Clinical Nurse Specialist - Palliative Care

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton; Hamilton; On-site; CAD 81,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton seeks a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Palliative Care to provide expert nursing care with advanced knowledge across the care continuum.

The CNS will practice under CS Ontario standards and lead in education, leadership, and research for patient and family-centred care. The CNS will collaborate with interprofessional teams, contribute to policy development, and support evidence-based practice across SJHS sites including Charlton Campus and community

Qualifications

• Master's degree required in nursing or related health science field
• Current registration with College of Nurses of Ontario required
• Current CPR and BCLS certifications required
• Nurse-certified with hospice palliative care nursing preferred
• CNA specialty certification may be required for specific settings
• Membership in professional associations preferred
• Experience in CNS role and clinical practice in palliative care preferred
• Knowledge of CNO standards and reflective practice
• Ability to work across continuum of care and interprofessional teams

Responsibilities

• Provide expert client care based on nursing knowledge and sciences
• Solve complex health care issues with clients and teams
• Promote learning for patients, families, and staff and lead education programs
• Act as liaison with external agencies and community partners to improve patient experience
• Communicate assessment findings and plans clearly to the team
• Ensure seamless integrated and comprehensive care across settings
• Lead nursing practice with evidence-based knowledge
• Support research and knowledge translation within the team
• Develop and revise policies and procedures with health professionals
• Plan and monitor data for outcome management and quality improvement
• Identify areas for ongoing quality improvement and report outcomes
• Other duties as assigned

Skills

Clinical leadership

Interprofessional collaboration

Communication

Research skills

Data management

Patient-family centred care

Education

Masters Degree in Nursing

Current registration with COLNO

Current CPR certificate

Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS)

Nurse Certified - Hospice Palliative Care Nursing

Canadian Nurses Association membership

RNAO membership (asset)

Job description

Position Details

Job Number:

JR02366

Department:

Palliative Care

This position may be scheduled at any of the following sites:

Charlton Campus (Hamilton Downtown), Reactivation Care Centre Dundas, Satellite Health Facility (Hamilton Downtown)

Job Type:

Regular, Full time

Contract Duration: (If applicable)

0 months

Number of Positions:

1

Union:

ONA Local 75

Hourly Rate (Min / Max):

$59.24 - $70.18

Schedule

Work Days:

Monday to Friday

Time of Day:

Days

Shift:

Hours - 7.5

Shift Start: (If applicable)

Reason for Posting:

Posting is for a role with an existing vacancy

Application Dates

Opening Date:

2026-10-13

Closing Date:

2026-10-20

Job Description

Position Summary:
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is a nurse registered in the general class with the College of Nurses of Ontario who has graduate preparation and established expertise within a clinical specialty. The CNS is committed to client and family-centred care which enhances patient and clinical outcomes and functions as an integral and collaborative member of the interprofessional team of Palliative Care in the provision of specialty care services by using advanced nursing knowledge both theoretical and practical as well as evidence to inform clinical reasoning problem solving and critical thinking.

The CNS will practice in accordance with the Standards of Practice and Guidelines of the College of Nurses of Ontario and organizational policies and expectations and his/her practice will be informed by current literature best practices and standards relevant to the clinical specialty area of practice.

The CNS will be expected to espouse the standards as described in the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Nursing Standards of Practice. The CNS role encompasses the five domains of advanced practice nursing: clinical practice education consultation leadership and research. These domains are applied to practice to varying degrees depending upon the practice setting and the needs of the specific population served.

Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Nursing or related Health Science Program
• Current registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario required
• Current CPR certificate required
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) required
• Canadian Nurses Association specialty certification may be required for specific clinical practice settings and patient/client populations
• Member of the professional association affiliated with the designated specialty preferred
• Nurse Certified with the Hospice Palliative Care Nursing preferred
• Canadian Nurses Association membership preferred
• Member of RNAO is an asset
• Minimum 3 years documented experience and expertise in the specified clinical area of hire (this includes recent years of experience in the clinical nursing specialty related to the position
• Evidence of experience or ability to work in clinical settings across the continuum of care
• Experience as a CNS is preferred
• Demonstrated knowledge of the CNO Standards of Practice and Guidelines and commitment to maintaining reflective practice
• Demonstrated clinical competence and in-depth clinical expertise in the specified clinical service area of hire
• Demonstrated knowledge of legal and ethical responsibilities relating to healthcare
• Demonstrated commitment to patient and family-centred care
• Demonstrated excellence in interpersonal and customer service skills
• Demonstrated effective conflict management/ resolution skills
• Demonstrated collegial relationships and effective teamwork
• Demonstrated scholarly inquiry knowledge translation and effective research skills
• Demonstrated proficiency in computer skills e.g., EPIC.)
• Demonstrated self-directed decision making and problem solving skills
• Demonstrated data management for evaluation interpretation and process change

Responsibilities

• Provides expert client care based on in-depth knowledge of nursing and other relevant sciences.
• The CNS seeks solutions for complex health care issues at all levels with clients allied health disciplines administrators and policy makers.
• Promotes a learning environment for patients their families nurses students and health care providers and demonstrates leadership in the provision of educational programs
• Confers with and refers to members of the health professional team and acts as a contact/liaison with external agencies and community partners to enhance the individual patient/family experience as well as overall client centred care.
• Effectively communicates assessment findings plan of care and interventions
• Acts as an interface to provide seamless integrated and comprehensive care
• As clinical leader provides expert nursing care based on evidence-based knowledge of nursing and other relevant sciences
• Strengthens the link between research and clinical practice by facilitating the team's understanding and application of research
• Develops and revises policies and procedures in collaboration with appropriate health care professionals.
• Involved in planning implementing maintaining and monitoring appropriate database for outcome management
• Identifies areas of improvement to promote ongoing quality improvement.
• Plans implements evaluates and reports on outcomes
• Other responsibilities and duties as assigned

St. Joseph's Health System (SJHS) and its member organizations are equal opportunity employers and strives for equity, inclusiveness, and diversity in all programs, practices, facilities, and people.We foster a culture of patient and staff safety where all positions comply and work in conjunction with Mission, Vision, and Core Values .

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. SJHS and its member organizations are committed to a barrier-free recruitment and selection process - please inform us should accommodation be required at any point in the recruitment process [e-mail].