Clinical Nurse Specialist – District Stroke

Job Description

Reporting to the Program Director, the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) stroke will provide comprehensive, specialized, and advanced care for patients in the clinical specialty of stroke nursing. The successful candidate will practice within the interprofessional team model and be responsible for promoting best practices in stroke care to enhance patient safety, outcomes, and access to care for the TIA/Stroke patient population. The CNS will promote excellence in care of adults through direct patient care, program design, clinical consultation, staff education and research. The CNS serves as a consultant and resource to nurses/nursing educators, physicians, interprofessional teams and external partners. The CNS will work in close collaboration with the District Stroke Coordinator, District Medical Lead and Patient Care Manager of the integrated stroke unit. As a recognized District Stroke Centre, Mackenzie Health is accountable for providing leadership, development, implementation, and integration of stroke care throughout the district. The CNS will work with the Central East Stroke Network and other external partner organizations to initiate and sustain strategies that will support the creation of a seamless system of care to ensure best possible outcomes for stroke patients.

Contribute to safe, quality care by:

• Shares specialized expert knowledge through the consultation process utilizing the domains of advanced practice of care; this may focus on clinical issues relevant to structure (environment, delivery of care); process (developing nursing standards, program development); or outcomes.
• Identifies and evaluates clinical issues and communicates findings appropriately.
• Works collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams and the district stroke team to determine clinical program needs and develop/ drive program workplans.
• Uses a continuous quality improvement approach to participate in the evaluation, development and implementation of education, policies and protocols that promote excellence in nursing practice.
• Initiates and maintains links with other stroke advanced practice nurses in Central East Stroke Network to advance clinical outcomes for patients within the district.
• Liaises with nursing personnel and other disciplines to ensure patients receive needed and appropriate treatment in a timely, effective, and safe manner.
• Provides direct, specialized care and/or consultation to patients, families, health care professionals and community partners where advanced nursing expertise is required.
• Researches, develops, and implements educational programs (formal and informal) for patients, families, and healthcare professionals on behalf of the District Stroke Centre and district partners.
• Facilitates an environment conducive to collaboration and continuous professional development.
• Contributes to the continuing education of nurses, other healthcare professionals and students in the management of specific health problems through coaching, role modeling, mentoring, preceptorship and/or through formal presentations.
• Disseminates and facilitates the implementation of recent innovations and research findings relevant to nursing practice and client outcomes.
• Interprets, utilizes, and promotes the use of current evidence, valid research, and theory as the basis of nursing practice.
• Shares knowledge through presentations at professional meetings and through publication in scholarly journals.
• Evaluate present practice at the individual and system levels considering current research findings.
• Active participant in relevant professional activities/associations.
• Support capacity building approaches to promote best practices, standards, and guidelines for the delivery of stroke care across the continuum of care in the region.
• Support and promote research and knowledge transfer activities, at the district, regional and provincial levels.
• Assigns appropriate activities to other staff and volunteers, provides effective supervision, leadership, and direction.
• Provides corporate leadership for stroke nursing practice.
• Promotes a positive work environment that supports reflective practice, life-long learning, creativity, and innovation in nursing care.

What must you have?

• Master’s Degree in Nursing required with a clinical focus in neuroscience/stroke.
• Current certificate of competence and member in good standing from the College of Nurses of Ontario as an RN or RN (EC).
• Minimum of two (2) to five (5) years of demonstrated current expertise in stroke nursing.
• Membership in the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario
• National certification in chosen specialty from the Canadian Nurses Association, preferred
• Specialty certifications related to the area of expertise

What else do you bring?

• Advanced clinical knowledge, program design and evaluation, project management and implementation of evidenced based practice
• Superior interpersonal, coaching, and leadership skills to facilitate identification and development of staff learning needs
• Excellent decision making, problem recognition and problem solving skills
• Demonstrated commitment to continuing professional development
• A strong desire and capacity to promote professional practice and excellence in evidence-based, patient centered care.
• Reinforces best practice standards of care and strong interprofessional team functioning in collaboration with the care team, partnering physicians, Neurology Physician lead, Program Director, and stroke network partners.
• Excellent practice program development and project management skills
• Facilitates application of Mackenzie Health Professional Competencies
• Self-directed and capable of successfully leading project teams to achieve desired outcomes
• Effective communication skills, engages others, and is a reflective listener and learner
• Proven analytical thinking and proactive problem solving and decision-making skills
• Excellent report writing skills
• Demonstrated knowledge of evaluation methodologies
• Proficient with computer MS Office suite programs including: Word, PowerPoint, Excel & Outlook.
• Working knowledge of the College of Nurses of Ontario standards of practice.
• Proven attendance record.
• Demonstrates understanding and complies with patient and staff safety policies and procedures that foster a safe and inclusive environment for all.
• Models’ behaviour consistent with Mackenzie Health’s values – excellence, leadership, and empathy
• Commitment to providing an exceptional experience for staff and clients within a challenging and exciting health care environment.

* You may be assigned to any Mackenzie Health-Main location.

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Mackenzie Health is an inclusive and equal opportunity employer committed to providing accommodations for applicants upon request at any stage of the recruitment process in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Our hiring process does not involve the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess or select applicants.