Hospice Counsellor

**Job Description**:
In accordance with the Vision, Purpose, and Values, and strategic direction of the Vancouver Island Health Authority ( Island Health), patient and staff safety is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone; as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

Reporting to Manager of Psychosocial Services, conducts assessments, provides counselling interventions and evaluates services to individuals, families and groups. Provides leadership and initiative on psychosocial care through research, education, resource and program development, mentorship, education and advocacy. Provides consultation and collaborates with interdisciplinary team, other formal and informal health agencies, educational resources and health care professionals to achieve excellence in psychosocial hospice palliative care. Records appropriate client information and collects required program statistics. Maintains knowledge of and contributes to current theory and practice in Hospice Palliative Care.

**QUALIFICATIONS**:
**Education, Training And Experience**:
Master's degree in a counselling related field. Minimum two years of recent relevant experience, and demonstrated specialized knowledge of providing psychosocial care in a Hospice Palliative Care setting. Demonstrated understanding of strengths based, client-centred perspective and work within an interdisciplinary team.

**Skills And Abilities**:

- Ability to elicit the needs of individuals and families from their perspectives, incorporating their cultural and spiritual beliefs and use that understanding to enhance communication, service provision, decision making and problem solving within an interdisciplinary setting.
- Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written reports.
- Ability to build rapport and maintain therapeutic relationships that go beyond the initial presentation of concerns to ask difficult questions and discuss sensitive topics.
- Ability to identify goals, develop care plans and evaluate outcomes in concert with individuals, families and care teams.
- Ability to work collaboratively with other team members and to accept and provide direction, feedback and input as necessary.
- Ability to lead Hospice Palliative Care capacity building in the community.
- Attention to personal strengths and limitations and ability to recognize when supervision or support is needed.
- Travel is a requirement of this job.
- Travel arrangements must meet the requirements of the program.

**Job Requirements**: