About Radius
About Radius Community Health & Healing
Radius Community Health & Healing provides interdisciplinary, person-centred primary health care for vulnerable Edmontonians with complex needs. Through primary care and health promotion, Radius improves the quality of life and well-being of individuals who face multiple barriers to accessing health services. Radius achieves this by providing the highest standard of evidence-informed and client-focused inter-professional care.
About this Program (Outreach Team)
The Radius Community Health & Healing Outreach Team has a primary goal to prevent drug poisoning/overdose fatalities in the surrounding neighborhood by responding to overdoses, providing naloxone education and supplies, and conducting health promotion activities in the community. The Outreach Team will engage individuals outside the Radius clinic and in the immediate neighborhood who are struggling with addictions and are at high risk for poisoning/overdose, as well as residents and businesses in the neighborhood.
The Radius Outreach Team will provide a person-centered and trauma-informed response to current drug poisoning/overdose issues. The primary goal of the Outreach Team will be to connect with individuals in the community; however, the team will also be tasked with removing needle debris and other drug paraphernalia from the designated service area. Accountability to the neighborhood should improve relations between clients and the community. The Outreach Team shall also be responsible for distribution of and education on harm reduction tools (including proper use of naloxone) to individuals they engage with.
Job Description
The LPN provides essential supports for the community using inhaled or injectable substances in the neighborhood in and around Radius. This includes individuals passing through the neighborhood, individuals utilizing services at Radius and surround social agencies, and individuals living in the surrounding areas (including those rough sleeping outdoors). The LPN, working under the direction of the Standing Orders of Radius Community Health & Healing, works to full scope of practice to assess, treat, and coordinate emergency services for community members experiencing overdose/poisonings in the area around the Radius clinic.
Key Responsibilities
- Respond to community members in immediate need of overdose response. The outreach team will carry the equipment needed for immediate overdose response (oximeter, bag valve mask, etc.), and initiate a 911 call should they discover someone in need of this response.
- In doing their daily rounds, engage in community connections with the goal to educate people about drug poisoning/overdose prevention and response, distribute naloxone kits, and refer community members to available supervised consumption and/or health care facilities as appropriate.
- Consider available services that may benefit community members and where possible provide referrals or hand offs to service providers. These services may include primary health care services, addictions treatment, wound care, social work, housing supports, drop-in meal programs, and emergency shelter accommodation.
- Pick up any needles and drug paraphernalia that they may come across and distribute “sharps containers” when feasible.
- Connecting with people through face-to-face interactions and will engage in community connections with the eye to educate people about drug poisoning/overdose prevention and response, distribute naloxone kits, and refer people to available supervised consumption facilities.
Qualifications
- Current CLPNA registration
- Mandatory vulnerable sector check and suitable criminal record check
- Current CPR certification
- Knowledge and operation of Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel
- Able to balance numerous demands and conflicting priorities, strong problem-solving skills
- Knowledge and experience working with both diverse and vulnerable populations
- Working with a multidisciplinary team
- Knowledge of trauma informed care and social determinants of health
- A kind, non-judgmental approach to working with service users and ability to work within a harm reduction model of care
- Ability to demonstrate patience and understanding for those with addictions and behavioral disorders
- Ability to carry backpack weighing ~ 15 kg
- Be able to walk long distances comfortably (the outreach team may serve areas up to 3 blocks away from the main BMHC clinic)
- Be able to work outdoors, in all conditions (with appropriate weather-appropriate protection)
Preferred Qualifications:
- Mental health, addictions, emergency and/or harm reduction experience
- Familiarity with MedAccess, or other electronic medical record (EMR) systems, an asset
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training
- Mental Health First Aid and Applied Suicide Intervention Training
- Knowledge of problems encountered by Indigenous people in using health care services
- Knowledge and experience surrounding homelessness
- Knowledge of social support services available in Edmonton and surrounding areas
Skills and Competencies
- Must be confident in overdose response, including assessment of overdose symptoms, administering of naloxone, and coordination of emergency services as required
- Able to balance numerous demands and conflicting priorities, strong problem-solving skills
- Be able to work both co-operatively within a multidisciplinary team, and also independently in a self-directed and accountable manner
- Ability to demonstrate patience and understanding for those with addictions and behavioral disorders
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Has a good understanding of trauma-informed care, and must be able to operate within a harm reduction model of care