Registered Nurse, Subacute Inpatient Unit

Nova Scotia Health Authority; Halifax; Hybrid; CAD 55,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

IWK Health in Halifax is seeking a Staff Nurse for the Subacute Inpatient Unit to provide holistic mental health and addictions care for youth up to 19 as part of an interprofessional team. You will perform nursing assessments, contribute to treatment planning, and deliver family-centered care on a 24/7 unit.

The successful candidate will have a nursing degree, valid licensure, and BLS within 12 months, with experience in adolescent substance abuse and psychiatric nursing preferred; commitment

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing Program.
• Licensed or eligible for licensure by the provincial regulator is required.
• Current Heart and Stroke Foundation BLS within the last 12 months, or BLS Renewal.
• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention certification is an asset.
• Ability to support psychoeducational, psycho-therapeutic groups and harm-reduction approaches.
• Two years experience with adolescent substance abuse preferred.
• Two years psychiatric nursing experience preferred.
• Experience with adolescent/youth population in a rehabilitative setting required.
• Knowledge of mental health and concurrent disorders.
• Knowledge of harm reduction approaches to treatment.

Responsibilities

• Provide holistic mental health and addictions care to youth up to age 19 on the subacute unit.
• Perform initial and ongoing nursing assessments and participate in the interdisciplinary treatment plan.
• Lead nursing assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of patient/family care.
• Ensure integration of treatment plans on a 24/7 unit within an inter-professional team.
• May be reassigned to other Mental Health and Addictions units as required.

Skills

BLS Certification

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Family Centred Care

Education

Nursing diploma/degree

Job description

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Registered Nurse, Subacute Inpatient Unit

Req ID: 227345
Department/Program: Subacute Unit , Mental Health And Addictions
Location:Halifax
Type of Employment: Permanent Hourly FT ( 100% FTE) x 1 position(s)
Start Date:October 2026
Union Status:NSNU Nursing, Nursing Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $40.5534 - $51.7412 /hour
Closing Date: October 08, 2026 (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 other’s 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 Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki 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

The Staff Nurse will work as part of an interdisciplinary team, providing holistic, comprehensive mental health and addictions care to meet the needs of youth up to the age of 19 as a member of the subacute unit interprofessional team to provide short-term, high-acuity assessment and stabilization for children and youth. The Staff Nurse is responsible and accountable for the application of current theory and practice in the delivery of family centered nursing care consistent with the philosophy, objectives, mission and vision of the IWK Health Centre. The Staff Nurse is responsible for the initial and ongoing nursing assessments, participating in the interdisciplinary treatment plan and ensuring the integration of the identified treatment plans on the 24/7 unit. The Staff Nurse could be reassigned to other Mental Health and Addictions units as operationally required. The Registered Nurse (RN) is a member of an interdisciplinary care team, providing holistic, comprehensive evidenced based care to meet the needs of individuals, families and/or communities. The RN provides leadership in nursing assessment, and the planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient/family care for the purpose of promoting, maintaining or restoring health, preventing illness, injury and disability. The RN builds professional relationships with other nurses and health team members to support the work of a strong inter-professional team and provision of quality patient/family care. The RN ensures the goals and needs of the patients and families are prioritized and individualized, using nursing knowledge, critical thinking and clinical judgment. The RN engages in independent, interdependent and dependent functions to provide healthcare focusing on comprehensive assessment, patient/family education, teaching and coordination of care. The RN practices according to the Canadian Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses, the Nova Scotia College of Nursing Standards of Nursing Practice, specialty standards as applicable and the policies and procedures of the IWK.

Hours of Work

7.5and/or 11.25hours shifts; Monday-Friday,Weekends and Holidays;Days, Nights andEvenings.

Your Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing Program.
• Licensed or eligible for licensure by the provincial regulator is required
• 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.
• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention certification an asset.
• Ability to support/co-facilitate psychoeducational, psycho-therapeutic, life skills and recreation therapy evidence based groups.
• Two (2) years experience with adolescent substance abuse preferred.
• Two (2) years psychiatric nursing experience preferred.
• Experience working with an adolescent/youth population in a rehabilitative treatment setting required.
• Knowledge of mental health and or concurrent disorders required.
• Knowledge of harm reduction approach and Best Practice modalities for substance abuse and or concurrent disorders.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to Family Centred Care required.
• Demonstrated inter-professional teamwork, time management, prioritization, communication (verbal and written), leadership, critical thinking, organizational and interpersonal skills required.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of an inter-professional team required.
• Demonstrated commitment to professional development and practice required.
• Knowledge of addictions, substance misuse and harm-reduction approach to treatment.
• Valid Class 5 drivers license and willingness to drive program van as required.
• Competency in other languages 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.

I f you are an employee ofIWK Health , please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.

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