narcan BCCDC guidelines and BCCNP.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provides testing for HIV/HCV/STI within BCCNM scope of practice, treatment follow up, contact tracing, physician follow up and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Provides harm reduction education, counselling, and support from a nursing perspective on issues relating to STI and HIV/HCV.
• Treatment for STIs where possible, and referral to HIV, viral hepatitis and STI treatment and support services as required.
• Provides consultative services and education sessions, works collaboratively with interdisciplinary team members, educational resources, community resources and other health care providers.
• Provides culturally safe practices for LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC populations and provides culturally relevant health education around HI/HCV prevention and testing.
• Works collaboratively with individuals and communities to enhance awareness of HIV/HCV issues.
• Provision of counselling and support for access to primary care, safe housing, mental health, substance use, health and lifestyle related concerns and emergency care.
• Works as part of interdisciplinary health team to provide testing services to vulnerable/marginalized clients and communities who are at high-risk for HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis and STI’s.
• Distributes safer sex and safer drug use harm reduction supplies (case specific) as part of the nursing intervention.
• Attends staff meetings and training days as required.
• Assumes other duties as directed.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Maintains current STI practice and treatment guidelines; able to communicate and implement approved harm reduction strategies in meaningful ways to clients.
• Maintains mastery level understanding of harm reduction, addiction, mental health issues and the impact of poverty on health.
• Models appropriate boundaries and pro-social behaviors consistent with NARSF Code of Ethics and the British Columbia College of Nursing and Midwives Professional Standards on Ethical Practice.
• Stays up to date on services and supports in designated Central Vancouver Island communities to make appropriate referrals as needed.
• Knowledgeable and consistently implements NARSF Programs policies and procedures.
• Is current in First Aid Certification Psychological First Aid and CPI Training.

Qualifications:

• Baccalaureate degree in nursing, from a recognized educational institution.
• Registered Nurse with membership in BCCNM.
• Experience working in community based public health nursing with a communicable disease component.
• Knowledge and experience providing trauma informed care
• Demonstrated ability to engage with street involved population
• Completion BCCDC Courses: STI Course, HIV Pre and Post Test Counselling, HIV Partner Notification.
• Vehicle for work purposes.
• Valid criminal record check.

This position requires a person to undertake physical lifting up to 10 kg for periods at a stretch.

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Pay: $45.00-$49.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Dental care
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• On-site parking
• Paid time off
• Vision care

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• No weekends

Experience:

• community health nursing: 1 year (preferred)

License/Certification:

• Registered Nurse (RN) (required)
• STI Certification (preferred)

Work Location: In person