Nurse Practitioner - Pediatric Endocrinology

The Nurse Practitioner (NP) for the Diabetes and Endocrine service of McMaster Children’s Hospital will provide leadership and promote excellence in pediatric family centered nursing care through expert clinical practice, consultation, research and education to families and staff. The NP would primarily support the clinical activity of the Endocrinologists and the associated patient care and interventions through the Endocrine 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, Child & Youth Ambulatory Services, McMaster Children's Hospital.

1. Current Certificate of Registration in the College of Nurses of Ontario as a Registered Nurse Extended Class RN(EC)

2. Completion of a Master’s Degree in Nursing, with an Advances Practice Nurse Certificate in Pediatrics, (NP Pediatrics)

3. Minimum 2-3 years experience in applying advanced pediatric knowledge, physical assessment skills, diagnostic interventions and self-care or caregiver-lead management skills for patients in an ambulatory setting

4. Preferred knowledge of endocrinology in children with a minimum of 3 years recent acute/primary clinical experience in pediatrics

5. Capable of independent case management within pre-defined scope

6. Able to provide education to patients/families on disease management and medication side effects

7. Proficiency in performing history and examination of the infant, toddler, child and adolescent .

8. Knowledge and assessment of developmental milestones at all stages of pediatric development including the unique aspects of adolescent sexual development.

9. Proven experience in providing leadership to the development and implementation of policies and best practice guidelines pertaining to endocrinology management and its evaluation

10. Experience in the development and maintenance of medical directives

11. Demonstrated skills and experience in research and program development

12. Demonstrated ability for independent action, initiative, problem solving, critical thinking, organization and prioritization

13. Demonstrated mastery of effective communication with patients and coworkers, both written and verbal

14. Demonstrated ability to work in a consultative role with the members of the multidisciplinary team

15. Demonstrated ability to be flexible and adapt positively to constantly changing clinical situations

16. Demonstrated ability to utilize information technology

17. Committed to acquiring new knowledge and ensuring competency

18. Able to handle significant daily psychological and emotional stress in dealing with parents of critically or chronically ill children

19. Eligible for cross appointment with McMaster University School of Nursing at the undergraduate and graduate level

Required Skills

1. Able to teach and administer injection devices and intramuscular injections to patients/families

2. Preparation of insurance letters/packages, EAP letters for patients who qualify for growth hormone therapy

3. Facilitate short term testing and Communication of results (labs, bone ages etc.) to patients/families

4. Preparation of dictations on patients being followed

5. Tracking of newborn screening results and decisions in conjunction with Genetics services