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Job Specification
Position Title: RN SUPERVISOR
Job Code: MCP - Nursing PM-14, PNR14
Job ID: 20883

Purpose of Position:
To supervise the provision of health care services for the institution on an assigned shift; to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the institutions health care services centre and the general health care of inmates within a multi-disciplinary team in order to ensure a safe environment for both inmates and staff through the effective delivery of medical and nursing programs/services; to assist in the development and implementation of health care policies, practices and procedures and to provide professional direction to subordinate staff; to act as Manager, Health Care Services as required.

Duties/Responsibilities:
In a very large modern maximum-security correctional institution, with significant on-site industrial production operations, with adult offenders demonstrating diverse medical/physical conditions and a wide range of psycho-pathology, the incumbent is responsible for:
1. Supervising the provision of health care services on an assigned shift, ensuring the effective and efficient operation of the institutions health care services, including Female and Segregation Units, the Health Care Services Unit, the maintenance, distribution and security of all medications, including narcotic and controlled drugs, equipment, and medical and treatment supplies; supervising Medical Clerks, assigning duties, checking quality of work, ensuring records are properly maintained to standards, OTIS changes are made; providing professional direction and demonstration of evidenced-based nursing techniques and practices, providing coaching and counselling in evidence based practices, reporting ability to meet College of Nurses of Ontario standards and practice expectations to Manager, Health Care Services; ensuring the general health care of inmates within a multi-disciplinary team in order to ensure a safe environment for both inmates and staff through the effective delivery of medical and nursing programs/services and the utilization of physical, human and material resources within identified guidelines; reviewing incident reports from previous shift, meeting with Manager, Health Care Services, to review occurrences during shift, issues, areas of concern, trends, patterns; dealing with a variety of medical emergencies within the institution for both staff, inmates and industrial production areas.
2. Assisting in the development of goals and objectives for delivery of efficient, quality health care services; planning, assisting in the formulation and effective administration of the Health Care Services Department budget, requisitioning supplies, signs for receipt of medications, authorizing emergency repairs, and contracting service providers as directed/required. Monitoring adherence to budget allotments, maintaining and controlling equipment inventories, assists in ordering pharmaceuticals, assists in producing monthly departmental financial statistical reports, reporting financial issues and deficits, reporting gaps in care to Manager, Health Care Services.
3. Providing direct nursing care to inmates as required; administering/monitoring medications, in consultation with offender, physician and other treatment professionals; providing crisis intervention/management and health care counselling and education, providing emergency first aid and TB testing to facility staff.
4. Providing input into performance appraisals of assigned classified and unclassified staff, assisting with recruitment and selection, orientation, training and development, ongoing evaluation of performance, as well as establishing, organizing and administering shift and vacation schedules for approval, differentiating and assigning duties to R.N.s and R.P.N.s in accordance with College of Nurses Practice Expectations and MCSCS guidelines.
5. Providing supervision to nursing staff in: the coordination and administration of various physiological tests such as urine, blood and T.B; the co-ordination and scheduling of referrals for psychiatric, medical, optical, laboratory, radiology, dental, physiotherapy and treatment staff; the recording and follow up from the above tests and appointments; identification of gaps in services and alternative services available within the community.
6. Assisting in the development, implementation, review and evaluation of health care programs and services to ensure high standards are maintained, coordinating health care services/programs with other disciplines, coordinating Telemedicine, liasing with Hospital to schedule time and outcomes of sessions; the development, planning and implementing the delivery of health services education programs for offenders and staff; maintaining relevant records and statistics to identify trends and developments that have critical program/service delivery, policy and planning implications; advocating on behalf of offenders.
7. Administering and complying with all relevant OPS and Ministry legislation, policies and Collective Agreements. Providing professional expertise and consultative advice to the superintendent and other managers involved in operational delivery, with respect to relevant legislation and professional standards. Participating on relevant work committees as required, such as Continuing Education Committee, Infectious Disease Control Committee.
8. Assisting in the review/processing FOI requests, release of clinical information to inmates, lawyers, courts, community health care providers pertaining to offender medical information and determining information that may be released. Responding to inquiries from the Ombudsman and other sources with respect to offender on health care matters; liasing with the community, such as Mental Health centres, Public Health departments, private physicians/specialists, hospitals, other correctional facilities.
9. Performing management functions such as assessing performance, granting time-off, responding to grievances , administering disciplining, hiring staff members, coaching staff
10. Acts as Manager, Health Care as directed; representing Ministry at court regarding Health Care medical files, speaking on behalf of the Ministry.

Knowledge:
Position requires current Registration with the Ontario College of Nurses.

Position requires advanced knowledge of nursing administration, health care programs and operations to coordinate health care programs during a shift and in absence of Manager, Health Care. Job requires knowledge of various Acts and regulations; e.g., Public Service Act, Regulated Health Professions Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Ministry of Correctional Services Act, Freedom of Information and Privacy Act, Health Care Consent Act, Mental Health Act, Health Protection and Promotion Act, Collective Agreements and College of Nurses professional standards, guidelines and practice expectations to supervise nursing services within a correctional environment. Job also requires the ability to acquire knowledge of correctional philosophies, policies and procedures relating to health care services in a security-based adult correctional institution. Job requires administrative and supervisory skills to plan, organize, co-ordinate and direct the effective day-to-day delivery of all nursing services on a shift through scheduling, deployment and assignment of staff. Job requires the ability to work within a multidisciplinary team environment whereby incumbent must understand the roles and responsibilities of other professional and operational staff in order to co-ordinate nursing services/programs with other institutional programs as well as tact and diplomacy to resolve situations of conflicting priorities such as security and medical care. Job requires knowledge of computer and related software, as well as specialized software programs for health care services in order to compile statistical information, track activities and patients, medical procedures performed, etc. Work requires superior interpersonal, oral communication skills to respond to various professional service delivery issues with inmates and their families, other health care community agencies and organizations. Position requires general knowledge of industrial production operations and specialized medical treatment, if required, to provide direction and provide care during medical emergencies.

Judgement:
Work is performed under the general supervision of the Manager, Health Care and within health care services policies and procedures and other relevant legislation and guidelines such as, the Health Disciplines Act, Health Protection and Promotion Act, and the College of Nurses standards and practice expectations. Incumbent has access to manager, other Ministry professionals and specialists as well as community professionals for advice and consultation. Judgement is exercised in ensuring nursing care issues are identified on shift and resolved. Judgement is required to ensure a consistent standard of health care is provided to inmates and staff during an assigned shift, that professional standards are maintained and that procedures are followed. In addition, judgement is exercised in identifying gaps or the need for changes in the health care program based on professional nursing knowledge. Position exercises judgement as senior member of nursing team and is required to assist in developing nursing service goals/programs, objectives and standards, in coordinating a variety of activities to meet offender and program needs. Judgement is required to coordinate physical, human, financial and material resources within defined limits of shift or when acting as Manager, Health Care. Judgement is exercises in representing Ministry in contact with community agencies/specialists, courts, accepting delivery of medication, Telemedicine contacts, and when arranging for community care and/or services. Judgement is required to effectively supervise staff, to provide professional direction and to point out failure to follow standard nursing practices and procedures as well as identifying to manager when policies and procedures, College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) standards and practice expectations are not met. Judgement is required to assess risks within units and specialized treatment for industrial accidents/emergencies, assessing health care problem/symptoms/emergencies and make sound determinations surrounding continued health care needs such as transfers to local hospital for further treatment, emergency care, supervising the provision, and providing direct health care, on specialized units. Judgement is exercised through active participation regarding security within specialized units and when in charge of shift, in resolving disputes while in charge of shift arising from conflicting priorities of health care and security, diffusing situations, resolving disputes to the satisfaction of both parties, with prime consideration being given to inmates health care needs, ensuring that the balance between security and care is maintained in an institution with a wide range of activities.

Accountability - Programs:
Accountable for the efficient and effective administration of health care programs and services on an assigned shift within the institution and is accountable for the health care and nursing services on several specialized units as well as quality of care provided inmates during shift for whole institution, including industrial production area, in keeping with relevant Ministry legislation, policies and procedures. Participates as a member of Health Care Committees to assist in the establishment of policies and provision of services.

Accountability - Personnel:
Position is responsible for performing management functions such as assessing performance, granting time-off, responding to grievances , administering discipline, hiring staff members, coaching staff, etc..

Designs and implements shift schedules for staff and vacation coverage system and provides direction regarding security decisions. Monitors nursing staffs professional skills, instructing in evidenced based practices and identifying if CNO requirements, i.e. CNO standards and practice expectations are not being met, reporting violations to Manager, Health Care Services.

Accountability - Finance & Material:
Assists in the preparation, administration and control of the operational budget for the Health Services Department; has full responsibility for requisitioning medical and administrative supplies as well as the security of all medications including narcotic, restricted and control drugs in keeping with federal legislation during shift. Compiles statistical data as required by Manager, Health Care Services.

Accountability - Impact of Errors:
The impact of ineffective decisions is such that failure to provide and ensure high standards of health services on shift could result in poor health of offenders and staff, criticism by inmates, families and the public, unrest within the institution and possible litigation. Ineffective decisions could result in diminished resources resulting in the loss of opportunities to improve services and may lead to a possible program delivery disruption and/or the ineffective operation of the facility. Poor decisions related to the security of the health care unit or the provision of services could jeopardize the security and safety of the unit, and institution as a whole, thereby endangering staff and other offenders.

Contact - Internal:
Frequent contact with Manager, Health Care Services, professional and administrative personnel to discuss health care concerns and issues; contact with other managers involved in operational delivery and with Ministry advisors in nursing and medicine to exchange information and to seek health care advice.

Contact - External:
Frequent contact with community, Public Health Unit personnel, general/psychiatric hospital personnel to exchange information and to provide advice; with offenders, medical practitioners, offenders family members to discuss medical problems and histories. Occasionally contact with nursing associations to research professional standards, trends and developments and with educational institutions to arrange student placements and continuing education. Occasionally, there may be a requirement to attend court proceedings or Coroners Inquests as a witness or to give testimony.

Committee
Participating on relevant work committees as required, such as Continuing Education Committee, Infectious Disease Control Committee.