This position is a part of Provincial Programs. This role involves remote work, however the individual must be within the vicinity of a regional BC Cancer Centre to work on site as required. The role requires fluency in Punjabi.

Job Summary:

In accordance with the Purpose, Vision, Values and Coast Salish Teachings, and strategic direction of PHSA, safety, including both patient and employee safety, is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA. As such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

Reporting to the Clinical Coordinator, Patient and Family Counselling with a functional reporting relationship to the Provincial Practice Leader, Patient and Family Counselling and Medical Director, Psychiatry, the Counsellor, Patient Community provides psychosocial services to support  cancer patients and their families and/or caregivers in the designated patient community using the related specified languages across the province, including counselling patients and families, providing clinical counselling, developing and maintaining support groups, and liaising and assisting community groups regarding the needs of the  designated patient community. Provides input and participates in the development of multicultural programs, provides feedback developing and planning educational activities for patients, and provides information at professional conferences.

Duties/Accountabilities:

1.    Conducts comprehensive social, psycho-social and family assessments by methods such as interviewing the cancer patient and family and/or caregivers, obtaining relevant information, gathering social data regarding the patient and family, and formulation of assessment and plan of intervention, in accordance with professional practice standards and clinical policies.

2.    Provides short term individual, family, group and clinical counselling services by focusing on the social, emotional, cultural, and practical needs of the patients and their families/caregivers from the designated patient community, including adjustment to diagnosis, treatment decisions, recurrence, loss of functioning, and dealing with emotional, patient and family crises in the context of evidence-based care. Provides support, education, and crisis intervention to patients and families/caregivers by understanding the nature and treatment of the cancer and related issues.  

3.    Working with the BC Cancer team-based care model, collaborates with other members of the interprofessional team on case consultations and management and discharge planning to facilitate care through the continuum and ensure proper and effective treatment of the patient. This includes attending team meetings, rounds, family conferences, and psycho-social forums relevant to family centered care and providing input.

4.    Prepares and maintains patient records by methods such as documenting client assessments, interventions, evaluations, modifications, and patient goals; charting client information; and preparing progress notes and reports in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures to meet regulatory requirements and document rationale to support findings and intervention plan.

5.    Develops and maintains support groups by implementing responsive programs for patients and their families in the designated patient community.

6.    Provides information and education to members of the patient community through presentations, emotional support and sharing translated written educational materials and publications. Promotes and facilitates cooperation between professional care providers and volunteers in the community. Provides information at professional conferences and public events; presents information on local radio programs.
    
7.    Liaises with community agencies which provide health care, counselling and educational programs for patients in the designated patient community. Identifies patients’ needs for services and makes appropriate referrals. Consults with and assists community groups in adapting programs to reflect the specific needs of the designated patient community.
    
8.    Participates in planning and developing educational activities related to the designated patient community affected by the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Translates written documents, such as educational materials and patient information publications, to related specified language to be available for use by patients of the designated patient community.
    
9.    Participates in program planning and development and quality improvement as part of an interprofessional team within BC Cancer and the continuum of health care by attending regular meetings, contributing to discussions, and providing input. Identifies, promotes, and participates in program planning strategies to enhance system processes and resources for patients and their families in the designated patient community.

10.    Provides orientation and collegial information to new staff and peers by explaining the scope of practice within the program and demonstrating work methods and processes. Provides instruction and/or supervision to students and provides feedback on student progress as required.

11.    Participates in practice and program sponsored interdisciplinary research by methods such as conducting literature searches, administering surveys and collecting and collating research data for further analysis. Ensures that clinical practices and protocols are consistent with current research findings.

12.    Maintains current knowledge and awareness of trends and activities in clinical practice by such methods as reviewing literature, consulting with clinical and community experts in the field, evaluating clinical practice and participating in professional development activities in order to improve care through new practices.

13.    Maintains a variety of records such as workload statistics by methods such as recording information into approved formats, collating data, analyzing trends, accounting for variances, and preparing reports as required.
    
14.    Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience

•    Master’s degree in a social sciences discipline relevant to the job from a recognized program, such as Social Work, Counselling Psychology, or Clinical Psychology.
•    Two (2) years recent, related experience working in an interprofessional setting that includes experience with individuals, couples, families, and group work; program and community development; adjustment and grief counselling in a health care or oncology setting; educating and training patients and families using a variety of teaching modalities; and facilitating or co-facilitating support groups; or an equivalent combination of education, training or experience.
•    Eligible for registration with designated professional regulatory body.

Skills and Abilities

•    Demonstrated ability to provide individual, family and group counseling.
•    Knowledge of the psychosocial needs of cancer patients with medical, disabilities, and/or mental health conditions.
•    Demonstrated ability to conduct and document a comprehensive psychosocial assessment.
•    Demonstrated knowledge and ability to work with grief and loss issues.
•    Ability to work independently and co-operatively as part of an interprofessional team.
•    Demonstrated ability to communicate both verbally and in writing with peers, physicians, other health care professionals, patients and their families, and external agencies.
•    Demonstrated ability to advocate for families as they navigate the health care system.
•    Ability to deal with others tactfully and with sensitivity.
•    Ability to organize and prioritize work.
•    Basic computer literacy to operate a computerized patient care information system.
•    Ability to teach and supervise students.
•    Fluency in the necessary language(s) required for program area’s designated patient population, both verbally and in writing.
•    Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.