Nurse Practitioner - Ambulatory Neurology

The NP reports to the Director, Child and Youth Acute Care, and the Chief of Interprofessional Practice. The Nurse Practitioner (NP) for the Neurology service of McMaster Children’s Hospital will provide leadership and promote excellence in pediatric family centered nursing care through expert clinical practice, education, consultation and research. The NP would support the clinical activity of the Neurologists and the associated patient care and interventions through the Neurology service. This would include the areas of the pediatric emergency department, inpatients and the outpatient clinics. Collaborating with the interdisciplinary team members, and using a patient and family centered model of care, the NP is responsible to: provide direct patient care, coordination of care, discharge planning, and the coordination of related community and other resources for this patient population; tutor and mentor nursing and other health professional students as appropriate, and participate in continuing education activities to integrate the role of the NP in the program and academic settings; initiate, participate, and/or lead programs, presentations, publications, evaluations, research initiatives and other system changes to continue the enhancement of interdisciplinary care teams. The NP will work in partnership with General Pediatrics, consultants, nursing and other members of the health care team to provide comprehensive medical assessment, management and education. The NP reports to the Director, Critical Care and Ambulatory Services, McMaster Children's Hospital, and the Chief of Nursing Practice.

• Current Certificate of Registration in the College of Nurses of Ontario as a Registered Nurse Extended Class RN(EC)
• Completion of a Post-Master’s of Nursing – Nurse Practitioner program with a focus in Nursing, with an Advances Practice Nurse Certificate in Pediatrics, (NP-Pediatrics)
• Minimum 2-3 years experience in applying advanced neurology knowledge, physical assessment skills, diagnostic interventions and self-care or caregiver-lead management skills for patients in an ambulatory setting
• Proficiency in performing history and examination of the infant, toddler, child and adolescent
• Knowledge and assessment of developmental milestones at all stages of pediatric development including the unique aspects of adolescent development.
• Experience and ability to lead and facilitate the development and implementation of basic and advanced education programs for patients, families, staff, other health professionals
• Experience in providing leadership to the development and implementation of policies and best practice guidelines pertaining to neurology management and its evaluation
• Experience in the development and maintenance of medical directives
• Demonstrated skills and experience in research and program development
• Demonstrated ability for independent action, initiative, problem solving, critical thinking, organization and prioritization
• Demonstrated mastery of effective communication with patients and coworkers, both written and verbal
• Demonstrated ability to work in a consultative role with the members of the multidisciplinary team
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and adapt positively to constantly changing clinical situations
• Demonstrated ability to utilize information technology
• Committed to acquire new knowledge and ensure competency
• Able to handle significant daily psychological and emotional stress in dealing with parents of critically or chronically ill children
• Eligible for cross appointment with McMaster University School of Nursing at the undergraduate and graduate level