Job Summary:

Reporting to the MOSH Manager and Harm Reduction / Supportive Housing Manager, the MOSH Nurse is a member of the Mobile Outreach Street Health (MOSH) team who support harm reduction programs including Managed Alcohol Program and the Overlook supported harm reduction housing program.

This position is an advanced nursing position in a community outreach setting, including various NECHC community sites and client homes. The nurse works as a collaborative member of the MOSH health team, but direct care delivery may also occur independently. Services and activities that promote wellness, maintain health, and prevent disease or serious exacerbation of disease will be emphasized. Using social determinants of health and harm reduction framework, this is accomplished through nursing assessments, health promotion, and health education counselling and harm reduction. The nurse will need to assess, plan, and implement appropriate nursing interventions for both the individual and consult as a nurse at a program level.

Strong collaboration is emphasized when working with shared clients between all practitioners across programs within the NECHC and with community agencies. The nurse is expected to deliver relationship-based health care through outreach to community locations in Halifax and Dartmouth being attentive to clients’ needs and changing trends.

The following are the main objectives of the program:

• To increase access to effective and equitable primary health care to community members across the life span who are homeless, street involved and insecurely housed.
• To improve the health status of marginalized and underserved populations.
• To create a collaborative environment in which information, knowledge, and resources are shared among community service, health care, academic, and government organizations.

Education and Experience:

Minimum Education and Experience:

• Bachelor of Nursing or registered and working towards, Masters prepared an asset.
• Experience working with people experiencing homelessness or social-justice-health issues frequently presenting in people experiencing homelessness a strong advantage.
• Family Practice Nurse training and/or Community Nursing training are a strong advantage
• Experience in working in a diverse community preferred.
• Experience in harm reduction work an asset.

Certification/registration/designation:

• Registered Nurse in the Province of Nova Scotia or eligible
• CPR certification (or willingness upon hire)
• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Certified (or willingness upon hire)
• Valid Driver’s License with 2 years minimum driving experience and a clean Drivers Abstract and access to own reliable vehicle

Special Skills and Knowledge:

• Possesses above average nursing assessment skills including physical assessments.
• Demonstrated knowledge of a variety of mental illnesses, co-morbidity and treatment modalities.
• Possesses an above average understanding of the social determinants and population health.
• Demonstrated experience in supportive counselling.
• Experience advocating for clients, individually and at a systemic level.
• Expertise and comfort working independently utilizing delegated medical directives.
• Excellent understanding of the principles of adult education.
• Excellent team player
• Must have above average communication skills (verbal and written).
• Must have a high degree of respect, knowledge of and experience working with culturaldifferences and diversity.
• Must be able to work respectively with complex and challenging patients.
• Demonstrated use of conflict resolution skills.
• Understanding and comfort in relationship based, trauma informed care and harm reduction.
• Have an above average understanding of the issues of homelessness.
• Possess working knowledge of the Nova Scotia income assistance program.
• Must be able to work with challenging situations of social injustice.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Proficient in using computers, basic office and spreadsheets.
• Familiarity with electronic record management, particularly MedAccess, would be an asset.
• Demonstrated work in highly stressful situations.
• Adaptable and flexible

Nature and amount of experience:

• Minimum 6months - 1 year of relevant Nursing experience or equivalent setting, outreach and harm reduction experience an asset.

• Experience working in a collaborative practice setting desirable.

• Experience working with the homeless community desirable.

• Experience conducting nursing assessments on adults and children desirable.

• Experience working in a diverse and multicultural environment is desirable.

• Experience in an independent practice preferred.

Judgement and initiative:

• Must be able to work with a high degree of autonomy and demonstrate critical thinking and sound judgment as well as organization and accountability to manage complex demands
• Must be highly motivated, proactive, and creative.
• Have a commitment to professional and team development and self-learning.

Type and level of supervision exercised:

• Expected to fulfil all activities related to the role with a minimum degree of supervision.
• Will be expected to mentor students occasionally.

Click here for detailed job description: MOSH Registered Nurse