Licensed Practical Nurse

PHS Health Care is looking for a skilled Licenced Practical Nurse to join one of our frontline medical clinics.

The successful candidate will perform the full scope of nursing functions in a primary care setting, where the focus is on harm reduction, addictions and mental health.

The supportive PHS Health Care medical team includes more than 13 GPs and addiction specialists, 20 nurses, two social workers and dedicated medical office assistants. We are part of PHS Community Services Society, which provides low-barrier housing and community supports to marginalized people in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. We have a unique model where clinical care is provided through embedded clinics in PHS housing and through our outpatient clinics at Columbia Street Community Clinic, the Molson Overdose Prevention Site and our new safe supply program, SAFER. In addition, PHS Health Care runs monthly Hep C and women’s health clinics, as well as access to various other in-house specialist clinics, including internal medicine and neurology.

 

Full-scope nursing

What does an average day look like for a PHS Health Care nurse? You will be providing primary healthcare services to patients with a wide variety and complexity of acute and chronic illnesses/diseases. This includes providing physical, addiction and mental health assessments, referring residents to the physician for further examination, and administering prescribed treatments and medications. You will be monitoring progress, symptoms and behavioral changes, and performing a variety of healthcare interventions – particularly wound management.

There’s a lot of longitudinal relationship-building with patients, leading to opportunities to devise creative care planning.

 

Why work here?

PHS is recognized as North American leaders in low-barrier housing and harm reduction services. Our healthcare team, under the guidance of Medical Director Dr. Christy Sutherland, are respected innovators in opioid use disorder treatment. We continue to innovate with flexible safe supply models.

You will be a valued member of the team, working with colleagues who respect your input.

PHS Health Care is located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, in easy walking distance of Downtown, Chinatown, Gastown and the Seawall. There are good transit links – we’re a couple of blocks from the Stadium-Chinatown SkyTrain station.

 

Duties and responsibilities

  • Works in collaboration with physicians, nurses, social workers and other members of the interdisciplinary team to deliver low-barrier full primary care and mental health and addictions treatment services.
  • Performs the full scope of practical nursing functions according to the BCCNM standards for LPNs with a focus on stable and/or predictable states of health.
  • Performs activities such as assessments, planning, implementation, evaluation and documentation of client care and provides nursing care according to the established care plans.
  • Provides education, instruction, and support either one-to-one or in small groups using health promotion, harm reduction and community-building approaches.
  • Works with the registered nurse and physician/physician-on-call when caring for clients with unpredictable outcomes or where there is a complexity of care that requires an advanced level of knowledge and skill beyond the scope of practice for Licensed Practical Nurses.
  • Maintains and updates own clinical competence per the BCCNM standards of practice for Licensed Practical Nurses.

 

Education & experience

  • Graduate of a recognized program for Licensed Practical Nurses.
  • Current practicing registration as a Licensed Practical Nurse with the British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives.
  • Two (2) years’ recent experience working as a full-scope Licensed Practical Nurse in mental health or substance use settings is preferable.
  • Current CPR-HCP Certification.
  • Completion of BCCDC Online Immunization Competency Course for Licensed Practical Nurses or willingness to achieve the same shortly after starting position.
  • Additional training to perform at full scope in this role as described (e.g. taking phlebotomy), or willingness to achieve the same shortly after starting in position.

 

Knowledge and abilities

  • Knowledge and practice within the BCCNM standards of practice for Licensed Practical Nurses.
  • Knowledge of mental health and substance use conditions, trauma- and violence-informed care, harm reduction and Indigenous cultural safety.
  • Ability to clinically support clients with mental health and substance use issues and addiction.
  • Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills, with the ability to multi-task in a dynamic environment.
  • Demonstrated ability to employ effective conflict resolution and reconciliation approaches and techniques.
  • Knowledge and experience with electronic medical records and basic computer programs (Word, Microsoft Outlook).

 

Terms of employment

Job type: Casual. Day shifts. (No evenings or nights.)

Salary: As per HEABC and the Nurses’ Bargaining Association Provincial Collective Agreement wage grid (LPN 1).

This is a unionized position under CUPE 1004.

Successful applicants will be required to complete a criminal records check.

PHS strives to create an inclusive and welcoming workplace that reflects the community we serve. We seek a diversity of skills, knowledge, backgrounds, and professional and lived experience in our staff. We particularly encourage applications from Indigenous individuals.

To comply with current Public Health Orders, some positions within PHS must be staffed by individuals who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have an approved medical exemption. Proof of vaccination status will be required for successful applicants for positions covered by the order.

 

How to apply

Send your resume to  jobs@phs.ca  today! Please include a cover letter identifying the position title you are applying for, and the qualities and competencies that would make you a suitable candidate.