Clinical Nurse Specialist, Family Newborn Care Unit

Nova Scotia Health; Halifax; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization is seeking a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Halifax to provide leadership and support in the Women's and Newborn Health Program. The role requires a Master's degree in Nursing and at least five years of clinical experience in perinatal nursing. This temporary position offers 37.5 hours weekly, focusing on holistic patient-centered care and quality improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Currently registered or eligible to be registered with the Nova Scotia College of Nursing (NSCN).
• IBCLC or willingness to complete within two years required.
• Minimum five years recent clinical experience in perinatal nursing required.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership in nursing and work collaboratively in an interprofessional team.
• Integrate advanced practice nursing skills in quality improvement.
• Partner with healthcare professionals to provide holistic patient care.

Skills

Advanced communication skills

Ability to work in cross-cultural situations

Leadership and facilitation skills

Creativity and innovation in nursing

Education

Masters of Nursing

Tools

BLS Certification

Job description

Overview

Company: IWK Health

Req ID: 208001

Department / Program: Family Newborn Care Unit Womens & Newborn Health

Location: Halifax Multi-Site

Type of Employment: Temporary Hourly FT short-assignment (100% FTE) ending June 30 2026 x 1 position(s)

Start Date: October 13 2025

Union Status: NSNU Nursing Nursing Bargaining Unit

Compensation: $47.4865 - $58.6442 / hour

Closing Date: September 13 2025 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax Nova Scotia providing tertiary and primary care for two million children youth adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees physicians volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each others talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home align our work to our values and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care is important to us. We are located in Mikmaki the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mikmaq people. Working in Mikmaki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long deep and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination but have more work to do to build that trust acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous Black / African Nova Scotians Persons of Colour Immigrants / Newcomers Persons with Disabilities 2SLGBTQIA to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients families and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Manager of Family Newborn Care Unit the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) will join other CNSs in the Womens and Newborn Health Program as an expert Registered Nurse who promotes excellent care and advances nursing practice throughout the Womens and Newborn Health Program :

• Providing leadership in nursing and working collaboratively in an interprofessional team environment.
• Integrating the skills and knowledge of advanced practice nursing in a collaborative practice setting leading and mentoring team members in evidence-based practice and quality improvement.
• Working in partnership with professional nurses/other healthcare professionals and community partners to provide holistic patient / family centred-care with an emphasis on the care of vulnerable families.
• Advance nursing practice through knowledge translation
• Functioning as a change agent by challenging current practices and creating an environment of independence and autonomy

The successful candidate will also be eligible for joint appointment with the School of Nursing at Dalhousie University.

Hours of Work

Monday to Friday; 37.5 hours weekly.

Your Qualifications

• Masters of Nursing required (Master degree in progress may be considered).
• Currently registered or eligible to be registered with the Nova Scotia College of Nursing (NSCN) required.
• IBCLC or willingness to complete within two years required.
• Advanced theoretical knowledge and extensive clinical expertise in perinatal nursing required.
• Minimum five years recent clinical experience in perinatal nursing is required. Three years recent clinical experience in perinatal nursing plus completion of Masters of Nursing degree may be considered.
• Current successful completion of a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Basic Life Support Level (BLS) Program within the last 12 months or successful completion of a BLS Renewal/Challenge Certificate required.
• Certification in / or plans to obtain CNA Certification in Perinatal Nursing considered an asset.
• Fetal Health Surveillance certification preferred.
• Demonstrated advanced theoretical knowledge in clinical practice consultation leadership education and research.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze translate and apply evidence.
• Demonstrated accomplishments as a nurse leader facilitator innovator role model advocate coach and change agent.
• Demonstrated advanced communication skills (verbal and written) required.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations required.
• Demonstrated understanding of the social determinants of health and their impact on childbearing families
• Demonstrated ability to work within a multidisciplinary team and to coordinate care of vulnerable families.
• Demonstrated commitment to the advancement of nursing practice required.
• Demonstrated experience with implementation of quality improvement and patient safety initiatives required.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate creativity and innovation into the practice of nursing.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively with interprofessional team colleagues patients families and community partners.
• Demonstrated skills in leading and facilitating groups.
• Ongoing commitment to continuing self-development.
• Competencies in other languages are an asset.

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview / testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Nursing bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions bargaining units or employment status are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority benefits and vacation entitlement and / or usage prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.

Required Experience: Unclear Seniority

Key Skills: Apache Tomcat, C++, Administration Support, LNG, Hotel Front Office

Employment Type: Temp

Experience: years

Vacancy: 1