Nurse Practitioner

The Nurse Practitioner (NP) will be accountable to the Program Director of Child and Family Community Integrated Care and the Chief of Interprofessional Practice. The NP will function within the five domains of the NP role identified by the Canadian Nurses Association's APN Framework. These domains consist of clinical practice, research, leadership, consultation and collaboration and education.

The NP will be available to healthcare providers and clinical programs to consult, assess and develop treatment plans for patients up to 18 years of age, including medication management, consultations, co-medical presentations and medical/psychiatry dilemmas through the outpatient mental health programs. The NP will work in collaboration with psychologist's & psychiatrists in the mental health outpatient programs servicing Hamilton and the South- West Region. Longer term goals will include building linkages and capacity with community services and providing NP led medication clinics. The role will also build clinical relationships with service partners, providers and physicians to build/enhance clinical skill and competency regarding mental health needs of clients with co-medical diagnoses, medication management and developmentally appropriate collaborative plans of care to create treatment protocols consistent with best practice recommendations.

1. Current Certificate of Registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario as a Registered Nurse Extended Class RN (EC). 
2. Completion of a Master's Degree in Nursing, with a Nurse Practitioner Certificate in Pediatrics, (NP-Pediatrics) 
3. Minimum 3 years' experience in the following: 
a. Child and youth mental health assessment, diagnostic interventions, treatment planning and evaluation for patients in a pediatric tertiary care mental health setting. 
b. Use of therapeutic modalities including CBT, DBT and motivational interviewing. 
c. Leading and facilitating the development and implementation of basic and advanced child and youth mental health specific education for patients, families, staff, and other health professionals. 
d. Proficiency in performing detailed mental health risk assessments for children and youth.
e. Collaborating with medical teams to address the mental health needs of children and youth with chronic health conditions. 
4. Knowledge and experience with the use of current legislation, including the Health Care Consent Act, the Mental Health Act and the Patient Restraint Minimization Act. 
5. Proficiency in conducting capacity assessments in children and youth presenting with mental health crises. 
6. Experience in managing emergency psychiatric situations including violence and aggression.
7. Knowledge and assessment of child and adolescent developmental stages and influence on child and youth mental health presentations. 
8. Experience in the development and maintenance of medical directives 
9. Experience in research, including writing grant proposals and leading research initiatives. 
10. Experience in formal program development and evaluation, grounded in evidence-based approaches. 
11. Demonstrated ability for independent action, initiative, problem solving, critical thinking, organization and prioritization 
12. Demonstrated mastery of effective communication with patients, caregivers and coworkers, both written and verbal 
13. Demonstrated ability to work in a consultative role with the members of the multidisciplinary team
14. Demonstrated ability to be flexible and adapt positively to constantly changing clinical situations
15. Demonstrated ability to utilize information technology 
16. Committed to acquire new knowledge and ensure competency 
17. Be eligible for  cross appointment with McMaster University School of Nursing at the undergraduate and graduate level