Registered Nurse Withdrawal Management Services

Unity Health Toronto, comprised of Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph's Health Centre and St. Michael's Hospital, works to advance the health of everyone in our urban communities and beyond. Our health network serves patients, residents and clients across the full spectrum of care, spanning primary care, secondary community care, tertiary and quaternary care services to post-acute through rehabilitation, palliative care and long-term care, while investing in world-class research and education. Join our team in our mission to continue to put patients and families at the centre of everything we do, in the role of Registered Nurse - Withdrawal Management Services.

Residential Withdrawal Management Services or detoxes provide an entry point into addictions care for people who use drugs and/or alcohol who have used substances in the past 72 hours and have identified that they want to safely withdraw from substances in a 24/7 non-medical setting. Unity Health Toronto currently operates 4 Residential Withdrawal Management sites. Each site offers clients access to screening and assessment of symptoms of intoxication, withdrawal and overdose, individual counselling, assistance with developing individualized treatment plans and support completing referrals for community resources. Clients who utilize residential withdrawal management services may have co-occurring physical health concerns, mental health concerns and social challenges. Patients If you are passionate about community-based addictions care and embrace working in a fast paced clinical environment where roles and responsibilities are continually evolving to better meet the needs of our patients, this opportunity is for you.

Working in collaboration with an interprofessional team of addictions counsellors, community addictions case workers, nurse practitioners, social workers and peer support specialists, the registered nurse will be called upon to provide evidence-informed care and treatment for people who use drugs who are in active withdrawal. This position will appear to registered nurses who want to work in the community, are highly adaptable and thrive in a fast pace environment.

The RN has 4 key areas of responsibility:

Patient Care:

• Acquires information to assess patient care and learning needs
  
• Develops a plan of care and integrates nursing activities with other inter-professional activities
• Engages in critical inquiry and reflection to select evidence-based interventions
• Organizes nursing care and assigns or changes nursing care activities where appropriate
• Evaluates the effectiveness of the plan of care and adjusts the plan as needed
• Anticipates, recognizes and addresses rapidly changing situations
• Provides health education to patients and their families using effective teaching strategies
• Documents observations, assessments and care provision
• Contributes to discharge and transition planning
• Refers patient to other agencies or services as needed

Collaboration & Coordination:

• Serves as the primary resource for organizing and coordinating patient care activities
• Establishes and maintains respectful, collaborative, therapeutic and inter-professional relationships
• Coordinates and communicates patient care activities for a safe and seamless transition and appropriate transfer of accountability
• Participates in hospital committees and other groups

Leadership

• Aligns behavior with SMH¿s vision, mission and values and Code of Conduct
• Supports the advancement of professional practice
• Utilizes effective judgment in assigning patient care activities
• Engages in self-reflection, performance review and ongoing learning
• Participates in mentoring, teaching and /or coaching students, co-workers and other regulated and unregulated health professionals
• Embraces change that leads to improved nursing practice and better patient outcomes
• Advocates for a safe and healthy work environment

Research

• Participates in or supports research projects
• Supports and participates in evidence based practice implementation and quality improvement initiatives

Other Responsibilities

• Engages in strategies to form therapeutic relationships with new clients
• Performs standardized screening and assessments for substance use disorders
• Completes comprehensive assessments and biopsychosocial histories for the purpose of care planning
• Initiates, leads and participates in collaborative care planning with the interprofessional team
• Provides skill teaching to enhance relapse prevention and symptom control
• Facilitates preventive health screening, linkage to primary care, mental health care and specialty medical care as required
• Conducts individualized substance use counselling using motivational interviewing Teaches client relapse prevention and crisis management strategies
• Regularly assesses and evaluates the client's physical health status
• Delivers crisis prevention and intervention

Qualifications:

Professional Registration

• Currently registered and in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario

Education/Training

• BScN preferred
• Post graduate certificate in mental health and addictions from an accredited college preferred
• Diploma in addictions from an accredited college preferred
• Certificate in motivational interviewing, smart recovery, cognitive reinforcement approach preferred
• Valid Basic Life Support certification
• Valid non-violent crisis intervention

Experience

• Previous experience in addictions nursing is considered an asset
• Previous experience in community nursing or primary care is considered an asset
• Previous experience completing standardized research tools to assess for clinical status would be an asset
• Previous experience conducting individual counselling using motivational interviewing principles and skills would be an asset
• Previous experience completing head-to-toe assessments, mental status examinations and suicide risk assessments would be an asset
• Previous experience providing crisis prevention and intervention would be an asset

Required Skills/Competencies

• Excellent clinical assessment skills in recognizing and managing symptoms of intoxication, withdrawal and overdose from alcohol and/or other drugs required
• Excellent knowledge of pharmacological treatments for substance use disorders required
• Excellent knowledge pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies for safely managing withdrawal from alcohol and/or other drugs required
• Excellent knowledge of best practices in the care and treatment of people who use drugs
• Very good understanding of the principles of practice for working with clients who are withdrawing from alcohol and/or other drugs required
• Very good understanding of the principles of practice for working with clients with concurrent disorders required
• Very good understanding and ability to apply principles of recovery-oriented care, harm reduction and trauma informed approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in an interprofessional team as well as independently
• Strong clinical leadership, critical thinking, organizational and problem solving skills required
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required
• Ongoing commitment to professional development and continuing education required

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