Director, Indigenous Patient Experience & Professional Practice

Vancouver Coastal Health is looking for a Director, Indigenous Patient Experience & Professional Practice to join the Aboriginal Health Patient Experience team. Apply today to join our team! Reporting to the Vice President of Indigenous Health, the Director will work in collaboration with the Directors, Professional Practice and Directors, Client Relations & Risk Management across the health authority and Communities of Care (CoC) to develop, plan, implement and promote policies and practices that advance Indigenous Cultural Safety practices relevant to the strategic direction of the organization.

As a Director, Indigenous Patient Experience & Professional Practice with Vancouver Coastal Health you will:

• Guide the application and integration Indigenous knowledge and cultural safety practices into standardization of clinical practice standards, regulations and best practices throughout the organization that is consistent with VCH and the Aboriginal Health department’s mission, vision and values.
• Provide leadership and expert consultative advice on scope of practice, clinical informatics, resource planning and research to integrate Indigenous knowledge that will enhance the practice environments and achieve culturally safe care that is effective and efficient.
• Be responsible and accountable for strategic development of an Indigenous Patient experience program to embed and support improved Indigenous Patient Care Quality Experience throughout the organization.
• Demonstrates leadership, operational support and direction in the successful development and delivery of Culturally Safe care programs to patients that is in alignment with both Aboriginal practices and with organizational priorities.
• Consult, advise on promoting Indigenous Patient Experience programs that are based on evidence-informed quality clinical practice, patient experience and the engagement of stakeholders including all service providers and community members that will enhance the patient experience.
• Hold meaningful engagement and work in close collaboration with stakeholders with focus on Indigenous patient and families including the Patient Care Quality Office, Aboriginal Health, Community members and Leaders at all levels of the organization including medical staff.
• Provide oversight and direction to the Indigenous Patient Care and Experience team as well as the Indigenous Patient Quality team, which supports all Indigenous patients receiving care in the health authority. 
• Be responsible for promoting high standards of Indigenous patient and family centred care throughout VCH and enhances alignment and cohesiveness across the health authority through meaningful data, measurement, and improvement strategies related to Indigenous patient experience.

WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH?

VCH is a world class innovator in medical care, research and teaching, delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH, we embrace thinking boldly, taking smart risks, and "going first" when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families. We invite you to join us in creating healthy lives in healthy communities by showcasing our passion for care, connection to the communities we serve, and our culture of teamwork that makes VCH a great place to work.

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health and dental and municipal pension plan
• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities
• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families
• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers
• Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff

Education & Experience

• Master’s degree in Nursing
• Seven (7) to ten (10) years’ recent, related experience within complex clinical care, patient safety or quality improvement context involving patients and families, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• These experiences will include working with/for an Aboriginal organization/program that includes interacting and developing relationships with Aboriginal people and Aboriginal communities as well as government agencies and ministries along with extensive understanding and knowledge of Aboriginal culture and specifically Vancouver Coastal Health region’s First Nation’s cultures.
• Current practicing registration as a Registered Nurse with the British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP).
• Preference given to candidates identifying as Indigenous, including First Nations, Metis, or Inuit.

Knowledge & Abilities

• In depth knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Culture and History in BC and Canada.
• In depth knowledge of current and future-oriented Indigenous Cultural Safety healthcare issues.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, guide and facilitate change as well as anticipated future change in service delivery and develop strategies that optimize resource to improve efficiency and quality of care.
• Demonstrated highly specialized skills in assessing and managing conflict and communication in often cross cultural, emotionally charged, and complex learning environments.
• Demonstrated ability to work with Aboriginal communities and Elders to build positive and mutually beneficial relationships.
• Maintains a comprehensive knowledge of complex health care operations, and department’s goals and objectives to deliver strategic communications.
• Applies and shares strategic knowledge about aboriginal culture and priorities to build partnerships, understanding and advance quality improvement.
• Uses broad knowledge of the aboriginal community’s social, political and economic environment in the provision of strategic advice to stakeholders across VCH relating to government, community and media communications.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

Please note that a resume is required to apply to this posting.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are essential to delivering exceptional care and building a great place to work. At VCH, we value and accommodate unique differences to ensure that our staff and medical staff (both current and prospective) have the opportunity and are supported to thrive.

To build a strong and representative workforce, we are seeking candidates who will contribute to a caring and inclusive culture. We encourage applications from members of communities that are disadvantaged on any grounds under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including Indigenous Peoples, people of colour, people of all genders and sexualities and people with disabilities.

VCH is proud to be recognized as a Best Place to Work in Canada in 2021 by Glassdoor and Forbes.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for this posting. Thank you for your interest in Vancouver Coastal Health.