Public Health Nurse, School Health Team (TFT)(ONA 9.24)
Norfolk County, Canada

Scope of Position:

The School Public Health Nurse (PHN) will play an integral role in supporting school communities across the Norfolk Haldimand counties. The PHN will partner with the entire school community students, staff and families to build healthy school communities that promote student well-being and support learning. The School PHN will address issues that are broad, impact the school population, and promote health and prevent disease and injury.

The incumbent will work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders and partners to implement the OPHS School Health Standard.

Position Description:

• Contributes to health promotion and disease prevention initiatives to individuals and the community.
• Provides nursing service for individuals, families, groups and the community according to the program specific policies and procedures, the program’s operational requirements.
• Meets the professional practice standards as defined by the College of Nurses of Ontario.
• PHN’s will meet and adhere to the Current Canadian Community Health Nursing Standards of Practice, and the Core Competencies as defined by the Public Health Agency of Canada and Public Health Nursing Discipline Specific Competencies.

Using the Ontario Public Health Standards, the Public Health Nurse:

• Promotes health, using strategies including health promotion, disease and injury prevention and health protection;
• Facilitates planned change through the application of the Population Health Model;
• Demonstrates knowledge and effectively implements health promotion strategies;
• Collaborates with the individual/community to assist them in taking responsibility for maintaining or improving their health; understands and uses social marketing and media advocacy strategies to raise consciousness and change behaviors, if other enabling factors are present.
• Helps individuals/communities make informed choices about protective and preventative measures such as immunization, birth control and breastfeeding; assists individuals/communities identify potential risks to health;
• Utilizes harm reduction principles to identify and reduce or remove risk;
• Collaborates in developing and using follow-up systems within the practice setting to ensure that the individual/community receives appropriate and effective service;
• Applies epidemiological principles in using strategies such as screening, surveillance, immunization, communicable disease response and outbreak management and education.
• Works collaboratively with the individual/community, other professionals, agencies and sectors to build individual and community capacity, through activities including, the identification of needs, strengths and available resources, expanding partnerships for health promotion, and use of community development principles.
• Provides culturally sensitive care in diverse communities;
• Advocates for appropriate resource allocation;
• Adapts practice in response to the changing health needs of the individual/community;
• Collaborates with individuals and communities to identify and provide programs and delivery methods that are acceptable to them and responsive to their needs;
• Assesses the impact of the determinants of health.
• Takes preventive and/or corrective action to protect individuals/communities from unsafe or unethical circumstances;
• Utilizes informatics to support nursing practice;
• Mentors students and novice practitioners;
• Participates in research and professional activities;
• Documents activities in a timely and thorough manner;
• Utilizes reflective practice;
• Seeks professional development experiences that are consistent with current community health nursing practice, new and emerging issues, the changing needs of the population, the evolving impact of the determinants of health and emerging research;
• Uses available resources to evaluate the availability, acceptability, quality, efficiency and effectiveness of community health nursing practice qualifications.
• Contribute to the identification and prioritization of areas for improvement within the six dimensions of quality (safe, effective, efficient, timely, person-centred and equitable).
• Engage with colleagues in a systematic approach to quality improvement, including the definition of the purpose and scope; development, testing and implementation of change ideas; and measurement of reach and impact.

Requirements

Knowledge and Experience:

• Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing.
• Current Certificate of Annual Registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario as a Registered Nurse.
• Minimum two years’ experience in nursing, preferred.

Job Rewards and Benefits