AVI Health & Community Services (AVI) increases health equity by providing highly responsive, harm reduction -based HIV, hepatitis C, substance use, sexual health, mental health, and other community health services, and is informed by the voices of people with living experience. We envision a community where people can experience optimal health and wellness, and be free from stigma, marginalization, and criminalization. For more information see www.avi.org
The AVI Nanaimo Community Health Centre (CHC) hosts a variety of program options for community members and service users to access. AVI nurses work across different programs, providing care and support to clients/participants across a range and a continuum of health and wellness.
The CHC provides primary care, HIV/HCV, substance use, OAT, STBBI, PrEP/PEP medical services, as well as outreach, supports, and social programming. It provides streamlined access to addiction medicine and substance use services while offering a host of complementary supports under one roof including the Enhanced Harm Reduction Service (EHR) Program.
The EHR is a flexible, community‐based, nursing led, harm reduction program that provides pharmaceutical alternatives to the toxic street drug supply along with wrap around supports. The EHR program aims to help individuals reduce their risk of dying from a drug poisoning event and our service users may not have sobriety or abstinence as their goals of care.
AVI Nanaimo Community Health Centre (CHC) also provides educational services for the communities we support and a place for a variety of students and professionals to explore and learn about this important work.
Our services are delivered across the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Stz’uminus, and Snaw'naw'as People.
Join our supportive, dedicated and client-centered team in promoting the health, dignity and well-being of all people affected by HIV, HCV and substance use by delivering sex-positive and harm reduction-based education, prevention and/or support services.
JOB SUMMARY
The CHC STI nurse will support HIV, HCV, and STBBI prevention, testing, and treatment services in our Nanaimo office. The position entails the delivery of preventive clinical services in addition to communicable disease and STI education, consultation, and counselling. The STI nurse will provide CD investigation of individuals cases, clusters, and outbreaks including reportable blood borne diseases, vaccine preventable diseases, as well as potential STEIs (sexually transmitted enteric infections).
The CHC STI Nurse will work as needed throughout our AVI Nanaimo Community Health Centre, providing care and service for clients/participants who utilize any of our programs. These programs include support for primary care, substance use, people living with or at risk of HIV/Hepatitis C, bloodborne infections, testing and treatment services, health promotion, education, advocacy, drop-in harm reduction services, enhanced harm reduction, and outreach into the community.
This Registered Nurse will work in partnership with an interdisciplinary team to provide person-centered health care including assessment, screening, education, and interventions to support those accessing our programs. The RN will use a harm reduction, trauma informed approach, using strong clinical skills to independently assess those with complex health needs and active poly-substance use.
This position requires a professional, Registered Nurse (RN) who has experience with harm reduction strategies, committed to collaborative work with multiple stakeholders with the AVI organization, community organizations, colleagues, and those with lived/living experience of criminalized drug use.
The successful candidate will embody and demonstrate a philosophy and practice of collaboration; working from a relational perspective that upholds the values of empathy, social justice, cultural humility, and trauma informed care.
The RN will operate to full scope, working 4 days/week (specifically Monday-Thursday) in conjunction with our current 0.6 FTE CHC Clinic nurse, our CHC program manager, casual STI nurses, the AVI Nanaimo health care team, physicians, and nurse practitioners. The RN will report to AVI Nanaimo Nurse Manager (or designate).
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Provide intake, assessment, access to medication, education, referral, advocacy, follow-up and support for clients requiring OAT, Primary Care, STBBI, PrEP, PEP, and EHR services.
2. Provide care and support to individuals with high levels of poly-substance use, a variety and complexity of acute and chronic conditions, related but not exclusive to conditions of poverty and criminalization.
3. Assist clients with a variety of income, medical, and disability forms/documents including but not limited to PWD, nutritional supplementation, ICBC, etc.
4. Support clients who may be eligible for Hepatitis C treatment and follow-up.
5. Work as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide outreach services and harm reduction supplies to vulnerable/marginalized clients and communities who are at high risk for HIV/AIDS, HCV, blood borne infections.
6. Provide frontline primary care health care services to clients in the form of immediate assessment, intervention, referral or treatment.
7. Provide support to clients that includes primary and specialist care, mental health, sexual health, wound management, diagnostic and laboratory services, and medication adherence/management.
8. Provide systems navigation, advocacy and active referral to housing, disability, mental health, and substance use services, nutrition support, and other relevant services.
9. Provide Harm Reduction support through collaborative, risk reduction strategies, education, distribution of harm reduction supplies, overdose prevention education, including Naloxone training and distribution.
10. Work independently and collaboratively with the AVI Nanaimo team to support people contemplating or accessing pharmaceutical alternatives to illegal/toxic substances in a variety of settings, such as parks, drop-in centers, shelters, supported housing units, and overdose prevention sites, etc.
11. Provide education, information, and appropriate referrals, responsive to the self-identified needs of participants to manage their health, enhance the understanding of their health status, and navigate through the diverse services, and community supports related to their care.
12. Identify the health issues, behaviors, needs, barriers and challenges for an at-risk population.
13. Participate in multidisciplinary case coordination for clients living with HIV and/or HCV.
14. Collaborate with participants and the AVI Team to develop and maintain individualized care plans, providing ongoing monitoring and support with clients, in accordance with the care plan.
15. Initiate, administer, and document any publicly funded vaccines provided to eligible clients/participants.
16. Provide screening, assessment and administration of medications as ordered by the program prescribers/physicians.
17. Provide pre- and post-test counseling for the HIV antibody test, test results and ongoing support and referral to meet the needs of clients.
18. Provide harm reduction education, counseling and support from a nursing perspective on issues relating to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI), HIV, and blood borne infections; in the clinic and non-traditional settings such as bars, drop-ins, on the street and other meeting places.
19. Work with community partners to ensure seamless support for program participants.
20. Liaise with community-based organizations to plan, develop, implement and deliver preventive education as needed to targeted groups.
21. Compiles and prepares statistical and program information as requested. Maintains files, stats, and records related to all areas of the program, electronic and paper, and reports on program work.
22. Work collaboratively in a team setting to develop creative strategies to address the challenges and participates in research projects, and surveys as required.
23. Participate in staff meetings, huddles, training, education, and engage in community relationship building, and networking.
24. Distribute harm reduction supplies and collaborate with other community agencies to reach populations at high risk of acquiring STBBI’s.
25. Performs other duties as assigned by the AVI Nanaimo leadership team (or designate) including transportation of medical specimens, vaccines, medications, clinic supplies, etc.
QUALIFICATIONS
- RN designation from an accredited institution, with current registration with the BCCNM.
- Certification in reproductive health with BCCNM required. Priority given to those with previous reproductive health work experience.
- Minimum of 3 years of nursing experience working with those managing high levels of polysubstance use, mental health challenges, screening, assessment and treatment services to clients at risk and/or living with HIV/AIDS including providing STBBI/HIV testing.
- Experience working with trans, queer, gender-nonconforming, bi, questioning, and GBMSM identified communities.
- Experience working with structurally vulnerable clients and communities.
- Experience in responding to medical emergencies such as toxic drug poisoning (naloxone administration, airway management, etc.).
- Experience with phlebotomy, vaccine management and immunizations, all forms of STBBI testing, specimen collection, and treatment, HIV point-of care testing.
- Transportation of dangerous goods certification will be required of this position.
- Valid BC Drivers license required. There will be local area travel, including the occasional transportation of clients and regular transportation of specimens.
- Requires the use of a personal vehicle.
- Valid and current CPR/BLS for Healthcare Providers certification.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Demonstrated clinical skills, experience, and knowledge in primary care, substance use disorder care (including opiate agonist treatment options, harm reduction, HIV, HCV, sexual health, mental health, health promotion, and care for those experiencing systemic poverty.
- Understanding of and the ability to utilize decision support tools and clinical guidelines as outlined with the BCCNM and the BCCDC to guide autonomous practice.
- Excellent verbal and written communication, including strong listening, information-seeking, conflict resolution, and non-violent crisis intervention skills; practiced with accountability, boundaries, and self-responsibility.
- Strong commitment to person-centered, equity-oriented healthcare, including advocacy, trauma-informed practice, social justice, anti-racism, decolonization, and harm reduction.
- Demonstrated understanding of public health policy and equity-oriented models of social support, including the impacts of poverty, trauma, substance use, mental illness, racism, colonialism, heterosexism, and gender discrimination on health and well-being.
- Commitment to honoring Indigenous communities and Ways of Knowing, with curiosity and humility regarding the ongoing impacts of colonial violence.
- Demonstrated capacity to work under pressure, manage crisis situations, and recognize subtle changes in participants, including responding effectively to aggressive or suicidal behavior.
- Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively, make sound clinical decisions, take initiative, prioritize workload, and adapt to changing or unexpected situations in a dynamic work environment.
- Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain respectful rapport with participants and colleagues within multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary teams, including those colleagues and participants who are experiencing intersecting forms of systemic oppression.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and prioritization skills, with the ability to facilitate resolution in complex situations.
- Demonstrated resilience and commitment to self-care practices.
- Capable independent practitioner and engaged team member, with demonstrated ability to provide consultation, leadership, and work direction as delegated.
- Proficient in the use of computer systems, electronic medical records, medical equipment, and related technologies for documentation, reporting, and treatment delivery.
- Demonstrated listening and information seeking skills that promotes communication and lead to a cooperative approach to problem solving within a multidisciplinary setting.
- Demonstrated ability to prioritize, take initiative, be flexible, and work both independently and collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
- Physical ability to perform the duties of the position and operate related equipment.
- May be asked to alter occasional workday time to accommodate late afternoon, early evening or weekend community presentations or clinic events.
POSITION DETAILS:
- Pay: per BCNU pay grid, RN/RPN Level 3 (ranging between $41.42 -$55.91)
- Hours and Schedule: 30 hours per week. Must be able to work from Mondays to Thursdays 9:00am to 5:00pm
- Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Nurses’ Bargaining Association 2022-2025 and this role is an Included Position.
- Start Date: September 7, 2026
- Location & Departments: This position will be working out of the AVI Nanaimo Community Health Centre and can work in both the Enhanced Harm Reduction and the Health Clinic departments and in community.
- Benefits: This position will be eligible for extended health, life and AD&D coverage in compliance with the BCNU Collective Agreement. AVI pays for the entire cost of the plan on behalf of its staff.
- Pension: This position will be enrolled in the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP) after your first 3 months with AVI. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account.
- Other Perks: This position gets 7.69% vacation (equivalent of 20 days), receives 13 paid stat holidays throughout the year and accrues a Sick Bank of 6.92%. Sick and Vacation Days are both available to be used after your first 3 months at AVI.
- Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.
TO APPLY:
To apply, please click on “To apply” to send your resume and cover letter. This internal posting is open for 72 hours and will close until filled.
AVI is committed to equity and diversity and we strongly encourage applications from, but not limited to, folks who identify as Queer, who are living with or at risk of HIV, who identify as Indigenous, as a person of colour, as a person who is racialized, as a person living with a disability, as a person who uses or used drugs, as a person with experience engaging in sex work, as a person who lives with HIV and /or Hepatitis C, and persons representing diverse genders and sexualities.
As AVI is a union environment, internal staff will be prioritized in the hiring process.
Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
