Registered Practical Nurse - Transitional Care

Registered Practical Nurse - Transitional Care (Job ID: 1994)

St. Joseph's Health Centre, Unity Health Toronto has opened a 30 bed Transitional Care and Reactivation Care Unit located at Humber Church site (200 Church St.; near Jane Street south of the 401). The Reactivation Care Unit provides care for adult and geriatric patients who require therapy, reactivation and transition planning in order to transfer to the community and/or other supportive environments.

For more details on the location, please follow this link:

https://www.google.ca/maps/search/humber+church+site/@43.6944271,-79.5441726,13z/data=!3m1!4b1

This unit focuses on reactivation and transition planning for patients who are waiting transfer to the community and/or other supportive environments. Working as a part of a dedicated, interprofessional team, you will deliver patient centred care designed with best practice principles. This team works closely with patients, families, and caregivers to provide reactivation therapy with a goal of enhancing and optimizing patient's functions and engagement in daily routines.

As an employee of Unity Health Toronto, Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph's Health Centre Toronto and St. Michael's Hospital you will be providing (RN, RPN, HCA) services to this new unit.

The Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) will provide high quality nursing care for a variety of medicine patients within an Interprofessional Collaborative Practice philosophy. Being part of this team means being part of an exciting new initiative to help us support patients along their continuum of care and to shape how care is delivered.

The RPN works within a changing environment and in inter-professional teams to advocate for and promote wellness while ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and ethical nursing care.

The RPN shares his/her knowledge and expertise with others and contributes to the advancement of nursing practice excellence. The RN continually enhances his/her practice and competencies through ongoing learning, education, experience and reflective practice.

Responsibilities:
The primary role of the RPN is to provide holistic, evidence-based, culturally appropriate, patient-centred quality care in accordance with the College of Nurses of Ontario standards and Unity Health Toronto's mission, vision, values and policies.

The RPN optimizes the patient's experience and care outcomes by:

• Being accountable for one's decisions and professional practice;
• Establishing a therapeutic relationship with the patient;
• Providing autonomous nursing care with patients considered stable and with predictable outcomes;
• Collaborating with other members of the patient's care team;
• Coordinating and communicating patient care activities to optimize the patient's experience and care outcomes; and
• Collaborating and consulting with Registered Nurses and other members of the care team in the care of patients with increasing instability and unpredictability and, when necessary, safely transferring care to the Registered Nurse.

The RPN has 4 key areas of responsibility:

Patient Care:

• Acquires information to assess patient care and learning needs;
• Engages patients and families to assess the level of involvement of the patient/family in their care and integrates into care planning; 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 based on patient care needs and priorities;
• Continuously gathers and analyzes clinical and other relevant data to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan of care and adjusts the plan as needed;
• Anticipates and recognizes rapidly changing situations; and a patient's transition from stable to unstable, establishes priorities; and takes immediate appropriate action to collaborate and consult with the Registered Nurse;
• Provides health education using effective teaching strategies that takes into account the patient/family's learning needs, readiness, and motivation to learn;
• Collaborates with appropriate team members on patient care needs;
• Processes orders and seeks verification of orders from prescribers;
• Documents observations, assessments and care provision in a timely manner to facilitate a current and accurate record of the patient's status and enable effective inter-professional communication;
• Contributes to discharge and transition planning and other planning activities to facilitate care continuity and coordination; advocates for care needs to be met in most appropriate setting; and

Collaboration & Coordination:

• Organizes patient care activities while working collaboratively with patients, families and the inter-professional team to achieve agreed-upon outcomes and optimize resource utilization for individual patients
• Establishes and maintains respectful, collaborative, therapeutic and inter-professional relationships within and across the hospital units/programs (and externally where appropriate for his/her patient population)
• Coordinates and communicates patient care activities for a safe and seamless transition from one shift or setting/unit of care to another; ensures appropriate transfer of accountability from one care provider to another
• Participates in hospital committees and other groups to represent the RPN perspective and serve as a bridge to the unit/program and patient needs

Leadership & Professional Development:

• Is accountable for his/her actions and decisions and practices in accordance with professional, legal and accreditation standards and evidence-based practice
• Aligns behavior with Unity Health Toronto's vision, mission and values and code of conduct; promotes nursing as a knowledge-based profession; and, supports the advanced of professional practice plans and initiatives
• 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

Qualifications:

• Currently registered in good standing as a Registered Practical Nurse with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
• Successful completion of a Practical Nursing Diploma Program or equivalent.
• Current BLS /CPR certificate required.
• Recent nursing experience required. Experience in a rehab, complex continuing care or long-term care facility preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to patient and family-centred care.
• Demonstrated ability to organize patient care demands and to set priorities.
• Gentle Persuasive Approach (GPA) training or equivalent is a strong asset.
• Excellent computer skills and competence at using an electronic patient record and other platforms for care delivery.
• Knowledge and experience in falls and pressure ulcer prevention.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to function as an interprofessional team player.
• Strong critical thinking/problem-solving skills.
• Satisfactory attendance record.

Note:

As a condition of employment, all external hires will be required to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination or documentation unless a valid accommodation under the Ontario Human Rights Code exists. Please note, if you are extended an offer of employment, you will be required to provide proof of vaccination in Ontario QR Code format. All internal candidates must be in compliance with Unity Health Toronto¿s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.