RPN - Primary Care Float

Group Health Centre•Sault Ste. Marie, ON

4d•CA$29 - CA$31•Hybrid

About The Position

The Primary Care Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Float plays a key role in delivering patient-centred care within a dynamic, collaborative environment at Group Health Centre, supporting Physicians and Nurse Practitioners. This role requires adaptability, as the primary responsibility is to provide nursing coverage across various offices, including sick calls and vacation relief, to ensure continuity of care. When not on the front line, the Float Nurse supports our Primary Care enhanced support model while working closely with the healthcare team to ensure patient care is delivered efficiently and effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

Registered Practical Nurse with a valid Certificate of Registration with The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) in good standing
Current CPR certification and AED competency
Strong clinical skills and knowledge of current nursing practices.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a patient-centered approach.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple tasks effectively while maintaining a high standard of accuracy and patient care.
Excellent critical thinking and decision-making skills.
Ability to collaborate well within a multidisciplinary team.
Ability to consistently demonstrate GHC's values of respect, kindness, compassion, and accountability in all aspects of work.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency with electronic medical records (Epic or similar software) is an asset.

Responsibilities

Greet patients warmly and with compassion, ensuring an excellent patient experience.
Assess the patient’s symptoms and medical history, identifying urgent concerns and escalating to the Physician/NP when necessary.
Communicate effectively with patients regarding their health concerns, care plans, follow-up steps and scheduling of future appointments, tests, and procedures.
Follow standard rooming practices, performing initial patient assessments including vital signs and documenting the reason for visit noting any allergies, medications, and medical history in EMR.
Prepare patients for procedures, offering clear instructions and ensuring comfort and safety.
Assist physician/NP with exams and procedures as required.
Assist physician/NP in providing health teaching, counseling, support for disease prevention.
Assist physician/NP with health maintenance and screenings for patients, including immunizations and cancer screenings such as colon, breast, and cervical.
Respond to emergencies, providing immediate care and escalating to physicians or emergency services as needed.
Administer medications, vaccines, and other treatments via injection or other route as directed by physicians.
Collect and prepare samples for laboratory tests (e.g., urine samples, various swabs and tissue samples for pathology) following proper infection control protocols.
Assist in minor office procedures, such as wound care, dressing changes, and routine tests.
Prepare the room and necessary materials, assisting and providing support during physical exams, medical procedures and clinical assessments.
Prioritize urgent patient communications by monitoring and addressing messages through the EMR, ensuring timely follow-up, while maintaining clear and prompt communication with Physicians/NPs for non-urgent inquiries and updates as needed.
Monitor the EMR for electronic messages, prioritizing urgent and high-priority communications.
Perform patient verification by cross-checking name, date of birth, and contact information.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records, including notes on patient visits, clinical findings, treatments, and care plans within the electronic health record (Epic).
Ensure proper documentation of patient assessments, interventions, and outcomes.
Update patient records to reflect changes in medical history, medications, allergies, and other relevant details.
Process all prescription renewal requests within 24 hours of receipt, ensuring accuracy, compliance with current medical protocols, proper medication selection, and comprehensive documentation in the EMR system before forwarding to the Physician or Nurse Practitioner for ordering.
Follow medication-specific guidelines for controlled and non-controlled substances, ensuring proper documentation in the patient's EMR.
Follow up on all patient calls, ensuring documentation and follow-through on patient communication.
Work collaboratively with clerical and nursing staff to ensure efficient workflow in processing referrals, requisitions, and patient forms.
Assist with scheduling patient appointments (when needed) as well as manage patient flow, ensuring smooth office operations.
Review and process health maintenance reports to identify patients due for screenings or follow-up visits.
Help manage the flow of referrals and requisitions, ensuring timely and accurate submission to the appropriate specialists or service providers.
Ensure the timely and organized filing of patient documents, reports, and forms.
Follow strict infection control procedures to ensure patient safety and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
Ensure that exam rooms and equipment are sanitized and ready for patient use.
Assist with the maintenance of safety protocols, including checking sharps containers, immunization fridge, and other safety-related tasks.
Work collaboratively with physicians, nurse practitioners, other members of the healthcare team to coordinate patient care and ensure continuity of care.
Participate in team meetings to discuss patient care plans and improve office processes.
Provide support to other areas of the office as needed, including assisting with the processing of referrals, requisitions, and forms.
Practice in accordance with the Regulated Health Professions Act, the Nursing Act, College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) standards, organizational policies, and applicable legislation.
Maintain current knowledge of professional standards, evidence-informed practice, and organizational policies.
Participate in mandatory education, orientation, continuing education, and competency maintenance activities.
Contribute to quality improvement, patient safety, and risk management initiatives.