Registered Nurse (RN) - Palliative Care

HEALTH CARE JOBS WITH A WORLD-CLASS INNOVATOR IN MEDICAL CARE, RESEARCH, & TEACHING
 
Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) delivers services to more than 1 million BC residents living in Vancouver, Vancouver’s North Shore, Richmond, the Sea-to-Sky Corridor, Sunshine Coast, Bella Bella, Bella Coola, the Central Coast and surrounding areas. The remarkable range of jobs & specialties places VCH at the forefront of career destinations for many health care professionals. Our amazing jobs, workforce, and remarkable organizational culture ensure that VCH is always promoting better heath for our communities through innovation and exceptional care.

We currently hiring for a Registered Nurse (RN) - Palliative Care to be located at the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation Sea to Sky Community Hospice - Squamish, BC

WORK LOCATION:

The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation Sea to Sky Community Hospice is a new four-bed hospice located next to Hilltop House in Squamish, BC, approximately one hour north of the Vancouver lower mainland. The area hosts an abundance of recreational activities such as mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing and kayaking, as well as a growing arts and culture scene. The hospice provides compassionate, patient-focused end-of-life care to residents of the Sea to Sky community.


JOB SUMMARY:

Using a best practices’ approach, provides nursing care to clients working independently and as a member of an interdisciplinary care team to achieve quality symptom management, goals of care conversations and end of life care. Assesses, consults, plans, implements, and evaluates care needs of clients who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness in acute, hospice or community settings. Assesses clients’ physiological, psychological, sociocultural and spiritual needs. Provides support to clients/families and caregivers who are facing physical, emotional and practical difficulties arising from advanced progressive life-threatening illness. Promotes the palliative philosophy that improves the quality of life of clients and their families and relieves suffering. Participates on designated hospital committees/teams and approved research projects as assigned.

Practices in accordance with the British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP) Standards (professional & practice) and code of ethics for a Registered Nurse. Practices within the scope of practice as set by the organization, as per VCH policies and guidelines/clinical practice documents and within own competence. This practice is aligned with the vision, mission, goals and values of the organization as well as with the concept of a client and family centred care model.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education & Experience

  • Current practicing registration as a Registered Nurse with the British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP).
  • Two (2) years’ recent, related acute medical-surgical experience or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
  • Palliative Care experience and completion of related coursework is an asset.

Knowledge & Abilities

  • Demonstrated ability in nursing practice related to designated client group - palliative patient populations.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of best practices, pathophysiology and trajectory of disorder/disease related to common diagnosis/ and specific clinical situations related to area of practice (e.g. cancer, end stage cardiac, COPD, neurological disease such as ALS or MS, chronic renal disease, end stage liver disease, metabolic disorders, or HIV/AIDS, dementia, frailty).
  • Demonstrated ability to provide nursing assessments and interventions related to common diagnosis and specific clinical situations relevant to palliative patient/client group i.e. lab value monitoring, symptom management, appropriate referrals, safe medication practices, bowel care, care of body after death.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of approaches and systems in place (e.g. iPace, EPAIRS, etc.)
  • Demonstrated ability to perform focused secondary assessments, integrate information from a variety of sources including diagnostics, and develop plan of care relevant to the designated patient/client group.
  • Demonstrated ability to anticipate and respond to potential complications and care issues relevant to the designated client group.
  • Demonstrated ability in correct usage of equipment and maintains competency in working with Central venous access devices; Oxygen delivery equipment; Ostomy/wounds; chest tubes; other care related tubes, catheters, drains, suctions for patient population.
  • Demonstrated ability to document client care on appropriate systems/forms in accordance with organizational and unit standards in a timely and accurate manner.
  • Demonstrated skill in palliative symptom management (e.g. pain, dyspnea, nausea and vomiting, depression, constipation).
  • Demonstrated skill in conducting goals of care conversations and in understanding the care goals and what is most important to the patient.
  • Demonstrated skill in performing RN autonomous scope of practice and standards of care relevant to palliative patient/client group.

The hours of work including days off and work area may be subject to change consistent with operational requirements and the provision of the Collective Agreement and applicable statutes.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for this posting.