Forensic Community & Liaison Nurse

Forensic Community & Liaison Nurse - Registered Nurse (RN)/ Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN)

BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services

Penticton, BC

This Regular, Part-Time (0.50 FTE) opportunity with the Forensic Psychiatric Penticton Regional Clinic located in Penticton BC!

You are a Registered Nurse or Registered Psychiatric Nurse who works with compassion and care while practicing trauma-informed care. You’re seeking a meaningful role that provides challenge, variety, and the opportunity to make an impact on others’ lives. As someone who seeking to better your own practice through others, you appreciate your interdisciplinary team members and enjoy collaborating on complex care issues, using trauma informed practice, harm reduction, and Indigenous Cultural Safety.

What is Forensics

Forensic Psychiatric Regional Clinics and Programs are for people with a mental health and/or substance use disorder who have come into contact with the law. The courts may refer them to one of our regional clinics for assessment and treatment. We believe that people, when properly supported, have the ability to manage most aspects of their lives. We focus on people's strengths and resources instead of on symptoms and problems. They are a key member of their treatment team and an active participant in their own care. We help them get the care, support, and treatment they need.

Watch this video to learn about working with BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services!

A first in Canada: minimum Nurse‑to‑Patient Ratios (mNPRs) are being introduced in B.C.! The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), alongside B.C.'s other regional health authorities, is implementing mNPRs as a transformative staffing initiative that aims to improve the working environment of nurses in order to provide better quality care to our patients. Learn more at: jobs.phsa.ca/mnpr

What you’ll do

• Conduct initial intake and ongoing biopsychosocial nursing psychiatric assessments including current mental status examinations, general assessments of physical health, special needs/precautions, and complete all related assessment tools as per policy. Identify, develop and implement an Integrated Treatment Plan (ITP) based on the evaluation of clinical risk and need through the completion of the Short-term Assessment of Risk & Treatability (START). Ensure the Regional Clinic Manager is informed of emerging problems, unusual circumstances, plans of action, and legal issues concerning assigned clients. Screen to determine whether referral to or liaison with other agencies is required and whether appropriate community options exist.
• Provide community case coordination and advocacy services for clients by methods such as communicating and monitoring client contacts with mental health teams, private psychiatrists, family physicians, probation, other specialists, and social service agencies that are involved in the provision of services to the client to ensure continuity of care and sharing of pertinent information; establishing and maintaining excellent working relationships with all resources; communicating closely with treating psychiatrists/psychologists to ensure ongoing evaluation and effective treatment; and working in collaboration with other community resources to meet the client’s need for assistance including financial, housing, medical and psychiatric care, substance abuse intervention, family support, employment/skills training opportunities, life skills training, transportation, and prosocial/recreational programs.
• Maintain concise and accurate documentation of relevant information on client files in accordance with FPSC policy standards to meet regulatory requirements and provide evidence and rationale to support findings and treatment plan such as compiling pertinent background information for clinical case planning and collecting information to assist psychiatrists/psychologists in the preparation of reports for the Courts. Provide written reports and summaries as per FPSC policy, standards and guidelines.
• Provide nursing services, information and support, and short-term, time-limited follow-up as required by methods such as addressing immediate social or mental health needs, providing counseling/therapeutic support to individual clients and their families, and acting as a group co-facilitator as required; assisting with finding shelter, food, financial assistance, medication or referral to other appropriate resources; administering medications and assessing their effectiveness, monitoring client for presence of side effects such as extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), tardive dyskinesia and other movement disorders related to psychoactive medications, providing information on medication management, including teaching the client about benefits and possible side effects; and giving advice and information about mental illness, personality disorders, range of treatment options available, court process, community options, and resources and education on mental illness.

What you bring

Qualifications

• Graduation from an approved School of Nursing with current practicing registration as a Registered Nurse or Registered Psychiatric Nurse with the British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives (BCCNM).
• Two (2) years recent, related experience working with individuals in the community with severe and persistent psychiatric illness.
• Valid BC Drivers License. Local area travel may require the use of a personal vehicle.

Skills and Knowledge

• Broad knowledge of nursing theory and Forensic Psychiatric Nursing practice
• Broad knowledge of British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives (BCCNM) standards of professional practice and Code of Ethics.
• Broad knowledge of other facilities and community resources.
• Broad knowledge of other health care disciplines and their role in client care.
• Broad knowledge of Bill C30 and the Provincial Court system.
• Broad knowledge of psychopharmacology (indications and side-effects).
• Commitment to develop knowledge and understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents – including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study – and how they intersect across the health care system.
• Commitment to upholding the shared responsibility of creating lasting and meaningful reconciliation in Canada as per TRC (2015) and BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019).
• As a strong asset for consideration, we are looking for our successful candidate to have: Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (The Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).

What we bring

Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That’s why we’re focused on your care too – offering health, wellness, development programs to support you – at work and at home.

• Join one of BC’s largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations – offering vast opportunities for growth, development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
• Access to professional development opportunities through our 2,000+ in-house courses including a range of experience level, profession-specific, or other essential training on Indigenous Cultural Safety; Indigenous-specific anti-racism; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and accessibility, mental health and well-being, and more.
• Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
• Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
• PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
• Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.

Job Type: Regular, Part-Time (0.50 FTE)

Wage: $42.34 - $56.83 per hour

Location: 740 Carmi Avenue, Penticton, BC, V2A 8P9

Hours of Work: Tuesday – Thursday; 0830-1515

Requisition: # 200605E

Please indicate in your cover letter why you are interested in joining our team at Forensic Psychiatric Regional Clinics in Penticton!

If you are a new grad (graduated in the last 18 months and have NOT completed the new grad program at another health authority), we ask all new grads apply to one posting. You can find the posting and more information about our new grad program through this link: