Role

The Registered Nurse–ACT delivers comprehensive medical and health promotion services to clients of the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program. Working within a health promotion framework and in accordance with the scope of practice defined by the College of Nurses of Ontario, the nurse provides both mental and physical health care. As an integral member of the multidisciplinary ACT team, the RN–ACT also offers counselling, rehabilitation and recovery support, crisis intervention, long-term support, and client advocacy. The role involves active participation in the planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of ACT services. A significant portion of client engagement takes place independently in community settings

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Program-Related Activities

Works within the College of Nurses of Ontario standards.

• Acts in a consultation and education role to other ACT Team members and community partners as it relates to mental health/pharmacological and physical care issues within the scope of nursing practice.
• Directs intervention with order/medication administration.
• Provides solution-focused, motivational and cognitive-behavioural counselling to enhance client capacity to attain goals.
• Provides direct assistance to clients with:
  • Symptom management including medication delivery, observation, follow-up and the development of individualized crisis plans, distress tolerance and coping strategies.
  • Instrumental functioning for employment, education, finances, basic needs, activities of daily living, social/recreation activities, transportation etc.
  • Housing related issues including liaising with housing providers, landlords and support with Landlord Tenant Board processes.
• Provides support to clients in achieving physical healthcare needs.
• Provides independent visits and crisis counselling to monitor and support acutely ill clients during on-call, weekend and evening hours.
• Provides impromptu family counselling sessions to address family conflict/crisis and conduct formal family counselling sessions in conjunction with team psychiatrist.
• Conduct comprehensive client assessments using discipline-specific and multidisciplinary assessment instruments.
• Develops individualized client rehabilitation/recovery plans and revise as indicated.
• Collaborates with the team psychiatrist, police, and psychiatric emergency services to coordinate client apprehensions under the Ontario Mental Health Act.
• Provides mandated monitoring and interventions to clients who are under legal conditions of Community Treatment Orders (CTO) and Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) - Ontario Review Board jurisdiction, in addition to supporting clients to meet other legal stipulations (i.e. parole, probation).
• Leads/co-leads psycho-education groups/classes for ACTT clients and their family members.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in nursing from a recognized university or combination of nursing diploma and additional relevant courses/training.
• Good standing in and valid license from the College of Nurses of Ontario.
• Additional training in the field of community mental health (such as psychiatric nursing certificate)
• Additional training in a psychiatric rehabilitation/recovery-based model is an asset.

Professional Experience

• Three to five years full-time relevant nursing experience in a community setting or combination of community and hospital or public health settings; experience in a primary care setting, an asset.
• Experience in a combination of hospital and community settings and/or public health.
• Experience in providing rehabilitation and support functions to mental health clients and assisting in activities of daily living.
• Experience in applying principles of psychosocial rehabilitation/recovery, practices of case coordination and working in transdisciplinary teams with mental health professionals.
• Familiarity with the Ontario Mental Health Act is an asset.
• Experience and interest in working with marginalized and diverse clientele, such as low-income, high-needs, newcomer, and a variety of multicultural communities.

Key Competencies

• Thorough knowledge of and proficiency in current nursing physical assessment and treatment methods, case management, and crisis intervention techniques.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of community resources, relevant city service-provider networks, and community-based health care.
• Excellent knowledge of and experience with a harm reduction approach.
• Ability to maintain mature problem-solving attitude when dealing with acutely ill, intoxicated, suicidal, angry or hostile clients and hazardous working conditions (i.e. exposure to communicable diseases, pest infestations, body fluids, second-hand smoke and high-risk drug paraphernalia).
• Ability to to work with minimal supervision in a high stress environment
• Demonstrated skills in verbal communication with clients and their families and written skills for documentation purposes.
• Excellent issue management skills including time management, conflict management and resolution, problem-solving, prioritizing and multi-tasking.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a crisis situation.

Linguistic Profile

• This position falls within Carlington CHC's designation under the French Language Services Act of Ontario.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Fluency in French is recommended at Level (Advanced +) for oral expression/comprehension and Level (Intermediate) for written expression.
• Fluency in another language relevant to our client population is an asset.

Personal Suitability

• Sensitivity to the needs of marginalized and diverse clientele.
• Commitment to health promotion concepts, strategies, and philosophy.
• Commitment to community-based health care and social services, and strength-based philosophy and practices.
• Strong commitment to and belief in a recovery-model client-centred practice.
• Non-judgmental attitude.
• Commitment to the team.
• Ability to establish supportive and trusting relationships with persons with mental illness.
• Personal experience as a consumer of mental health services or family involvement of mental health services would be considered an asset.

Other

• Availability to work regular evening and weekend shifts, and to be available for on-call status.
• Valid driver's license and regular access to a vehicle.