Nurse Practitioner - Geriatric Program

Job Description

The Nurse Practitioner (NP) - Geriatrics, works with the interprofessional team and physician partners to meet the unique needs of patients requiring geriatric consultation.

S / he provides leadership and promotes excellence in nursing through the roles of practitioner, consultant, educator, researcher, and leader.

By utilizing theoretical and clinical expertise in this specialty area, the NP delivers advanced practice nursing to patients and families with complex situations within the in-patient and community / ambulatory settings.

S / he contributes to the education and professional development of nursing / interdisciplinary staff, students and the professional community within these areas of specialization, and participates in academic and research projects.

The NP - Geriatrics integrates research into practice to ensure best practice standards are maintained and incorporated into clinical initiatives.

The Nurse Practitioner (NP) Geriatrics will utilize a comprehensive theoretical knowledge base and an advanced level of clinical competence in caring for both inpatients and outpatients.

This will involve health assessment and diagnosis of medical and cognitive problems, developing and implementing a plan of care, providing health counselling and emotional support in the areas of health promotion and the prevention of illness, injury and complications.

The NP will work in collaboration with consulting Geriatricians to facilitate early assessment and intervention for patients requiring geriatric consults.

In this role the NP will provide geriatric consultation for the Inpatient population as well as support the inter-professional teams with geriatric consultations in the Outpatient Clinic.

For the Inpatient Gerontological population the NP will support the management of geriatric patients in collaboration with the interdisciplinary geriatric team.

This includes a comprehensive nursing / medical history, physical and psychosocial assessment of the patient’s status. Utilizes established care paths and order sets to guide care practices for the geriatric population from admission through to discharge.

Identifies opportunities to enhance care practice with this unique population. Supports the inpatient geriatric team through completion of comprehensive initial patient assessments and establishes individualized treatment and care plans for the complex geriatric patients in collaboration with the geriatrician.

Provides direct, specialized geriatric care, and / or consultation to patients, families, health care professionals and community partners in complex situations where advanced nursing expertise is required.

Further, the Nurse Practitioner (NP) may also support the Outpatient Clinics (ie. Urgent Care, Falls Prevention, Osteoporosis and Geriatric Assessment) utilizing a comprehensive theoretical knowledge base and an advanced level of clinical competence in caring for patients and families that are seen in these clinics.

This will involve health assessment and diagnosis, health care management and therapeutic intervention (including diagnostic, pharmacological, complementary and counselling), as well as health promotion and the prevention of illness, injury and complications.

The NP will work closely with the geriatrician and interdisciplinary team in the clinics to assess and manage the frail elderly clients seen in the clinics and to establish ongoing care plans and follow-up management.

Additional responsibilities may include :

• Direct Comprehensive Care - Obtains and documents a comprehensive health history, performs a physical examination on patients requiring acute geriatric assessment, collaborates closely with the Geriatricians and other members of the Interdisciplinary team, and coordinates care involving other healthcare providers.
• Leadership - Provides leadership in the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of quality management programs.

Participates and provides leadership in the strategic planning process for the delivery of Geriatric care. Supports educational initiatives directed at Nursing and Allied Health staff to promote and provide Geriatric care that meets best practice standards.

• Education - Contributes to the development / implementation and evaluation of patient education programs. Conducts educational teaching sessions with patients and / or families with a focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and impact of illness experience on the patient and family.
• Research - Encourages, supports, and facilitates the development of researchable questions in clinical practice.
• Consultation - Provides consultation internally and externally for clinical practice issues within the NP’s area of specialty and scope of practice.

Qualifications

• Current registration in the Extended Class with the College of Nurses of Ontario required
• Master’s Degree in Nursing required
• Minimum 3 years Nursing Experience, with Geriatric expertise preferred
• CNA Specialty Certification in Gerontology preferred
• Eligible for cross-appointment to an academic institution preferred
• Membership in related professional associations required, (NPAO, RNAO, Geriatric Nursing Association membership, etc.)
• Innovative, creative and professional role model
• Ability to prioritize / organize multiple demands
• Ability to work autonomously
• Proficient with Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Able to meet the physical demands of the position
• Satisfactory employment and attendance record required

Additional Information

Salary : $ to $

Date Re-Posted : April 3, 2024

Note for internals : Initial internal deadline passed, new applicants welcome to apply!

Previous posting #929736

The ideal candidate is strong in patient centered care in a dynamic, rapidly changing environment and should be ready to drive change and innovation.

We require a person with good communication skills with a clear patient focus with the ability to manage execution and to foster teamwork and cooperation.