Registered Nurse (RN)/Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) Mental Health, Emergency Services

BC Children's Hospital

Vancouver, BC

You’re a skilled professional nurse who practices with compassion, confidence, collaboration, and without judgement. Working in pediatric mental health / emergency psychiatry provides you with the professional challenge you desire: nursing practice that cares for the whole person – using assessments for physical, psychosocial, and mental health, collaborating with specialists and resources, and initiating treatments plans for crisis care through to post-discharge. You are seeking an opportunity to impact more lives, more families, whole communities – and the Emergency Department at BC Children’s Hospital will provide professional challenge and growth alongside a group of dedicated colleagues.

What you’ll do

The Registered Nurse, Mental Health Emergency, works collaboratively as part of an inter-professional team and within an evidence-based trauma-informed model of care within the Emergency Department of BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH). The RN role supports all aspects of therapeutic care of patients with behavioural, emotional and mental health presentations, performing assessments and providing care and medications in consultation with physicians and consultants. Acting as an educational resource for the department staff, the RN supports problem solving related to patient care and care plan revisions, and develops resources for health teaching with patients and their families. High-level duties include:

• Provide direct health care services to children and youth presenting with a wide variety and complexity of mental health presentations.
• Perform physical, psychosocial and mental health assessments, collaborates with physicians and allied health as required, administers prescribed treatments and medications according to policy.
• Observe, monitor, evaluate and document patient progress, symptoms and behavioural changes. Perform a variety of health care interventions, utilizing nursing skills and medical equipment including therapeutic interventions using a variety of modalities.
• Assess the patient’s needs in collaboration with the emergency team during the intake procedure to determine patient disposition. Develop care and treatment plans with final dispositions authorized by the emergency department physician and/or consulting psychiatrist. Provide general and crisis counseling to patients and their families including brief crisis intervention, referrals to community resources/department social workers. Initiate and facilitate discharge planning and referrals.
• Support the process of admission and transfer to inpatient units by supporting the needs of the patient and their family, providing information to the receiving unit and facilitating transition by sharing emergency treatment outcomes and care plans to the inpatient unit.

What you bring:

• Current practicing registration as a Registered Nurse or Registered Psychiatric Nurse with the British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives (BCCNM).
• Three (3) years’ recent related experience working with children, adolescents and families on an inpatient child/adolescent mental health unit including one (1) year’s recent related experience in a crisis or emergency psychiatry setting, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Current CPR and CPI training.

You are able to demonstrate your:

• Comprehensive knowledge of emergency triage procedures, mental health assessment, substance use, psychopharmacology in children, general counseling principles and interview techniques, crisis theory, trauma-informed care, abnormal psychology, de-escalation techniques and knowledge of community resources.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to make decisions in both an independent and consultative manner in a clinical setting.
• Ability to relate effectively and establish rapport with psychotic and crisis-prone adolescents, children and their families.
• Ability to participate as a member of a multidisciplinary care team, and function as a nursing resource team member.
• Awareness of and commitment to learning and understanding the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight Report (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), and other related reports.
• 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).
• Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities impacting indigenous communities and familiarity with Indigenous Cultural Safety and anti-racism and accompanying reports (BC DRIPA, TRC, etc.)

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 and development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
• Access to professional development opportunities through our in-house training programs, including +2,000 courses, such as our San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training course, or Core Linx for Leadership roles.
• 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 

Wage: $36.23 - $47.58 per hour

Location: 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver V6H 2N9

Applications will be accepted until positions are filled.

Hours of Work: As per rotation; 0700-1906 hours; 1900-0706 hours

Requisition # 135707E

As per the current Public Health Order, full vaccination against COVID-19 is a condition of employment with PHSA as of October 26, 2021.

What we do

BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH) provides care for the most seriously ill or injured children and youth from across British Columbia.

BCCH are part of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

PHSA plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Cultivate partnerships – Serve with purpose.

Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

PHSA and BCCH are committed to employment equity, encouraging all qualified individuals to apply. We recognize that our ability to provide the best care for our diverse patient populations relies on a rich diversity of skills, knowledge, background and experience, and value a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment.

Reconciliation is an ongoing process and a shared responsibility for all of us. The BC Governments’ unanimous passage of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act was a significant step forward in this journey—one that all health authorities are expected to support as we work in cooperation with Indigenous Peoples to establish a clear and sustainable path to lasting reconciliation. True reconciliation will take time and ongoing commitment to work with Indigenous Peoples as they move toward self-determination. Guiding these efforts Crown agencies must remain focused on creating opportunities that implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Mandate.

ATTN: PHSA Employees:

To be considered as a PHSA employee (internal applicant) for this position, you must apply online via your internal profile at http://internaljobs.phsa.ca    

Please note the internal job posting will no longer be accessible after the expiry date of November 11, 2022. If the internal job posting has expired, please contact the Internal Jobs Help Desk and advise that you would like to be considered as a late internal applicant for this position. Please do not apply for the external job posting.

If you have not registered your internal profile, a password is required to log in for the first time. To obtain your password, please contact the Internal Jobs Help Desk at 604-875-7264 or 1-855-875-7264. Please note regular business hours are Monday – Friday (excluding stats), 8:30am to 4:30pm. For inquiries outside of regular business hours, please email the Internal Jobs Help Desk at internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca and a Help Desk Representative will contact you the next business day.