Health and Wellness Specialist

External Job Positing

POSITION SUMMARY

Community Living Cambridge (CLC) ensures that persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities are supported through meaningful opportunities and experiences. As part of those supports, CLC is seeking a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) to take on the role. The RPN will provide support and direction to staff of all CLC programs in the designated area of individual health and wellness. The Health and Wellness Specialist responds to all organizational needs related to the personal health and wellness needs of Individuals, either in person or by phone calls from staff seeking direction in situations relating to an individual’s health, ISP, Care Plan, serious occurrences, and incident reports. The Health and Wellness Specialist will provide support to all areas of CLC in accordance with the philosophies, policies and the Collective Agreement. The Health and Wellness Specialist must respect the rights, confidentiality and dignity of each individual in keeping with the policies, mission and value statements of CLC.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Health and Wellness Support, Admin and Documentation

1. Develop appropriate and individualized care plans for individuals.

2. On call to assist staff and individuals in unique and challenging situations and on-site support when there is a health or wellbeing concern. Support individuals and staff during a crisis (e.g., hospital, psychiatric). Respond to crisis or requests for support with the implementation of any recommendations.

3. Support individuals and staff during a crisis. Respond to crisis or requests for support with the implementation of treatment and/or care recommendations.

4. Develop and implement Individual Health Plan, PRN protocols, Person-Directed Plans, Individual Risk of Abuse Assessment on an ongoing basis; includes on-site observation, feedback, data input, data analysis, data summaries and review. Provides ongoing training to support the teams involved in implementing the plans.

5. In Collaboration with the Manager of Health and Wellness, conduct various assessments for the development of Individual Health Plan, PRN protocols and life skills programs. Assessments include, but are not limited to, functional, preference, risk, environmental and safety assessments.

6. In Collaboration with the Manager of Health and Wellness, complete all assessments for individual at intake, prior to individual returning from hospital and when their care needs change.

7. Assess individuals with respect to physical, emotional, and environmental needs and advise on health care based on interviews, interaction, and direct observation.

8. Perform routine and specialized duties for individuals which includes activities such as wound care, medication administration, and general care.

9. Observe, assess, record, and report individuals, evaluating progress and modifying plans as appropriate, assessing for risk to self or others.

10. Provide support to individuals and staff in areas such as psychosocial rehabilitation, counselling, health teaching, administering, and monitoring medication.

11. Order medications as required, transcribe medical orders as given by physicians in writing or by telephone, monitor the safe administration and storage of medication in a supported person’s living environment and examine medication errors, if needed.

12. Ensure procedures, practices, and interventions are evidence based and implemented utilizing a safe care protocol.

13. Communicates effectively with physicians, pharmacy, and other professional care providers.

14. Maintain open and positive relations and act as a resource to other programs, community services, and other professionals.

15. Keep the Manager of Health and Wellness informed of any concerns or unusual conditions.

16. Stay abreast of trends, training, policy or procedures and current legislation.

Training and Supervision

1. Provide staff with effective strategies and skills required to support individuals in enhancing and maintaining quality of life; reviews staff-generated teaching programs and protocols.

2. Provide initial and as needed training to staff members in the areas of medication administration, designations of tasks (Controlled Acts) and any additional training required as needs change.

3. Monitor the implementation of Individual Health Plans, PRN protocols and programs on an ongoing basis; includes on-site observation, feedback, data input, data analysis, data summaries and program review; ensures Ministry, Quality Assurance Measures and internal agency policies are met.

4. Assist with relevant areas of staff training as required; orientate new employees with respect to Individual Health Plans and facilitate specialized workshops and groups, providing instruction, resource information, and support to staff, family, community partners and other professionals.

5. Provide regular supervision of the implementation of Individual Health Plans by staff in accordance with the Collective Agreement and CLC’s policies to ensure assigned duties are completed and the Manager are kept informed of relevant participant and program information. Provide feedback to other Managers regarding staff performance and participate in performance appraisals of staff as required.

Staff/Participant Support

1. Establish and maintain a good rapport and warm relationship with each individual, their families and friends.

2. Works collaboratively with and maintains regular contact with staff and individuals in service to ensure support and success of health and wellbeing strategies.

3. In Collaboration with the Manager of Health and Wellness, conducts various assessments for the development of Individual Health Plan, PRN protocols and Wellbeing programs; assessments include, but are not limited to health crisis, concern risk, environmental and safety assessments.

4. Acts as an advocate and liaison for individuals, staff, families, and other professionals.

Meetings

1. Attends regular team meetings, internal and external case conferences, and committees as part of a specialized team.

Other

1. Attend all required training sessions and complete regular recertification programs before expiration (e.g., First Aid & CPR, NVCI, etc.).

2. Complete any necessary documentation required by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, Compliance and Audit guidelines.

3. Flexibility to work evenings, nights, and weekends, to support the 24/7 operations of CLC.

4. Be thoroughly familiar with and abide by the CLC health and safety policy and procedures, always using safe practices, and reporting all unsafe conditions, accidents, hazards, and practices to the Manager of Health and Wellness immediately.

5. Be knowledgeable with program specific and CLC policies, procedures and collective agreement and work within applicable frameworks.

6. Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position.

7. Perform other duties as required.

WORKING CONDITIONS

· The Health and Wellness Specialist must be able to successfully adapt or adjust to changing priorities within the Agency while overseeing that service levels to people supported are maintained.

· Pressures: The RPN will interact with individuals, staff, families and community members who are experiencing stressful situations related to participant health and wellbeing. Being able to manage these sometimes-significant levels of stress is considered an essential duty of the role.

• Working Hours: The Health and Wellness Specialist must be flexible around working hours and be available to work evenings and weekends if necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS

· Current Certificate of Competence with the College of Nurses as a Registered Practical Nurse with Medication Administration course, or equivalent and must be in good standing.

· Minimum 3 years’ experience in the healthcare sector.

· Knowledge regarding assessments, planning, implementation, and evaluation of a person’s health and wellbeing.

· Experience should include report writing, staff training, coaching others, knowledge of participant needs and strategies to support them, and the ability to thrive under pressure.

· Experience working with people who have a developmental disability and present various health and wellness challenges.

· Demonstrate a person-centered philosophy and commitment to CLC’s mission.

· Ability to resolve conflicts and solve problems in a professional manner.

· Ability to work independently and within a team environment

· Excellent written and oral communication skills

· Must have strong organizational and time management skills along with being resourceful and flexible to meet changing demands of the role.

· Must be able to work flexible hours.

· Must have a valid G driver’s license, regular access to a vehicle, and a driver’s abstract that is acceptable to CLC.

· Must be able to provide a satisfactory Vulnerable Sector police check.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Advocating for Others:

· Uses chains of indirect influence: “get A to show B so B will tell C such-and-such”.

· Takes two or more steps to influence, with each step adapted to the specific audience.

· Anticipates areas where support or influence will be required and takes steps to add these key individuals to own network.

· Judges when to seek support to enlist the involvement of credible resources/objective experts to bolster arguments or improve buy-in of reluctant or resistant people.

· Solicits and engages the support of like-minded individuals to help convince others.

· Uses experts or other third parties to influence.

· Sounds out key decision-makers and influencers prior to meetings.

· Uses a combination of logical argument, personal conviction and passion to create a winning case.

Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making

· Generates multiple alternative solutions.

· Thinks imaginatively in order to develop creative solutions or options for which there are few or no precedents.

· Thinks “outside of the box” to identify new solutions.

· Evaluates alternative solutions and identifies and acts on the optimum course of action.

· Is prepared to try out different solutions while maintaining a safe environment.

· Recognizes underlying issues and the implications of decisions or courses of action presentation or discussion to appeal to the interest and level of others.

· Encourages others to assess their strengths and weaknesses, career goals, and strategies for achieving them.

Collaboration:

· Acts to promote a friendly climate and a good working relationship regardless of personal likes or dislikes.

· Builds good morale or cooperation within the team, including creating symbols of group identity or other actions to build cohesiveness.

· Works to resolve conflicts, within and/or across teams, by clarifying understanding, listening for underlying concerns, and defining areas of agreement and of disagreement between parties.

· Consults with others and maintains objectivity when working on issues that cross boundaries.

· Aligns multiple perspectives across agencies/groups to best meet the needs of the client or other stakeholders to create synergy.

· Consistently holds self and others accountable for promoting collaboration and resolving cross-boundary conflicts to facilitate win-win resolution of differences.