Registered Nurse Mental Health - Short Stay Unit

St. Michael's Hospital; Toronto; On-site; CAD 57,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Joseph's Health Centre in Toronto is seeking a Registered Nurse for the Mental Health Short Stay Unit (MHSSU) on a six-bed unit serving emerging adults (18–29) with diverse mental health and/or addiction needs.

The role emphasizes trauma-informed care, evidence-based plans, and inter-professional collaboration. You will work toward completing the Canadian Nurses Certificate in Psychiatric Nursing within two years and engage in ongoing professional development in a fast-paced,

Qualifications

• Currently registered and in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
• Canadian Nurses Association (C.N.A) Certificate in Psychiatric Nursing on hire or willingness to complete within 2 years of start date.
• Current BLS/CPR.
• Prevention and Management of Aggressive Behaviors (or equivalent) required within 3 months of start date.
• 2 years of recent mental health and addictions nursing experience in an acute care setting required (recent within last 5 years). Candidates with a minimum of 6 months of experience may be considered at the Health Centre’s sole discretion.
• Experience working with the emerging adult (EA) patient population strongly preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to patient and family centered care.
• Demonstrated understanding of the needs of the emerging adult population.
• Excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills.
• Demonstrated passion for change and ongoing quality improvement in support of patient care and safety.
• Experience in engaging in therapeutic approaches such as but not limited to CBT, DBT, and mindfulness.
• Experience in facilitating therapeutic groups such as but not limited to CBT, DBT, mindfulness, exercise, and skills.
• Experience in facilitating individual and family sessions and comfortable conducting these sessions independently.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively within an inter-professional team environment.

Job description

Registered Nurse Mental Health - Short Stay Unit(Job Id 17920)

Job title: Registered Nurse Mental Health - Short Stay Unit

Job ID: 17920

Site: CA:ON:Toronto:St. Joseph's HealthCentre

Category: Nursing

Work type: Full-Time Temporary

Date posted: November 10, 2026

Salary range: 41.15-58.98

Shift/ hours of work:

Description

St. Joseph's Health Centre currently has an exciting opportunity to join our mental health team as aRegistered Nursein ourMental Health Short Stay Unit (MHSSU). This 6 bed unit was recently renovated into a purpose built space that supports the Emerging Adults (EA) population (18 to 29yrs) who present with a variety of mental health diagnoses and/or addiction issues.

This shift in mental health services meets the transition needs of this underserved population and is an exciting opportunity to be part of an innovative approach to serving our community while developing specialized skills. Affiliated with the University of Toronto and as part of our larger Mental Health and Addictions program, we strive to provide cutting-edge trauma informed care and services while developing innovative community partnerships that strengthen lives. St. Joseph's is committed to professional development, research, innovation and student learning.

The ideal candidate will be knowledgeable about the issues the EA group faces including how to engage with this population. You will also possess working knowledge about therapeutic interventions such as DBT, CBT and solution focused interventions. The ideal candidate will also have experience facilitating groups, superior nursing and interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated competence in the field of mental health and addictions. Working collaboratively alongside other health care professionals you will demonstrate the ability to incorporate current evidence and best practice into plans of care and in the provision of your professional nursing services. You will approach the planning, delivery of care to patients and families in a manner which promotes health and well-being, recognizes patient dignity and regards patients and their families as an essential partner in the delivery of healthcare. As a member of our mental health team, you are highly-adaptable, highly-flexible and thrive in a fast paced environment. The Registered Nurse will be committed to continuous professional development of their nursing competencies. Successful candidates will be required to successfully complete their Canadian Nurses Certificate in Psychiatric Nursing within two years.

Qualifications:

Professional Registration

• Currently registered and in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario.

Education/Training

• Canadian Nurses Association (C.N.A) Certificate in Psychiatric Nursing on hire or willingness to complete within 2 years of start date.
• Current BLS/CPR.
• Prevention and Management of Aggressive Behaviors (or equivalent) required within 3 months of start date.

Experience

• 2 years of recent mental health and addictions nursing experience in an acute care setting required (recent within last 5 years). Candidates with a minimum of 6 months of experience may be considered at the Health Centre¿s sole discretion.
• Experience working with the emerging adult (EA) patient population strongly preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to patient and family centered care.
• Demonstrated understanding of the needs of the emerging adult population.
• Excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills.
• Demonstrated passion for change and ongoing quality improvement in support of patient care and safety.
• Experience in engaging in therapeutic approaches such as but not limited to CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), and mindfulness.
• Experience in facilitating therapeutic groups such as but not limited to CBT, DBT, mindfulness, exercise, and skills.
• Experience in facilitating individual and family sessions and comfortable conducting these sessions independently.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively within an inter-professional team environment.
• Demonstrated professionalism, accountability and positive attitude.
• Demonstrated ability to engage patients and their families in psycho education and structured therapeutic group programming.
• Proficiency in the application of de-escalation and de-briefing skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and application of trauma-informed approaches.
• Demonstrated recovery-focused skills in bio-psychosocial assessment, mental status assessments, differential diagnosis, treatment and transitional care of mental health and addictions patients.
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of legislation which guides mental health nursing practice (example, Mental Health Act, Health Care Consent Act, Child and Family Services Act).
• Demonstrated alignment with St. Joseph's Health Centre Values.
• Ability to type notes and access/navigate hospital electronic systems for the provision of care to patients.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development and learning.
• Satisfactory attendance record.

Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We strive to provide a recruitment process that is barrier-free and in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We understand that you may require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. When you are contacted, please inform the Talent Acquisition Specialist and we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs. We want to emphasize that all accommodation requests are handled with the utmost confidentiality, respecting your privacy and dignity.