Description:
The City of Toronto is seeking a compassionate and skilled Registered Nurse (RN) to join our Shelter, Support and Housing Administration team. In this permanent role, you will provide client-centred nursing care and support to individuals and families experiencing homelessness, helping them achieve improved health and well-being in a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment.
As a Registered Nurse, you will assess clients' health needs, coordinate care, facilitate access to medical and community services, and work collaboratively with shelter staff, healthcare providers, and community partners. You will also provide health education, promote wellness, and contribute to integrated care planning using a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and equity-focused approach.
Major Responsibilities:
Provide comprehensive nursing care to shelter clients, including clinical assessment, treatment, health teaching, counseling, and care coordination within a shelter environment.
Conduct and document physical, mental, emotional, and psychosocial health assessments to identify care needs, monitor client condition, and support development and evaluation of individualized care plans.
Perform and document clinical monitoring activities, including temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, blood glucose monitoring, oxygen saturation, weight, and neurological assessments using appropriate medical equipment.
Administer medications and prescribed treatments in accordance with physician or nurse practitioner orders and organizational policies, including controlled substances and narcotics, while maintaining safe medication administration practices.
Perform nursing interventions within the scope of practice, including wound care, respiratory therapies, sterile dressing changes, infection prevention and control procedures, removal of sutures and staples, and other prescribed treatments.
Deliver first aid and emergency interventions, including CPR, overdose response, and crisis response, as required.
Accompany physicians, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare professionals during rounds and appointments, providing clinical information, and assisting with examinations and treatments as required.
Monitor and assist with activities of daily living and personal care, including hygiene support, positioning, ambulation, and transfers, as required.
Coordinate care and liaise with hospitals, community health centers, public health, pharmacies, mental health and addictions services, home care, long-term care, ambulance services, and other community agencies to support continuity of care, referrals, admissions, transfers, discharge planning, and client advocacy.
Review and support therapeutic, medically required, cultural, and nutritional dietary needs of clients in collaboration with healthcare providers and food services staff.
Maintain and monitor medication, medical supply, and clinical equipment inventories to ensure safe storage, security, and adequate stock levels.
Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation, including nursing records, medication administration records, case notes, incident reports, statistics, and other required reports in accordance with professional standards, shelter policies, and applicable legislation.
Perform delegated controlled acts and other clinical duties within scope of practice and organizational policy, including medical intakes, health screenings, and coordination of referrals from healthcare providers and community agencies.
Provide health education, emotional support, advocacy, and crisis intervention to clients and, where appropriate, family members, using trauma-informed, harm reduction, anti-oppressive, and culturally responsive approaches.
Participate as a member of an interdisciplinary team, contributing to case conferencing, discharge planning, housing stabilization planning, and coordinated service delivery with medical and non-medical professionals.
Support the orientation, onboarding, mentoring, and evaluation of new nursing staff, nursing students, and placement participants, and contribute to the development and implementation of clinical procedures, protocols, and quality improvement initiatives.
Key Qualifications:
Current Certificate of Competence from the College of Nurses of Ontario.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) or equivalent university degree in Nursing from a recognized institution.
Considerable professional experience working as a Registered Nurse in clinical or community-based settings.
Considerable experience supporting vulnerable, marginalized, and homeless populations, including individuals experiencing complex mental health, addictions, trauma, and social determinants of health-related challenges.
