Land-Based Healing Community Nurse (RN)

The Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society (ACEH) is seeking a Land-Based Healing Community Nurse (RN) to support Family Members living in culturally supportive housing. This role works independently and collaboratively with healthcare professionals and housing staff to provide comprehensive, trauma-informed, culturally safe, and harm reduction-based nursing care.

ACEH is an Indigenous-led, non-profit housing provider dedicated to supporting First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Our work centres cultural safety, Indigenized harm reduction, and community-driven solutions.

Our Vision: Our way is to care for all our people, from the youngest to the oldest. We are all one. Some of our people living away from home are suffering, isolated and homeless. We stand together to end homelessness.

Application Submission

Applicants are required to submit a resume and cover letter highlighting their Indigenous ancestry, Indigenous community or organizational involvement, education, certifications, relevant experience, and how their knowledge, skills, and abilities will support and contribute to ACEH and our community through a cultural lens.

Applications missing these materials will be automatically screened out of the selection process.

Preference will be given to qualified candidates with Indigenous ancestry. ACEH values strength in diversity. As an inclusive employer that celebrates the gifts of all its employees, we encourage members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community to apply.

Applications will be received until the position is filled. Only qualified candidates will be shortlisted and interviewed.

Job Details

Position Title: Land-Based Healing Community Nurse (RN)
Position Type: Part-time or full-time
Location: 865 Catherine Street and ACEH housing sites as required
Hours of Work: To be determined
Start Date: Contingent on receiving a clearance letter through the Criminal Record Check Review Program

Compensation and Benefits

• $52.50 per hour
• Extended Health and Dental Benefits
• Employer-matched RRSP contributions up to 5%
• 3 weeks (15 days) paid vacation annually (6% accrual, pro-rated for part-time)
• 5 paid sick days per year
• Additional sick leave accrued at 1 day per month
• 3 unpaid personal days per

Union Dues: This is a unionized position represented by the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU). Union dues are deducted from employees’ pay at the applicable rate, currently 1.85%, and remitted to the BCGEU.

About the Role

As an RN, you will play a key role in supporting the health, wellness, and stability of Family Members across ACEH housing sites. You will provide clinical assessments, develop individualized care plans, offer clinical leadership, and coordinate care with internal teams, healthcare professionals, and community service providers. Your work will support Family Members in navigating healthcare systems and accessing appropriate medical, social, and cultural resources.

Key Responsibilities

• Build trusting, holistic relationships with Family Members through consistent, compassionate, and culturally safe engagement.

• Conduct comprehensive nursing assessments, including physical health, mental health, substance use, and complex care needs.

• Develop, implement, and evaluate individualized care plans in collaboration with Family Members and interdisciplinary teams.

• Support medication management and treatment adherence within scope of practice, including monitoring therapeutic outcomes, side effects, and concerns.

• Provide clinical leadership, guidance, and support to nursing and housing staff to promote safe and effective care.

• Support complex healthcare needs, including chronic illness management, wound care, and palliative approaches as required.

• Collaborate with support workers and House Managers to identify health concerns, assess the need for wellness checks, and coordinate appropriate interventions.

• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, external healthcare providers, and community agencies to support continuity of care.

• Provide health education, harm reduction support, and guidance related to substance use, chronic health conditions, and overall well-being.

• Lead and support case management, advocacy, and healthcare system navigation, connecting Family Members with appropriate medical, social, detox, treatment, and cultural resources.

• Respond to medical emergencies, including overdose response, and coordinate with Emergency Health Services (EHS) and House Managers as appropriate.

• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential clinical documentation, assessments, care plans, and reports.

• Provide crisis intervention, de-escalation, and conflict resolution support as needed.

• Support participation in cultural programming by identifying and addressing health-related barriers to engagement.

• Contribute to quality improvement initiatives, policy development, and the implementation of nursing best practices.

• Promote a safe and healthy living environment, including adherence to infection prevention and control practices.

Qualifications and Requirements

Required:

• Graduation from an approved Registered Nursing program.

• Current Registered Nurse registration in good standing with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).

• Minimum of two (2) years of nursing experience, with knowledge of community health, chronic disease management, mental health, and substance use.

• Consent to a Criminal Record Check for working with vulnerable adults, as required.

• Current CPR Level C and Standard First Aid certification.

• Valid Class 5 driver's licence and access to a reliable vehicle.

Preferred:

• Experience working with Indigenous peoples and/or relevant Indigenous education or training.

• Naloxone Overdose Prevention Training.

• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) certification.

• Food Safe certification.

• Experience in harm reduction, mental health, trauma-informed practice, and substance use care.

• Experience working in non-profit, supportive housing, outreach, or community-based healthcare settings.

• Experience working with vulnerable populations and an understanding of the intergenerational impacts of colonization, including the Indian Act, Residential Schools, the Sixties Scoop, and other oppressive systems and structures.

• Experience or personal insight working cooperatively with people with disabilities, lived experience of homelessness, mental health challenges, and substance use.

Skills and Abilities

• Advanced clinical assessment, critical thinking, and decision-making skills, including the ability to respond effectively to complex health situations.

• Strong understanding of persistent mental illness, substance use, chronic health conditions, and other challenges that impact overall health, well-being, and quality of life.

• Ability to provide clinical leadership, guidance, and support while working collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams.

• Ability to work in a holistic, professional, culturally safe, and non-judgmental manner with individuals of diverse backgrounds, needs, cultures, lived experiences, and abilities.

• Effective written, electronic, and verbal communication skills.

• Computer literacy and the ability to use electronic health records and case management software.

• Ability to develop trusting relationships while maintaining professional boundaries and confidentiality.

• Ability to balance clinical responsibilities with relationship-based, trauma-informed, and harm reduction approaches to care.

• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize competing needs and coordinate care across multiple housing sites.

• Ability to work independently, take initiative, exercise sound clinical judgment, and collaborate effectively as part of a team.