Community Wellbeing Nurse Specialist - Sioux Lookout, ON, Canada - Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority

Description

Community Wellbeing Nurse Specialist – Harm Reduction – Ref #
The Approaches to Community Wellbeing is a regional resource to 31 First Nations communities. The Approaches to Community Wellbeing provides expertise, support, services, and programming in public health to the region. The program also supports communities in the development, implementation, and monitoring of their own Approaches to Community Wellbeing.

The Community Wellbeing Nurse Specialist – Harm Reduction will work with the Harm Reduction team to provide expertise around Harm Reduction practices to support communities in the prevention of infectious diseases and deaths.

This will include supporting the Harm Reduction team in the development of educational materials, delivering presentations, and participating in community outreach activities.

Additionally, the Community Wellbeing Nurse Specialist will work towards increasing the awareness of the Approaches to Community Wellbeing's harm reduction initiatives (e.g., needle distribution and naloxone), providing training, supporting community suboxone programs in prioritizing needs, and developing strategies to address addiction and mental health issues.

Overall, the role of the Community Wellbeing Nurse Specialist will be supporting and enhancing community health services in a wide spectrum of harm reduction approaches.

The Community Wellbeing Nurse Specialist – Harm Reduction is directly accountable to the Harm Reduction Manager.
Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BScN) from an accredited University with identifiable community health nursing content
Minimum 3 years of experience in public/community health nursing, program planning, implementation, and evaluation
Training and education related to substance use, harm reduction, mental health, and trauma informed practice
Knowledge of, and/or experience with, principles of adult education, health promotion, and community mobilization
Knowledge of the Ontario health care system, particularly in regard to mental health and addictions
A strong understanding of the social determinants of health and the impact on First Nations
Knowledge and understanding of First Nations culture and government health policies and regulations as they apply to First Nations
Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team and foster relationships with stakeholders within SLFNHA and the communities
Excellent facilitation, team building and conflict management skills
Demonstrated organizational and time management skills
Proficiency in areas of documentation and Microsoft Office suite skills including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel database applications
Valid Ontario G driver's license and access to a vehicle

Ability to speak fluently in one of the Sioux Lookout area First Nations dialects, and/or write in syllabics is an asset.

Identify health issues and needs related to substance use relevant to First Nation communities and participate in population level health planning.

# Assess, plan, implement and evaluate nursing programs and community-based initiatives using the current knowledge of practices and trends related to the field of public health.
# Participate in the development and evaluation of education materials and provide support to health promotion activities for the Harm Reduction team.
# In collaboration with the Harm Reduction team, provide education and health promotion on infectious disease and harm reduction principles to Chiefs and Councils, Health Directors, community-based nurses, community-based health workers, and community members through community visits, radio shows, local newsletters, school programs, community workshops, presentations, webinars, videoconferences, social media, etc.
# Support and build capacity of community-based harm reduction programs through:

# Conducting training and workshops.

# Provide clinical expertise to the Harm Reduction team, ACW Community Wellbeing Nurses, and community health care providers.
# Establish and maintain close working relationships with each First Nation community's leadership and health staff in order to build capacity and promote awareness and self-determination within Harm Reduction programming and services.
# Facilitate community development and community mobilization.
# Provide orientation to SLFNHA's Approaches to Community Wellbeing department and Harm Reduction program to primary health care providers and facilitate continued learning opportunities regarding harm reduction and best practices.
# Advocate for clients and communities to enhance health determinants.
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