Job Description

The salary range for this position is CAD $41.42/Hr. - CAD $55.91/Hr.
Job Summary
Come work as a Primary Care Nurse with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!
Vancouver Coastal Health is seeking a Registered Nurse (RN/RPN) to join the Primary Care Team/Integrated Care Team at Pender Community Health Centre, Downtown East Side (DTES) in Vancouver BC. Apply today to join our team!
About Community Health Centers (CHC):
CHCs offer clinic services, referral services, support groups, therapy and ambulatory nutrition care, and a full range of addiction and mental health services, to those who are living with complex psychosocial and clinical needs, who are vulnerable and underserved, and who require a higher intensity of services to achieve and maintain functional stability. Each clinic is staffed with Integrated Care Teams (ICTs) to care for people who experience barriers accessing services, have no primary care providers and are challenged by complex health concerns (including psycho-social, physical, mental health and addiction co-morbidities). Each ICT provides care on-site and via outreach, with nurses, social workers, counselloers, peer specialists, community liaison workers, family physicians, nurse practitioners, and psychiatrists. ICTs are supported on-site by more specialized care providers: wound care clinicians, palliative care nurses, OTs, dieticians, and many other disciplines.
Pender Community Health Centre (CHC) serves the Downtown Eastside, Gastown, and Strathcona communities. ?We provide a range of health care and support services to people who have acute, chronic, palliative or rehabilitative health care needs.
As a Nurse with the Primary Care Team/Integrated Care Team, you will:

• Work collaboratively to coordinate and develop a plan of care within a team-based and interdisciplinary care team model that includes Primary Care, Mental Health and Substance Use, Home Health and other community partners.
• Care for clients and families who are experiencing health challenges such as, but not limited to, chronic disease and mental health and substance use and who are adversely affected by the social determinants of health to establish and coordinate a plan of care and support a transition between services.
• Use health interventions and/or self-management principles to conduct physical and mental health assessments, identify problems and address issues or variances from the plan of care, in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team and any other health care services.
• Act as a resource to the team by providing information and nursing support based on nursing theory and practice related to clients with complex health care needs.
• Provide direct care activities within the clinic or on outreach/home based visits by assessing, planning, implementing, evaluating and documenting client care as part of their team and collaboratively with other partners.
• Establish, maintains and enhances therapeutic relationships based on respect.

Qualifications
Education & Experience

• Current practicing registration as a Registered Nurse (RN) or Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).
• One (1) year of recent related experience or completion of a full final clinical placement in a community setting, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Valid BC Driver's License and access to a personal vehicle for business-related purposes, as required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of other health care disciplines and their role in client care.
• Comprehensive knowledge of community nursing theory and practice within a client family-centred model of care.
• Demonstrated ability in dealing with a variety of situations and responsibilities requiring initiative, creativity and professional judgment.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of a client and family centered recovery model in mental health and substance use.
• Ability to assess clients at risk and knowledge of appropriate acts; e.g. Mental Health Act, Adult Guardianship, Public Health Act as it relates to the rights and obligations of clients and staff.
• Knowledge and experience in providing culturally safe and competent care, specifically pertaining to Indigenous people.
• Knowledge and experience in Trauma Informed Practice, Harm Reduction and Recovery Oriented Care.
• Broad knowledge of crisis intervention and supportive counseling skills.
• Broad knowledge of mental health and treatment.
• Broad knowledge of psychopharmacology.
• Broad knowledge of substance abuse and addictions treatment.
• Broad knowledge of other facilities and community resources.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct mental status exams and suicide risk assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to care plan and develop supportive counseling, crisis intervention and care coordination.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with clients and their families, colleagues, physicians and other health care staff, both one-on-one and in groups.
• Demonstrated listening and information seeking skills that promotes communication and leads to a cooperative approach to problem solving within a multidisciplinary setting.
• Demonstrated ability to establish workload priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to adjust schedule to deal with unexpected situations.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to provide consultation and leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to problem solve and use critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to deal effectively with conflict situations.
• Ability to operate related equipment including applicable software applications.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

Closing Statement
The hours of work including days off and work area may be subject to change consistent with operational requirements and the provision of the Collective Agreement and applicable statutes.
As per Ministry of Health policy, all health care workers working in publicly-funded health care facilities are required to report their past receipt of certain vaccines or history of certain infections. Collecting these records will allow for offering of any missing vaccines, and for appropriate actions to be taken in the event of any future exposure to a communicable disease or during outbreaks. For all new hires and appointments to Vancouver Coastal Health, you will be asked to provide this information as part of the onboarding process.
WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH?
VCH is a world class innovator in medical care, research and teaching, delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH, we embrace thinking boldly, taking smart risks, and "going first" when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families. We invite you to join us in creating healthy lives in healthy communities by showcasing our passion for care, connection to the communities we serve and our culture of teamwork that makes VCH a great place to work.

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health and dental and municipal pension plan
• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities
• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families
• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers
• Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff

At Vancouver Coastal Health, our vision of healthy lives in healthy communities inspires us and our values and pillars guide us. We support equitable practices, diverse teams and inclusive environments, which are vital to creating welcoming spaces where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and feel supported. We encourage applications from equity-deserving communities, including Indigenous Peoples and members of racialized groups, people with disabilities and people of all gender identities and expressions and sexual orientation.
Vancouver Coastal Health is proud to be recognized as one of BC's Top Employers, Canada's Best Diversity Employers and Canada's Top Employers for Young People in 2025.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for this posting.
***Employees of VCH must apply online via the Internal Career Portal on CareerHub, you are currently viewing the External Career Portal. Refer to the https://my.vch.ca/working-here/job-postings site for instructions on how to view internal job postings and how to apply as an employee. Current VCH employees who apply to this posting using this external site will be considered as an external candidate. Seniority will not apply.***
Thank you for your interest in Vancouver Coastal Health.

Skills Required