Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada’s hospital for children and youth with disabilities and developmental differences. Serving more than 9,000 families annually through inpatient and outpatient programs and services, our teams are helping to shape the future of pediatric disability care.

As a top 40 Canadian research hospital and academic hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, Holland Bloorview integrates care, teaching, research and scholarship to advance practice and improve the lives of children and youth with disabilities and developmental differences. All clinical staff are expected to contribute to the academic agenda through one or more of the following activities: supervising students, teaching, academic service, scholarship and/or research.

Holland Bloorview has achieved 100 per cent in four successive surveys by Accreditation Canada, an unprecedented achievement in safety. We are also proud to be recognized among Greater Toronto’s Top Employers, Canada’s Top Employers for Young People and Canada’s Best Diversity Employers.

Here, you will find an inspiring, inclusive, innovative and collaborative work environment, competitive compensation and benefits, and programs that support ongoing learning, professional growth and well-being, so you can do meaningful work while continuing to grow your career. To learn more about the advantages of a career at Holland Bloorview, click here.

THE POSITION The Enhanced Extern Program is a Ministry of Ontario funded program that enables hospitals to supplement existing health human resources. Enhanced externs – nursing are clinical learners hired as unregulated care providers. The successful candidates will be required to work on the inpatient units – brain injury rehabilitation team, specialized orthopedic and developmental rehabilitation, and complex continuing care/complex rehabilitation and transitional care.

Seasonally, successful candidates will be required to work with the outpatient programs – respite, spiral garden, community transitions, recreation, and life skills groups. Although the work is seasonal for summer programming, enhanced externs – nursing can continue to be scheduled to work (if they have availability) throughout the school year both on the inpatient units and with outpatient programs (when required).

Externs work within an interprofessional model of care under the direct and indirect supervision of regulated health care providers (e.g.

Registered

Nurse or Registered Practical Nurse) on various teams throughout the hospital such as Inpatient Rehabilitation and Complex Continuing Care, Ambulatory, Respite, Community Transitions, Recreation and Life Skills programs.

At Holland

Bloorview, enhanced externs – nursing are Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or Practical Nursing program students who have completed at least half of their program. An enhanced extern – nursing can work with clients who have a low complexity of care needs, high predictability of their condition, low technical requirements and low level and range of potential outcomes.

The Regulated Health Professions

Act and College of Nurses of Ontario direct the type of care they can provide based on the level of supervision. They may perform pre-identified Controlled Acts authorized to nursing within the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) of Ontario that are assigned or delegated to them under the supervision of a regulated health care provider who is authorized to perform them.

In addition to supporting the inpatient units, the other programs are described below (Seasonal: Summer):

Community Transitions, Recreation, Life Skills Program Description: Under the umbrella of participation and inclusion, transitions, recreation and life skills are designed to restore, remediate and rehabilitate a person's level of functioning. Our goals are to increase independence and life activities, promote health and wellness and reduce barriers to participation.

Programs offered throughout the year include a variety of recreation and life skills programs that are structured to support clients and families during important transition points. Therapeutic recreation and life skills services are guided by developmental milestones, promoting life skills so that clients learn to function optimally within their home and community environments and connecting youth with disabilities with early volunteer and work opportunities. Experience-based life skills activities teach skills using discussion, role playing, problem-solving, peer teaching and experiential learning techniques.

Acquired skills are practiced in a simulated and/or real environment where calculated risk is encouraged. For the months of July and August, we offer these services in the format of individual/multi-day programs.

Respite and Spiral Garden: Holland Bloorview offers a range of overnight and day respite services for children from birth to the age of 18. Respite involves providing temporary relief from the physical and emotional demands involved in caring for a child with a disability.

Spiral

Garden is an integrated outdoor art, play, music and garden program for all children. The program activities, site and staffing model are designed to be inclusive so all children can participate successfully. Support can be provided for a set number of children who need support around activities of daily living, medication routines, mobility and self-regulation.

Externs will be hired on contract, during which the Extern will work part time hours to a maximum of full-time hours (75 hours bi-weekly). The scheduling of these hours will be determined based on program needs and may include day/evening/night and weekend shifts.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Performs the following under the direct and indirect supervision of a Registered Nurse, Registered Practical Nurse, or other regulated health care provider:

• Provides safe care that promotes and supports the physical, psychosocial and spiritual wellbeing of clients and families.
• Provides direct care to clients with low complexity of care needs, high predictability of their condition, low technical requirements and low level and range of potential outcomes under the guidance of the CNO practice guideline: “Working with unregulated health care providers”
• Demonstrates accountability for the client care that they provide by adhering to Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s Policies and Procedures (i.e. transfers, positioning, bathing, oral and enteral feeding, and toileting).
• Provides care in collaboration with the client and family, supporting client activities of daily living, personalized care needs, and communicates with interdisciplinary care team members and community providers as appropriate
• Support development of client independence in the practice of scheduling and directing their own care as related to self-care, productivity and recreation/ leisure participation.
• Assist clients in working towards their identified program goals as appropriate and under the direction of a regulated health care provider.
• Provide client care in both onsite hospital and offsite community settings as per shift assignment
• Collaborates with the RN, RPN, or other regulated health care provider who is assigned to administer medications and/or perform controlled acts for their clients to determine their respective responsibilities and duties. It is an expectation that the enhanced extern – nursing has knowledge about the times medication and/or treatments are due and an understanding of common side effects. The enhanced extern – nursing is also expected to inform the RN, RPN, or other regulated health care provider of the need to assess for PRN medication administration as appropriate
• Under direct supervision of the nurse or other regulated health care provider, may provide formal health education, to clients and families, colleagues and students
• Supports the development of professional nursing practice through participation in unit based activities as appropriate
• Establishes goals and objectives as part of the onboarding process
• Maintains own knowledge, skills, and abilities through attendance at onboarding, in-house education sessions, and other continuing education opportunities
• In partnership with clients, families and the interdisciplinary team, provides client and family-centred care which is goal directed, evidence based and outcome oriented
• Supports and respects the client/family’s rights to make decisions based on their own values, beliefs and experiences
• Utilizes a strength based approach to care
• Communicates in a timely and effective manner
• Participates in quality improvement initiatives, supports the maintenance of a safe and healthy work environment and advances a culture of client/patient safety through work and daily practices

• Must have successfully completed two years of a four-year or one year of a two-year program from a College of Nurses of Ontario recognized Bachelor of Science Nursing or Practical Nursing Diploma program.
• Current BCLS certificate—Basic Rescuer required
• Pediatric clinical placement experience during nursing school and/or experience in working with children and youth preferred
• Experiences and comfort working in varied program settings even in community (i.e. assisting on outings)
• Experience in behaviour management preferred
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment
• Demonstrated responsibility and skills to work independently
• Completion of mandatory/required certifications provided via corporate orientation, including extern orientation, and as defined by program (e.g. Mask Fit Test, WHMIS, AODA, IPAC)

Please submit the following in one (1) pdf file in the order indicated below:

• Copy of resume
• Copy of cover letter
• Proof of student enrollment - the position is funded by the Ontario Health Ministry. To be eligible to hold an extern position, individual will need to be an active student in their respective academic program.