Palliative Pain & Symptom Management Consult

Registered Nurse (RN) - Palliative Pain & Symptom Management Consultant

Position Summary

Develop and implement consultation and education objectives, as part of the Provincial Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultation Program, to support healthcare providers across community and long-term care settings in delivering a palliative approach to care, including the creation and facilitation of an annual regional education plan for Niagara.

Deliver consultation, case-based education, mentorship and formal educational courses to service providers of palliative care in a variety of care settings throughout Niagara Region. Collaborate with and coordinate resource teams and community providers in the provision of high quality, evidence-based palliative care services.

Provide support to furthering Hospice Niagara’s strategic goals, attend service planning meetings as requested and develop joint education initiatives as requested. 

The Palliative Care Consultant performs all duties in a safe and healthy manner, in accordance with Hospice Niagara’s policies and procedures, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other applicable legislation. 

Key Responsibilities

Program Management

• Develop an annual regional palliative care education and consultation plan
• Compile program data and statistics quarterly for OH reporting
• Collaborate with counterparts in Hamilton and Brant to establish expanded programming 
• Coordinate with Hospice Niagara Leadership to support and further the strategic plan of the organization
• Supervise and manage all program resources 
• Provide mentorship to other Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultants when requested, both locally and provincially 

 Clinical Education/Consultation:

• Offer formal education/consultation to service providers in person, onsite, by telephone, by videoconference or through email regarding care, e.g. assessment and management of pain and other symptoms
• Link providers with specialized hospice palliative care resources
• Assist service providers in the application of the Model to Guide Hospice Palliative Care, assessment tools and best practice guidelines
• Provide case-based and formal educational opportunities for service providers incorporating principles of adult learning
• Collaborate with community partners in educational initiatives
• Help build capacity amongst front line service providers in the delivery of palliative care utilizing tools such as the National Model to Guide Hospice Palliative Care and the OPCN Palliative Care Competency Framework
• Contribute to data collection, quality improvement programs and program evaluation
• Contribute to the development of policies and procedures for both Hospice Niagara and partner organizations
• Assist health care service providers in the application of the Model to Guide Hospice Palliative Care (HPC), assessment tools and evidence-informed guidelines
• Provide palliative pain and symptom management consultation and coaching for health service providers in Long Term Care (LTC) homes, Community Health Service Provider Agencies and other care settings, as required 
• Collaborate with LTC Homes’ and Community Agencies’ Leadership Teams to:
  • Identify current resources for providing HPC (inventory)
  • Identify strengths and gaps in service
  • Prioritize needs and create a plan of action to address gaps in service 
  • Create linkages and enhance communication among all staff, volunteers and departments
  • Track progress and evaluate action plan
• Support and promote provincially endorsed palliative care education programs such as the Comprehensive Advanced Palliative Care Education (CAPCE) Program 
• Incorporate evidence-informed practices and guidelines into education
• Facilitate the delivery of core education programs as needed; Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care, CAPCE, Advanced Palliative Practice Skills (APPS) for Support Workers; Essential Pain Management Program (EPM) for nurses, etc.

 Lateral Relationships:

• Work in partnership and collaboration with the Palliative Care Consultants in Hamilton, and Brant, as well as the Palliative Care Clinical Coach Niagara
• Collaborate with the Provincial Palliative Care Consultants via the Palliative Care Consultants Network (PCCN)
• Collaborate with other organizations/programs supporting LTC Homes; Psychogeriatric Resource Consultants, Geriatric Mental Health Outreach program, NP Led Outreach Team, RNAO BPG Coordinator, Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) etc. 

 Other:

• Identifies and participates in ongoing professional development and staff education
• Performs other duties that may be assigned

 Skills & Attributes

• Strong dedication to the vision, mission and values of Hospice Niagara
• Clear understanding and commitment to ethics, as they relate to hospice palliative care
• Effectively presents information in one-on-one and small group settings
• High degree of self-direction and self-motivation
• Highly developed inter-personal, problem solving and conflict management skills
• Demonstrates focus on person-centred care
• Demonstrated program development and evaluation skills
• Strong communication, critical thinking and interpersonal skills
• Experience in adult learning and education, including coaching and mentorship skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, with excellent time management skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English (proficiency in French and other languages considered an asset)
• Demonstrates organizational, critical thinking and prioritization skills
• Proficiency in computer skills including Outlook, Microsoft Word and databases
• Valid Ontario driver’s license with own reliable vehicle for transportation across the Niagara region for consultations, meetings and education
• Willingness to work flexible hours to meet the requirements of this position 
• Exhibit a professional, compassionate and caring approach
• Demonstrate strong active listening and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to develop relationships with adult learners based on trust, compassion and empathy
• Effectively set appropriate boundaries and understand the limitations of volunteers in client care
• Demonstrate a healthy adjustment to loss and exercise ongoing self-care

Academic, Training, Knowledge & Experience 

• More than two years of clinical expertise in palliative care with gerontology experience
• CNA Certification in Hospice Palliative Care
• Baccalaureate in Nursing 
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, including LTC Homes Act, Health Care Consent Act, Substitute Decisions Act., etc.
• Related experience with expert knowledge in hospice palliative care, end-of-life care, and oncology with supervision of clinical practice (preferred) and experience working across health care settings
• Strong consultation skills with expert knowledge of models of consultation and their application with individual, team and community service providers
• Research and/or program evaluation, experience with knowledge of evidence based processes, including appraisal of research, application of findings and collaboration on research projects
• Vulnerable Sector Police Check (favourable, within past 12 months)
• Fundamentals of Palliative Care (preferred, must be completed within 12 months of hire)
• First Aid/CPR (preferred, must be taken within 12 months of hire)
• Mask Fit (preferred, must be completed within 12 months of hire)