POSITION SUMMARY
Northern Nations Wellness Centre is seeking a highly skilled and compassionate Registered Nurse to join our healthcare team and play a pivotal role in delivering comprehensive primary care services to the community of Chetwynd, BC. We are looking for a professional who embraces team-based care, supports traditional wellness practices, collaborates with wellness practitioners, and demonstrates commitment to practicing cultural safety and humility. We are pleased to offer a signing bonus of $8,000 to successful candidates who commit to a two-year retention agreement.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Patient Care and Assessment
- Conduct holistic assessments, including health and medication history, physical evaluations, and risk assessments, with cultural humility.
- Perform routine screenings for chronic diseases, diabetes, and cancer and monitor conditions.
- Make nursing diagnoses and determine appropriate interventions within the RN scope.
- Apply health promotion, chronic disease management, advanced care planning, and self-care management principles to assessments and care.
- Screen for sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) and provide treatment and prevention.
- Provide wound care by cleaning, dressing, and monitoring wounds following protocols.
- Assist in providing mild to moderate mental health support and coordinate with mental health professionals.
- Offer prenatal and postnatal care, including breastfeeding education and newborn health assessments.
- Counsel clients and their families on care plans, health education, and disease prevention in collaboration with other providers.
- Refer patients to other internal providers and wraparound care services as needed.
Public Health – Vaccinations, Immunizations, and Health Promotion
- Administer immunizations, including routine, seasonal, childhood, and travel-related vaccines, according to public health protocols.
- Educate patients, families, and caregivers on immunization schedules, vaccine benefits, side effects, and contraindications, using culturally appropriate communication.
- Ensure proper vaccine storage, handling, and cold chain management for safe administration.
- Track and document immunizations in the EMR and Panorama, ensuring accurate public health reporting.
- Arrange for cancer screening programs (e.g., breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer) to be offered via our Centre.
- Ensure panorama is updated with patient vaccination history.
- Educate patients on self-care, chronic disease management, and healthy lifestyles.
- Coordinate chronic disease care with traditional wellness services and external partners.
- Assist with infection control by implementing prevention protocols and monitoring for communicable diseases.
Care Planning and Collaboration
- Collaborate with patients, families, social navigators, healers, physicians, LPNs, social workers, and other healthcare professionals to execute care plans.
- Develop, modify, and evaluate care plans based on patient needs and progress.
- Develop holistic, prevention-oriented care plans for at-risk individuals and participate in goal-setting and secondary assessments.
- Coordinate referrals to specialists, allied health professionals, and community services.
- Connect patients to additional services and aftercare following discharge from mental health or addiction facilities.
- Coordinate with mental health professionals to support mental health services.
Culturally Safe and Trauma-Informed Care
- Champion cultural safety, humility, and trauma-informed care across nursing services.
- Use culturally safe and trauma-informed approaches to gather holistic client information.
- Acknowledge patients’ lived experiences, values, beliefs, and history, offering nonjudgmental advice and support.
- Foster a racism-free and culturally safe environment for patients, families, and staff.
- Provide primary care in a culturally safe, trauma-informed environment that promotes and restores health.
- Advocate for culturally relevant approaches in all nursing services and relationship-building.
Injury Prevention and Harm Reduction
- Lead harm reduction workshops, peer support groups, and discussions on safe drug use, overdose prevention, and healthcare access.
- Collaborate with the care team to develop and deliver opioid-agonist treatment services.
- Educate and distribute naloxone kits, supporting overdose prevention efforts.
- Participate in mobile clinics offering harm reduction supplies, assessments, and referrals for individuals using opioids.
Medication and Treatment Administration
- Administer medications, injections, and treatments following protocols and within scope of practice.
- Provide medication management support, including education on usage, side effects, and adherence.
- Order diagnostic tests and collect specimens for evidence-informed care decisions.
Monitoring and Documentation
- Monitor, assess, and document symptoms, changes in health status, and interventions.
- Collect specimens (e.g., urine) for laboratory testing.
- Perform routine screenings (e.g., blood pressure, glucose checks).
- Operate diagnostic equipment (e.g., ECG machines) and prepare patients for tests.
- Maintain accurate and timely patient records in the electronic medical record (EMR) system.
Other Responsibilities
- Manage appointments and track referrals.
- Maintain accurate and timely patient records in the EMR.
- Monitor medical supply inventory and ensure proper storage.
- Engage in ongoing professional development and maintain competency in current practice standards.
- Assist patients with Telehealth equipment for specialist appointments and doctor of the day services.
- Provide nursing services and host educational seminars within First Nations communities in alignment with the FNPCI service plan.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Job Specifications
Education
- Completion of a recognized Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Occupational Certification
- Current practicing registration as a Registered Nurse with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).
- Current CPR Certification.
- BCCDC Immunization Certification an asset.
- A valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License.
Experience
- Experience working as a Registered Nurse in a primary care, community health, or family practice setting is preferred, but new graduates are also encouraged to apply.
- Experience working with and delivering health services to First Nations clients.
- Training in anti-Indigenous racism response and cultural safety and humility.
- Experience integrating holistic Indigenous approaches with Western approaches.
Knowledge
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build therapeutic relationships with patients and collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a commitment to providing compassionate and patient-centered care.
- Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team and collaborate with other healthcare professionals.
- Experience working with and delivering health services to First Nations clients is an asset, including above average knowledge of First Nations culture and Anti-Indigenous Racism Response, and presenting with an attitude of cultural humility.
- Training in Anti-Indigenous Racism Response and Cultural Safety and Humility is an asset.
- Willingness to undertake training in Anti-Indigenous Racism Response & Cultural Safety and Humility.
*$8,000 Signing Bonus for a 2-Year Retention Commitment
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $35.00-$50.00 per hour
Education:
- Bachelor's Degree (required)
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 2025-07-14
