Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide general nursing services in a correctional facility.

Duties / Responsibilities :

1. Assessing offender conditions/needs based on physical examinations (e.g. taking blood pressure, fluid samples, administering T.B. tests), interviews (e.g. medical history, psychiatric history, suicide risk, special needs), or other information gathering means.
2. Assisting in the development and implementation of health care treatment plans (e.g. administering, monitoring, arranging tests, conducting health care parades, and obtaining treatment consents) in consultation with offender, supervising nurse, physician, other treatment professionals and parents/legal guardians as required.
3. Observing, assessing, recording and reporting offenders health care treatment, condition and behaviour, evaluating progress and assisting in modifying health care treatment plans in consultation with health care professionals; completing reports/documents (e.g. accident and injury reports, staff immunizations records, updating OTIS
4. Providing health care crisis intervention/management, health care counselling/education and providing health care services to staff (e.g. immunization, Emergency First Aid).
5. Identifying health care services and resources for offenders, advocating on their behalf with treatment professionals and agencies and arranging implementation (e.g. making appointments upon approval).
6. Ensuring safety and security of health care services area, equipment, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.
7. Ability to process, transcribe and act according to specified Medical Orders provide general nursing services in a correctional facility.

Staffing and Licencing :

Current registration as a registered nurse in Ontario.

Knowledge :

Job requires knowledge of general nursing theory, practices and procedures and College of Nurses of Ontario standard of practice to provide nursing services (e.g. implementing treatment process, first aid/emergency techniques, administering medication). Job requires knowledge of institutional and health care policies and procedures to ensure appropriate treatment implementation including safety of offenders and security of health care area; to report observations, e.g. rash on offender kitchen helpers, to manager that may effect programs and offender activities. Job requires knowledge of relevant sections of related legislation (e.g. Regulated Health Care Professional Act, Health Care Consent Act) to ensure compliance with health care standards and to ensure that legislated offender entitlements are adhered to (e.g., consent to treatment, confidentiality of records). Knowledge of Computerized Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) to input/retrieve offender information. In designated positions, job requires knowledge of advanced level oral French.

Skills :

Job requires reasoning and notice skills to evaluate offender's response to planned health care intervention and to assess emergency situations. Job requires oral and written communicating skills including terminology pertinent to the health care profession to discuss information and to document/chart offender treatment and progress. Job requires interpersonal skills to advise/counsel offenders on health care treatment matters.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires working independently within parameters set by physician treatment directions, Ministry, legislation and College of Nurse of Ontario standards of practice to provide nursing services (e.g., implementing treatment process, first aid/emergency techniques, administering medication), ensuring safety of offenders and security of health care area. Job evaluates health care situations in the absence of the physician, deciding upon course of action and referring doubtful or serious cases to physician, supervising nurse or hospital. Job requires communicating issues such as non-compliance with nursing standards, missing medication, errors and security concerns to supervising nurse, physician or manager.