Hospital Elder Life Specialist / HELP Volunteer Coordinator

Bluewater Health, with locations in Sarnia and Petrolia, cares for the residents of Sarnia-Lambton. With close to 2,500 staff, Professional Staff and volunteers, Bluewater Health provides an array of specialized acute, complex continuing care, allied health and ambulatory care services. State-of-the-art facilities, which opened in 2010, contribute to Bluewater Health’s Mission: We create exemplary healthcare experiences with patients and families every time. For more information about Bluewater Health, visit www.bluewaterhealth.ca or follow us on Facebook and YouTube.

The successful applicant will work in compliance with all relevant and applicable legislation and Hospital Policies and Procedures, will practice the Bluewater Health Standards of Performance Excellence and will fulfill their role within the Attendance Support Program parameters. The successful applicant will also possess effective communication and interpersonal skills, will have the ability to work independently and as part of a team, and will have strong attention to detail and accuracy.

Each member of Bluewater Health is called to embrace patient and family-centred care in its fullest form. This includes using techniques and strategies to communicate “I care and I respect you,” providing information in a way patients and families can understand, listening to patients and families to learn what an exemplary healthcare experience means to them, and seeking their perspective throughout their stay and during improvement initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in human services or healthcare related field required
• Diploma program, bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation, Recreation and Leisure Studies, and/or Gerontology preferred
• Current GPA, NVCI and/or P.I.E.C.E.S. training certificate preferred

Skill, Ability and Experience:

• Minimum of one to three years of experience working with geriatric populations required
• Knowledge of senior-friendly and dementia care and experience working with patients who demonstrate responsive behaviours required
• Supervisory experience required
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively on an interdisciplinary team required
• Demonstrates interest and compassion with regard to older adults and their families required
• Strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills required
• Organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to keep careful documentation required
• Proficiency in Microsoft programs (Outlook, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required
• Experience using related information systems (Meditech, Cerner) preferred
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching / facilitating skills including applied understanding of adult learning principles preferred

Principal Duties:

• Orientates patients, families, hospital staff and professional staff to HELP
• Daily screening and enrollment of appropriate patients into program
• Develop patient-centered care plans and patient-appropriate activities for the HELP volunteers, updating patient care plans as needed based on patients’ needs and outcomes
• Monitor and record adherence to program interventions and volunteer activities and generate progress reports as needed
• When appropriate, educates patients and families regarding community resources available
• Collaborates with Volunteers Services Department to recruit HELP volunteers
• Facilitates and coordinates specialized training for HELP volunteers on the program interventions and documentation processes
• Coordinate and implement HELP volunteer retention measures and recognition plans
• Acts as a resource and mentors HELP volunteers, providing guidance on respectful interactions with patients, families and hospital staff
• Coordinates HELP volunteers’ schedules assuring optimal coverage to support program services
• Monitors and evaluates key program outcome metrics
• Purchases and tracks program equipment and resources; maintaining cleanliness and working condition of all equipment
• Collaborate with clinical units, departments, staff, to develop and implement program process improvement plans
• Serves as a leader and advocate for senior-friendly care
• Other related duties as assigned

Bluewater Health is an equal opportunity employer and we will accommodate your needs under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Upon individual request, hiring processes will be modified to remove barriers to accommodate those with disabilities. If you require any accommodations to fully and fairly participate in the application, interview or selection processes, please contact the Human Resources Department at (519) 464-4400 extension 8391 or humanresources@bluewaterhealth.ca and we will endeavor to provide a suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account your accessibility needs.

We thank you in advance for your interest in Bluewater Health, however, only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. In accordance with Bluewater Health policy, offers of employment to prospective employees are conditional upon the successful completion and disclosure of a Police Records/Vulnerable Sector Check.