Charge Nurse, Mental Health FTC 2026-6713

Cambridge Memorial Hospital•Cambridge, ON

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Join a hospital where everyone makes a difference! Cambridge Memorial Hospital (CMH) is a thriving community hospital that proudly provides acute care services including: Emergency, Surgery, Medicine, Women’s and Children’s Health, Intensive Care, Mental Health, and Inpatient Rehabilitation. Our vision is to creating healthier communities together. Our dedicated and skilled staff are passionate about providing outstanding patient-centred care, and an exceptional patient experience to residents of the Waterloo Region and beyond. Salary Range: $41.15 - $58.98 Full-Time contract expected to end January 2027 Position Summary: As an instrumental member of the Mental Health Program, the Charge Registered Nurse (RN) provides both direct and indirect patient care, including assessment of patients’ physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral needs. The Charge RN supports safe, high-quality, patient-centered care by coordinating patient flow, staffing, and daily unit operations. The Charge RN will assess patients and develop care and safety plans in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, support implementation of treatment, and review documentation of findings, interventions, and outcomes. The Charge RN will also work closely with the Emergency Department Charge RN to support timely admissions, expedite patient flow from ED to PCU to Inpatient Mental Health, and facilitate repatriations and transfers from other facilities. The Charge nurse may also be asked to be involved in off service psychiatric/mental health assessments when operationally required. This role includes active participation in interdisciplinary rounds, discharge planning and referrals, and liaison with community partners to ensure safe and effective transitions of care. The successful incumbent will also serve as a consistent point of contact for staff, patients, and families, supporting therapeutic rapport, patient engagement, and family communication. The Charge Nurse organizes staffing assignments, patient flow, and delegation of care responsibilities based on acuity and the CNO Three Factor Framework. They act as a leader in crisis response (Code White), ensuring patient and staff safety while promoting therapeutic best practices. The successful candidate will provide supervision and mentorship to staff, serve as a role model, and support professional practice through coaching and auditing. They will contribute to, and at times lead, accreditation, safety, and quality improvement initiatives, collaborate with unit management and the educator on incident reviews, and ensure timely documentation and departmental data submission. Part of the role is to ensure that unit practices are aligned with the Mental Health Act. This position requires a supportive, proactive leader who fosters engagement, collaboration, and professional development while consistently upholding CNO Standards of Practice and hospital policies. In addition to these core responsibilities, the Charge Registered Nurse will also assume other leadership duties as required to support the Mental Health Program and organizational priorities. This may include leading or participating in special projects, supporting policy and practice development, assisting with staff orientation and training, and representing the unit on hospital-wide committees and initiatives as assigned.

Requirements

Current Certificate of Registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) as a Registered Nurse in good standing (required).
Diploma or Baccalaureate degree in Nursing required; Master’s degree preferred.
CNA Mental Health Nursing Certification required.
Current BCLS certification.
Minimum 5+ years of mental health experience working with severely and persistently mentally ill populations.
Strong knowledge of psychiatric medications, uses, and side effects.
Proficiency in mental health legislation: Mental Health Act, Healthcare Consent Act, Substitute Decisions Act, and PHIPA.
Excellent mental health assessment, critical thinking, and crisis management skills.
Demonstrated leadership ability, including mentoring and coaching staff.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate discharge planning and engage community resources effectively.
Excellent negotiation, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
Ability to work in a patient-centered, interdisciplinary team model.
Strong communication skills with patients, families, staff, and community partners.
Code White training (Non-Violent Crisis Intervention) and de-escalation skills.
Knowledge of OMHRS reporting requirements.
Meditech proficiency and familiarity with critical reporting.
I.V. certification and strong physical assessment skills.
Demonstrated attendance reliability.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Provides both direct and indirect patient care, including assessment of patients’ physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral needs.
Supports safe, high-quality, patient-centered care by coordinating patient flow, staffing, and daily unit operations.
Assesses patients and develops care and safety plans in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.
Supports implementation of treatment, and reviews documentation of findings, interventions, and outcomes.
Works closely with the Emergency Department Charge RN to support timely admissions, expedite patient flow from ED to PCU to Inpatient Mental Health, and facilitate repatriations and transfers from other facilities.
May be asked to be involved in off service psychiatric/mental health assessments when operationally required.
Participates in interdisciplinary rounds, discharge planning and referrals.
Liaises with community partners to ensure safe and effective transitions of care.
Serves as a consistent point of contact for staff, patients, and families, supporting therapeutic rapport, patient engagement, and family communication.
Organizes staffing assignments, patient flow, and delegation of care responsibilities based on acuity and the CNO Three Factor Framework.
Acts as a leader in crisis response (Code White), ensuring patient and staff safety while promoting therapeutic best practices.
Provides supervision and mentorship to staff, serves as a role model, and supports professional practice through coaching and auditing.
Contributes to, and at times leads, accreditation, safety, and quality improvement initiatives.
Collaborates with unit management and the educator on incident reviews.
Ensures timely documentation and departmental data submission.
Ensures that unit practices are aligned with the Mental Health Act.
Assumes other leadership duties as required to support the Mental Health Program and organizational priorities.
May lead or participate in special projects, support policy and practice development, assist with staff orientation and training, and represent the unit on hospital-wide committees and initiatives as assigned.