Dedicated exclusively to children and their families, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is one of the largest and most respected paediatric healthcare centres in the world. As innovators in child health, we lead and partner to improve the health of children through the integration of healthcare, leading-edge research and education. Our reputation would not have been built - nor could it be maintained - without the skills, knowledge and experience of the extraordinary people who come to work here every day. SickKids is committed to ongoing learning and development, and features a caring and supportive work environment that combines exceptionally high standards of practice.
When you join SickKids, you become part of our community. We share a commitment and determination to fulfill our vision of
Healthier Children. A Better World.
Don't miss out on the opportunity to work alongside the world's best in paediatric healthcare.
As a
Registered Nurse on the
Vascular Access Team, you will provide skilled interventions in vascular access and family centered nursing care to children along the continuum of care at SickKids.
As a member of the Vascular Access Team, you will work collaboratively to develop strong partnerships with clinical leadership and unit teams, while actively engaging in the development and implementation of innovative, evidence-informed practices to meet the vascular access needs of patients and families throughout the hospital. You will demonstrate advanced knowledge and expertise in partnering with patients/families to anticipate, assess and manage anxiety and pain associated with the initiation of IV therapy. You will advocate on behalf of the patients and families by establishing priorities based on patient need and urgency and providing consultation and coaching to local health care teams to meet patients' complex vascular access needs. You will provide overnight phlebotomy services for the hospital and serve as a resource for difficult blood collection needs.
Nurses at SickKids are leaders who influence and deliver the best in family-centered care. Our nurses recognize and respect the diversity of the community we serve and the uniqueness of each child and family. Through partnerships and collaboration, our nurses strive to promote and restore optimal health and assist children and families to effectively adjust to health challenges.
What do we do in the Vascular Access Service?
The Vascular Access Team is an expert team of nurses who work across the organization to support patients requiring vascular access as part of their plan of care. We serve a broad variety of patient populations and their families. As IV access is a vital part of many acute patient therapies, this team provides nursing expertise to support complex and critically ill patients and can network and consult within many paediatric subspecialties.
Given the nature of expertise in Vascular Access nursing care, the Vascular Access Team provides an excellent foundation for those looking to deepen their nursing skill set and to apply expertise as partners in care for patients while networking with provider teams.
Here's What You'll Get To Do
Nurses on the Vascular Access Team will learn and develop vascular access expertise through our focused orientation program, gaining a valued skill set in the following:
- Develop and integrate expert knowledge and skill in peripheral intravenous (PIV) assessment and insertion, difficult vascular access (DVA), and vascular access device selection.
- Establish excellent relationships with clinical leadership and unit teams to ensure patient safety and provide high-quality patient care, optimizing user experiences (patients/families, clinical staff)
- Provide health teaching to patients and families about their vascular access device (signs and symptoms of complications and importance of TLC+ assessments).
- Actively engage in the utilization and evaluation of advanced technologies that support vascular access, including ultrasound-guided peripheral IV insertion.
- Utilize evidence-informed strategies to partner with patients/families to reduce anxiety and/or pain associated with needle pokes.
- Perform comprehensive vascular access assessments, including identification of patients with DVA, and support selection of the most appropriate vascular access device based on patient needs and treatment requirements.
- Provide consultation and coaching to clinical teams regarding vascular access device selection, PIV assessment, and maintenance.
- Collaborate with interprofessional healthcare team members to optimize patient outcomes.
- Utilize patient/family centred, evidence-informed practices as a basis for professional accountability.
- Provide safe, competent, and ethical nursing care.
- Provide leadership in the identification of strategic priorities for the Vascular Access Team that are aligned with those of the hospital.
- Demonstrate life-long learning by seeking opportunities to maintain and continually enhance clinical knowledge, skill, and judgement.
Here's What You'll Love
- The Orientation - You will receive a comprehensive orientation and preceptored clinical experience designed to develop expertise in vascular access, including advanced assessment, device selection, and ultrasound-guided PIV insertion.
- Flexible Scheduling - using 6-week blocks, our scheduling is a fair and collaborative process, managed by a small team
- Continued Learning and Professional Development - lifelong learning is encouraged through internal programs as well as through external means like academic and conference support. We encourage participation in our bi-annual town halls, quality improvement initiatives and practice initiatives to reinforce and develop nursing practice in vascular access with our inpatient partners
Here's What You'll Need
- A minimum of two years' experience as a Registered Nurse.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or equivalent.
- Current registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
- Demonstrated peripheral IV insertion competency in pediatric patients.
- Ultrasound-guided PIV insertion experience preferred. Training will be provided through the Vascular Access Team orientation program.
- Knowledge of Aseptic Non-Touch Technique (ANTT®) principles and commitment to maintaining aseptic practice during vascular access procedures.
- Evidence of excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a team. Leadership and coaching experience are considered assets.
- Demonstrated initiative and ability to function independently and as a self-directed clinician.
- Ability to establish clinical priorities based on assessment of patient care needs, in collaboration with unit teams.
- Proven organizational and problem-solving skills.
- Evidence of commitment to Caring Safely and high reliability organizational principles.
- Commitment to continuous learning, improvement, and evidence-informed practice.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and experience advancing EDI objectives.
Position Details
- Part-time, 0.3 FTE
- After orientation, you will be an independent member of our team, working 8-12-hour shifts, dependent on the staffing model, Days, Evenings (12-12) and Night shifts, Monday through Sunday.
SickKids is committed to championing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do, fostering an intentionally inclusive and culturally safe environment that reflects the diversity of the patients, families and communities we serve. Learn more about workplace inclusion.
If you require accommodation during the application process, please reach out to our aSKHR team. SickKids can provide access and inclusion supports to eligible candidates to support their full engagement during the interview and selection process as well as to ensure candidates are able to perform their duties once successfully hired. If you are invited for an interview and require accommodation, please let us know at the time of your invitation to interview. Information received related to access, inclusion or accommodation will be addressed confidentially.
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All positions posted on the SickKids Hospital's Careers Site represent current vacancies, unless otherwise posted in the job description.
