Nurse Practitioner (ONA)

Position Details

• Department: Long-Term Care and Health Services
• Work Location: On-Site

Position Summary

The Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an integral member of the LTCH interprofessional health care team. The Nurse Practitioner will be responsible for the planning, coordination and delivery of care to LTCH residents in collaboration with the Most Responsible Practitioner (MRP). Nurse Practitioners are accountable for their own practice and provide comprehensive health assessment, diagnose health/ illness conditions, and treat and manage acute and chronic illness within a holistic model of care. Nurse Practitioners order and interpret screening and diagnostic tests, perform procedures and prescribe medications in accordance with federal & provincial legislation and policy.

The Nurse Practitioner will provide clinical and educational support to residents, staff and family members and facilitate community care connections across the health care sectors for residents requiring complex care services. The NP will work in collaboration with the LTCH nurse leadership and the medical director(s).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Practice in accordance with federal and provincial legislation, professional and ethical standards, and policy relevant to the nurse practitioner practice.
• Incorporate knowledge of diversity, cultural safety and determinants of health in the assessment, diagnosis and therapeutic management of residents and in the evaluation of outcomes.
• Incorporate knowledge of developmental and life stages, pathophysiology, psychopathology, epidemiology, environmental exposure, infectious diseases, behavioural sciences, demographics and family processes when performing health assessments, making diagnoses and providing overall therapeutic management.
• Incorporate knowledge of the clinical manifestations of normal health events, acute illness/ injuries, chronic diseases, comorbidities and emergency health needs, including the effects of multiple etiologies in the assessment, diagnosis and therapeutic management of residents and in the evaluation of outcomes.
• Provide resident diagnostic information and education that are relevant, theory-based and evidence informed, using appropriate teaching/learning strategies.
• Promote safe resident care by mitigating harm and addressing immediate risks for residents and others affected by adverse events and near misses.
• Disclose the facts of adverse events to residents, and report adverse events in keeping with relevant legislation and organizational policies.
• Document clinical data, assessment findings, diagnoses, plans of care, therapeutic interventions, resident responses and clinical rationale in a timely and accurate manner.
• Adhere to federal and provincial legislation, policies and standards related to privacy, documentation and information management.
• Consult with and/or refer residents to other health-care providers when the residents’ condition is not within the nurse practitioner scope of practice or competence.
• Collaborate with members of the home interprofessional health care team to provide and promote interprofessional resident-centred care.
• Apply advanced knowledge and skills in communication, negotiation, coalition building, change management and conflict-resolution.
• Engage in evidence-informed practice by critically appraising and applying relevant research, best practice guidelines and theory.
• Identify and implement research-based innovations for improving resident care at the individual & organizational levels.
• Identify, collect data on, and evaluate the outcomes of nurse practitioner practice for residents and the health-care system.
• Collaborate with other members of the health-care team or the community to identify research opportunities and to conduct and/or support research.
• Integrate principles of resource allocation and cost-effectiveness into clinical decision-making.
• Provide leadership in clinical care management; act as a resource person, educator, and role model.
• Act as a preceptor, mentor, and coach to nursing colleagues, other members of the health-care team and students.
• Advocate and participate in creating an organizational environment that supports safe resident care and professional growth.
• Guide and lead development and implementation of standards, guidelines, quality assurance, education and research initiatives.
• Participate in LTCH care conferences, Medical Advisory & Program Advisory Committee meetings.
• Engage in ongoing professional development and maintain nurse practitioner competence.
• Perform focused or advanced comprehensive health assessments tailored to resident needs.
• Collect complete or focused health histories considering physical, psychosocial, emotional, ethnic, cultural and spiritual health dimensions.
• Synthesize health assessment data to diagnose health risks and states of illness or wellness.
• Order and perform screening and diagnostic investigations, interpret results, and assume responsibility for follow-up.
• Diagnose diseases, disorders, injuries and conditions, considering the resident’s response to health/illness.