Licensed Practical Nurse

Do you have experience working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and addictions? Are you interested in being part of a wraparound clinic supporting a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals? If so, apply today and bring your innovative ideas to life at The Alex!

What We Do

Since 1973, The Alex has been a community-based, not-for-profit organization providing integrated primary health care, community support services, and housing-focused programs to individuals and families who experience barriers to accessing traditional health, housing, and social service systems. Services are grounded in principles of health equity, low-barrier access, trauma-informed practice, cultural safety, harm reduction, and person-centered care.

Reporting to the Program Manager(s) and as a part of the multidisciplinary team, the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) works to deliver comprehensive care to meet the needs of our community members. The LPN shall fill vital roles within the clinic flow structure, including initial triage, patient assessment, treatment, case management, care coordination, and phlebotomy.  The LPN is accountable to the public for his/her own practice, the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta, the Canadian Nurses’ Association Code of Ethics, and the Health Profession Act.  

This is a Casual position. 

What You Will Do

• Work independently to manage and triage patients, directed by clinic protocol, to provide direct client care and treatment
• Conduct initial assessments of new Alex clients for acceptance into the Alex paneled care streams
• Assess and treat minor wounds and provide other routine medical procedures, such as injections, visual acuity screening, ear flushing, assisting clinicians in minor procedures, ECGs, suture/staple removal, and other tasks as required
• Responsible for phlebotomy and other specimen collection as directed by primary care practitioners and walk-in care streams
• Manage and administer medications in all available formats
• Assist patients to Specialist appointments and diagnostic imaging appointments
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team – Healthcare providers and social resource specialists, along with an administrative and a central operations team- to support the provision of care at the Alex clinics
• Collaborate and assist team members to facilitate best practice clinical care
• Assist in data collection and entry as required
• Other duties as required

What you bring

• Diploma in Nursing
• Current registration with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses in Alberta (CLPNA)
• Minimum of two years progressive nursing experience working with elderly clients who live with mental health and addictions disorders, experience homelessness, and/or live in poverty
• Completion of the Immunization module by CLPNA or Immunization Certificate
• Passion for working with vulnerable seniors, complex care, and inner-city medicine
• Strong skills in health promotion and illness prevention
• Time management skills, ability to work independently
• Familiarity with evidence-based practices such as Motivational Interviewing, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training, Trauma Informed Care training, Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, or naloxone administration an asset
• High proficiency with physical assessments and information gathering of health, surgical, and medication histories, along with other assessment skills
• Excellent communication, organizational, advocacy, teaching, and rapport-building skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team model and innovative outreach service delivery model
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
• BLS level within 30 days of hire date, certification must be valid for a minimum of 6 months upon hire
• A satisfactory vulnerable sector criminal record clearance and child intervention check are required
• Knowledge of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRC) 94 Calls to Action is an asset

Work Environment and Hours

• Throughout all Alex clinics: Main Alex Building (2840 2nd Ave SE), Seniors Health Clinic (East Village), and Mobile (multi off-site locations); orientations to each will be provided.
• Casual Position
• 7.5 hour shifts, varied between 08:30 and 18:00, Monday through Friday. Possibility of weekends, depending on clinic need.
• Continuous extended periods of sitting, with occasional standing and walking (sometimes up or down stairwells)
• Occasional physical actions requiring the ability to bend/crouch, reach above shoulder height, kneel/crawl, and carry objects (up to 20 Ibs.) throughout the shift. This may include lifting and transferring clients who require assistance moving.

Working Conditions

This position requires frontline staff, in some cases, to be exposed to emotionally disturbing events, such as medical distress, threatened/actual serious injury, violence, abuse, and death. There may also be exposure to situations where clients may be experiencing fear, terror, hopelessness, rage, self-harm and conflict. It is understood and accepted that this position will be working in distress/high-stress situations, which may include emergency response where resiliency, stress tolerance, and the ability to maintain composure is imperative. This position may also be exposed to bodily fluids.  The health and safety - both physical and psychological- of our employees is a priority. The Alex is focused on providing a safe, supportive and healthy work environment. 

How to apply

If you are as passionate as we are about making a difference in people’s lives, please visit our career centre: Jobs at The Alex | The Alex.  

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We will make every effort to accommodate candidate’s schedules and needs in all parts of the hiring process.

The Alex is committed to embedding the principles of equity, inclusion, and diversity across the organization. We are committed to removing barriers to employment that are faced by equity-seeking groups and encourage (but not require) members of these groups to self-identify as such in their cover letters. 

In accordance with our strategic priorities, we particularly encourage applications from individuals who self-identify as racialized* or Indigenous (First Nation, Metis, or Inuit).

*The term “racialized” is used here instead of the more outdated and inaccurate terms “racial minority, “visible minority”, “person of colour”, or “non-White”.

For further information about The Alex and its programs, we encourage you to visit our website at www.thealex.ca