Palliative Pain and Symptom Management (PPSM) Consultant - Full-time

Position at VON Canada

Requisition Details:

Employment Status: Regular, Full-time (1.0 FTE)
Program Name: Palliative Pain and Symptom Management 
Number of Hours Bi-Weekly: 75
Work Schedule: Days
On Call: No
Existing Vacancy: Yes - we're currently hiring candidates for an existing vacancy in this position.

Job Summary:

The Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultant (PPSMC) provides support in enhancing the competency of front-line service providers and developing resources and infrastructure through knowledge exchange. The PPSMC engages in consultation, education, mentorship, creating linkages to palliative care resources, and contributing to strategic planning and healthcare system development activities as an expert advisor.

Key Responsibilities:

• Performs full case reviews or answers case-specific questions to assist service providers in managing pain and other end-of-life symptoms for their clients.
• Provides seminars, in-services, and workshops on topics relevant to the organizational objectives or the professional development goals of front-line providers.
• Connects organizations and professionals with existing evidence-based resources and supports. This includes material that can be passed along to clients and caregivers as part of regular clinical practice or used by professionals for self-study.
• Participates in various hospice palliative care committees that focus on local and regional planning, clinical issues, advocacy, and integration with other sectors of the healthcare system.
• Supports standardized palliative care education with the goal of increasing the number of professionals and volunteers that receive advanced training and certifications in end-of-life care. Courses include Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care, Comprehensive Advanced Palliative Care Education (CAPCE), and Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative care (LEAP).
• Participates in regional strategic planning exercises and Palliative Care Consultant Network (PCCN) meetings.
• Implements regional strategic plan and attains yearly program objectives.
• Collects and reports relevant statistics quarterly for Management Information Standards (MIS)-Ontario Health Reporting Standards (OHRC) reports.
• Participates in accreditation processes as appropriate.
• Assists in development of best practice guideline(s).
• Partners in research initiatives.
• Maintains neutrality in system-level advisory role, including non-preferential treatment of VON programs.
• Other duties as assigned within role, scope of practice and PPSMC program mandate.

External and Internal Relationships:

• Collaborates and engages with front line services provider (PSWs, RN, RPN etc.)
• Builds partnerships with social networks and initiatives.

Education, Designations and Experience:

• Member in good standing with College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) within scope of practice RN/RN(EC).
• Certification in hospice palliative care or equivalency in knowledge, skill and experience
• Canadian Nurse Association (CNA) Certification:
• Hospice Palliative Care Nursing/ CHPCN(C);
• Oncology Nursing /CON(C) an asset;
• Community Health Nursing/ CCHN(C) an asset
• Comprehensive Advanced Palliative Care Education (CAPCE).
• Minimum five (5) years of nursing experience in hospice palliative care including current clinical expertise in palliative and end of life pain and symptom management (including pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics; Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
• Previous experience in Program planning, Plan, Do, Study, Assess (PDSA) cycles and Continuous Quality Improvement.
• Comprehensive healthcare system navigation knowledge.
• Certification as LEAP Co-facilitator an asset.
• Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative and End-of-Life Care (LEAP) an asset.

Skill Requirements:

• Excellent interpersonal, presentation and communication skills.
• Expertise in facilitating adult education for a variety of health disciplines; able to apply adult learning principles and presentation skill in order to serve as knowledge broker/knowledge translation, coach and mentor.
• Advance level assessment; able to display expert critical thought and decision making; crisis management.
• Advanced problem-solving skill.
• Expert written and verbal communication skills
• Strong collaboration, relationship building and change management skills.
• Cross cultural sensitivity; awareness; knowledge racially, economically and socially diverse communities.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite skills (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to successfully engage/collaborate/partner with all levels of multidisciplinary stakeholders across the continuum of care in order to serve in advisory capacity, partner in research, supply resources and linkages.
• Ability to work autonomously with proficient time management.
• Commitment to effective teamwork.

Other Requirements

• A current and original copy of a satisfactory Criminal Records Check is required
• A Vulnerable Sector Search and/or Child Abuse Registry Check may be required
• Ability to speak French is an asset in French Designated areas.
• RNAO Membership or valid Liability Insurance
• Must be able to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Working conditions and physical demands: This role requires a detail-oriented approach in a dynamic environment, with physical activity including lifting, carrying (using proper techniques), bending, reaching, kneeling, and other movements that emphasize good body mechanics. Individuals in the role are required to walk, sit, stand, and climb stairs throughout the day, with some tasks requiring fine hand movements.

VON Canada is committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities and to providing accessibility accommodations for candidates who require them. If you are in need of accessibility support, please visit our website at for further details.

VON Canada is committed to embracing and celebrating equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as fundamental to living out our values of Respect, Compassion, and Excellence in all that we do.