Nurse Practitioner

Job Summary

Reporting to the Manager, Sexual Health and Harm Reduction Program the nurse practitioner will provide advanced nursing clinical leadership and  work within a multidisciplinary team in sexual health clinics to address sexual health care to clients with a focus on assessment, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, and in smoking cessation clinics to provide support for clients to quit using tobacco.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide advanced nursing clinical to a multi-disciplinary team responsible for providing sexual health and harm reduction clinic services. This includes fixed and mobile clinic sites.
• Works in a specialized program to provide counseling and consultation to individuals, families and groups on sexuality, birth control, relationships and the testing, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, sexual orientation, and needle exchange/harm reduction related issues.
• Diagnose and manages treatment of clients based on history and physical examinations as per the Ontario Nurse Practitioner Standards of Practice.
• Councils clients in smoking cessation using brief intervention strategies and providing nicotine replacement therapy.
• Participates in health promotion/community development initiatives.
• Provides in-service education to staff, agencies, and other community service providers as needed.
• Investigates and maintains surveillance of reports of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as needed in clinical practice.
• Participate on Departmental, Divisional, and external committees as needed.
• Apply continuous quality improvement practices to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the sexual health clinic processes and operations while improving customer service.
• Orient, train, and manage the learning goals of placement nurse practitioner and nursing students.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills & Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse with Extended Class in good standing with the Ontario College of Nurses (CNO).
• A master's degree in nursing; or completion of a nursing program with additional advanced or extended primary health care nursing education from a recognized university.
• Minimum of five (5) years recent experience in a public/community health setting or primary care. 
• In-depth understanding of medical directives.
• Clinical expertise of patients that require sexual health, family planning, healthy sexuality, relationships and gender identity issues, smoking cessation and harm reduction including knowledge of diagnosing, prescribing medications, and creating treatment plans.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, collaboration and decision-making skills.
• Knowledge of health promotion, community development and public health program planning.
• Skill in critical appraisal of research studies using evidence informed decision making and research methods.
• Ability to work with diverse communities, demonstrating respect, sensitivity, creativity, innovation, cultural understanding, non-judgement, and facilitation skills.
• Proficient with computers and a variety of software including MS Office and electronic medical records and databases.
• Valid G Driver’s license to drive in Ontario.

Preferred:

• Working knowledge of the Ontario Public Health Standards inclusive of The Infectious Disease Protocol 2022, The Sexual Health and Sexually Transmitted/Blood Born Infections Prevention and Control Protocol 2019, Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction Guideline 2018, and Tobacco, Vapour and Smoke Guideline, 2021.
• CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) Teach Certification

Working/ Employment Conditions

Working Conditions

• Travel within Halton Region will be required; incumbent must supply their own transportation.
• Incumbents will be required to drive a regional vehicle to provide mobile sexual health clinic services.
• Flexibility in working hours is required.

Employment Conditions:

• Current (obtained within the past six (6) months), original and acceptable Criminal Records Check, including Vulnerable Sector Screening by the first day of employment.
• Current driver’s abstract by the first day of employment.