Job Summary:

In accordance with the Mission, Vision, Values 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.

Working collaboratively as part of an inter-professional team and within an evidence-based trauma-informed model of care, the General Duty Nurse, Mental Health Emergency, BC Children’s Emergency Department supports all aspects of therapeutic care of patients with behavioral, emotional and mental health presentations.  

The General Duty Nurse performs physical and mental health assessments and provides appropriate nursing care, prescribed treatments, and medications in consultation with physicians and consultants. Observes, monitors, evaluates and documents client progress, symptoms and behavioural changes and performs a variety of health care interventions.  Plans and coordinates patient assessment, care planning, patient and family teaching, and health promotion initiatives.  Acts as an educational resource for the Emergency Department staff within the defined area of clinical expertise according to established policies, procedures, standards of practice, and philosophy at Children’s & Women’s Health Centre of BC.

Duties/Accountabilities:

1.    Provides direct health care services to children and youth presenting with a wide variety and complexity of mental health presentations.  Performs physical, psychosocial and mental health assessments, collaborates with physicians and allied health as required, administers prescribed treatments and medications according to policy.
2.    Observes, monitors, evaluates and documents patient progress, symptoms and behavioural changes.  Performs a variety of health care interventions, utilizing nursing skills and medical equipment including therapeutic interventions using a variety of modalities.  
3.    Assesses the patient’s needs in collaboration with the emergency team during the intake procedure to determine patient disposition. Develops care and treatment plans with final dispositions authorized by the emergency department physician and/or consulting psychiatrist. Provides general and crisis counseling to patients and their families including brief crisis intervention, referrals to community resources, or emergency department social workers.  Initiates and facilitates discharge planning and referrals.
4.    Supports the process of admission and transfer to inpatient units by supporting the needs of the patient and their family, providing information to the receiving unit and facilitating transition by  sharing emergency treatment outcomes and care plans to the inpatient unit.
5.    Works with team members to develop educational resources that may be used with patients/families for health teaching.
6.    Acting as a nursing resource, attempts to resolve problems related to patient care and develop individual patient care plans in conjunction with nursing and medical staff and other related disciplines in mental health, emergency and inpatient units and possibly community liaison providers.  Recommends and implements changes and revisions to individual plans as necessary.
7.    Maintains patient records by collecting and documenting information including health care information regarding patients and their families, nursing observations, telephone communications, interventions, teaching and care evaluations to ensure that the patient records are current and complete. Completes discharge summaries at time of discharge for review by a physician when appropriate.
8.    Promotes teamwork between self and other disciplines in mental health, emergency department and inpatient units in all aspects of mental health care delivery.
9.    Participates in nursing research; reviews current research and evaluates the implementation of current theory into practice.  Participates in ongoing education and professional development to maintain high level of knowledge in the area of child/adolescent mental health.
10.    Provides direction and participates in quality management/risk management activities and policy development related to nursing practice within the designated program through assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of strategic interventions to improve nursing practice and patient care.
11.    Performs other related duties as required.

Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience

•    Current practicing registration as a Registered Nurse or Registered Psychiatric Nurse with the British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives (BCCNM).
•    One (1) year recent related experience working with children, adolescents and families in a child/adolescent mental health or inpatient setting, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
•    Current CPR and CPI training.

Skills and Abilities

•    Comprehensive knowledge of emergency triage procedures, mental health assessment, substance use, psychopharmacology in children, general counseling principles and interview techniques, crisis theory, trauma-informed care, abnormal psychology, de-escalation techniques and knowledge of community resources.
•    Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
•    Demonstrated ability to make decisions in both an independent and consultative manner in a clinical setting.
•    Demonstrated ability to relate effectively and establish rapport with psychotic and crisis-prone adolescents, children and their families.
•    Demonstrated ability to participate as a member of a multidisciplinary care team, and function as a nursing resource team member.
•    Demonstrated skills in individual, family and group therapy.
•    Demonstrated leadership skills.
•    Demonstrated organizational ability.
•    Demonstrated ability to teach.
•    Demonstrated ability to operate related equipment (e.g. personal computer).
•    Physical ability to perform duties of the position.

**IMPORTANT INFORMATION**

• NBA internal positions are posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a period of 72 hours.
• A selection decision will be made within 7 business days of the posting closing date.
• If an interview is required, you must be available. Interviews are scheduled for November 19, 2025.
• The successful applicant has 48 hours to accept or decline the position.
• If you will not be available to accept or decline the job offer during the selection process, you must assign a designate that the Hiring Leader may contact during your absence. Please ensure you have clearly identified your designate on your resume or cover letter.
• If you have any questions regarding this new process, please contact the Internal Jobs Help Desk by email at internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca.