Nurse Team Lead

The Nurse Team Lead is a key role within AVI Health and Community Services, responsible for collaborating with the Nurse Manager to develop, support, and deliver nursing care within our organization.

• Clinical Expertise:
  • Stay up to date on current research and best practices in treatment harm reduction prescribing, treatment of substance use disorder, HIV, HCV, and other primary care and specialty care areas of relevance.
  • Determine educational opportunities of nursing staff and develop learning plans in collaboration with the NM to ensure nursing team is working to a standard of best practice.
  • Coordinate access to certification courses in topics such as phlebotomy, harm reduction fundamentals, basic counseling skills, wound care, assessment skills, etc. to staff by means such as preparing written materials, facilitating workshops, and overseeing clinical practice sessions.
  • Collaborate in the development of policy and protocol as pertains to clinical practices.
  • Support orientation of new nursing staff members to organizational practices, standards of care, and policy and procedure.
• Team Leadership:
  • Shared supervision, mentorship, and coaching of all nursing designations at the SAFER Victoria clinic alongside the Nurse Manager.
  • Collaborate with the Nurse Manager to ensure open communication and coordination across the multidisciplinary SAFER services.
  • Work with site leadership to identify and respond to nursing staff support needs, participant concerns, and issues related to clinical practice.
  • Support Nurse Manager in addressing practice improvement with nursing team members.
  • Monitor and support nursing staff needs, the work environment and relevant risks ensuring appropriate resources are in place.
  • Evaluate equipment, products, and supplies in coordination with the leadership team to ensure efficient and effective inventory and purchasing processes, as well as the identification and follow-up of maintenance issues.
  • Promote and facilitate a safe and therapeutic environment for the provision of care including addressing and documenting and following up on any risk management, critical incidents, and emergency-related issues.
  • Additional responsibilities include supply ordering, PharmaNet/chart audits, scheduling, coordinating case conferences and reporting, all in collaboration with the Nurse Manager.
• Clinical Practice:
  • Provision of direct participant care as a clinic nurse. The nurse team lead is considered supernumerary to baseline staffing but is intended to be an in-clinic leader who provides direct participant care and mentorship to the nursing team.
  • Regularly meets with the leadership team to review and incorporate feedback from participant experiences and identified safe supply priorities from local, provincial, and national networks of People Who Use Drugs.
  • Regularly reviews and supports development and implementation of clinical protocols in collaboration with the leadership team and community partners.

• Graduation from an approved school of practical nursing with a diploma in practical nursing with current practicing registration as an LPN with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).
• Minimum 3-5 years recent full scope nursing experience working with people with high levels of poly-substance use.
• Experience in healthcare education, adult education, or program development is an asset.
• Leadership experience within a BCNU or other union work site an asset.
• Previous experience working in supervised consumption/overdose prevention services or safer supply programs, including experience responding to medical emergencies such as overdose (naloxone administration, airway management, etc.).
• Strong knowledge of substance uses disorder and opiate agonist treatment options.
• Commitment to harm reduction and social justice principles and experience working with individuals who experience intersecting systemic oppression.
• Understanding of the impact on individual health and well-being, as well as the considerations for service delivery, related to systemic barriers associated with poverty, mental health, substance use, trauma, racism, colonialism, heterosexism, and gender discrimination.
• Able to respectfully engage and support Indigenous relationships, with a trauma informed and decolonial lens.
• Demonstrated understanding of public health and equity-oriented models of social support and health care.
• Relevant or applicable training/experience in anti-racism and a demonstrated commitment to anti-colonial learning/unlearning.
• Strong analysis of colonialism and the ways in which historical and ongoing colonial violence impacts Indigenous People intergenerationally.
• Knowledge of local Indigenous and non-Indigenous social services including housing, income and food security supports that may benefit persons served.
• Demonstrated skills, experience, and knowledge in the areas of primary care, substance use, harm reduction, HIV, HCV, sexual health, mental health, and health promotion.
• Demonstrated commitment to person-centered healthcare service provision.
• Works well under pressure and in stressful situations.
• Capable, independent practitioner and committed team member.
• Excellent communication, conflict resolution and crisis management skills.
• To comply with current BC Public Health Orders, must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have an approved medical exemption. Proof of vaccination status will be required for successful applicants for positions covered by the order.
• Current Valid BC Drivers' License an asset.
• Ability to work weekends.

• Demonstrated skills, experience, and knowledge in the areas of primary care, substance use, harm reduction, HIV, HCV, sexual health, mental health, health promotion, and impact of systemic poverty.
• Demonstrated commitment to the policy and practice of harm reduction, cultural safety, and trauma and violence informed practices.
• Ability to establish and maintain respectful rapport with participants.
• Ability to observe and recognize subtle changes in participants.
• Strong advocacy skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbal and written.
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload.
• Practiced conflict resolution and non-violent crisis intervention skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to use related equipment including computer to complete documentation, data, and reports using Electronic Medical Records.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position and operate related equipment.
• Ability to work outdoors during all types of weather and in all seasons.

• Pay: per BCNU grid, LPN Level 2 $34.20/hour to $42.79/hour
• Hours and Schedule: 37.5 hours per week, shifts falling between Monday to Friday, 9:30am – 5:30pm. Hours and days of the week to change as per program needs
• Term: This position is ongoing, subject to ongoing funding.
• Location: AVI SAFER Clinics, Victoria office and in the community as needed
• Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Nurses' Bargaining Association and this role is an Included Position.
• Benefits: This position will be eligible for extended health, life and AD&D coverage in compliance with the BCNU Collective Agreement. AVI pays for the entire cost of the plan on behalf of its staff.
• Pension: This position will be enrolled in the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP) after your first 3 months with AVI. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account.
• Other Perks: This position gets 7.69% vacation (equivalent of 20 days), receives 13 paid stat holidays throughout the year and accrues a Sick Bank of 6.92%. Sick and Vacation Days are both available to be used after your first 3 months at AVI.