Indigenous Patient Navigator

Come work as an Indigenous Patient Navigator with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!

Vancouver Coastal Health is looking for an Indigenous Patient Navigator to join the Indigenous Health Patient Experience team. Apply today to join our team!

Vancouver Coastal Health is committed to improving the health and access to culturally safe healthcare of the Indigenous people in our region and we recognize that we all have a contribution to make in reconciliation and Indigenous Health team works with staff and physicians across all programs and departments to provide strategic leadership partner collaboration and community engagement to assist VCH to become a more culturally competent and safe organization.

Strong preference given to candidates identifying as Indigenous including First Nations Metis or Inuit. We are striving to build a diverse team that has lived experience with Indigenous communities. It will greatly assist us with screening if you refer in your application to your Indigenous identity. Recognizing the impacts of colonization on Indigenous people it is your choice whether to volunteer information. We will hold your application in strictest confidence sharing it only with the hiring panel.

As an Indigenous Patient Navigator with Vancouver Coastal Health you will:

• Be accountable for providing daytoday health system navigation support to create safe people places and systems for First Nations Metis and Inuit clients and their families of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH).
• Liaise with clients and primary care teams who provide direct client and family support to ensure their successful access to primary care and communitybased health care services.
• Be responsible for ensuring that patient care occurs in a culturally safe and respectful manner by people:
  • connecting with clients and families to offer support
  • helping clients and families voice their questions or concerns to the primary care teams
  • offering traditional culturally safe resources that compliment current healthcare regimes
  • mitigate potential complaints by acting as a conduit between client and care team through presence communication approach and understanding.
• Liaise with a variety of Indigenous community based agencies.
• Inform and influence program development planning and evaluation of services for First Nations Metis and Inuit clients through the patient experience process of navigating the healthcare system.

Key partnerships are with the Indigenous Health Program interdisciplinary VCH health care providers and VCH leadership. This work is aligned with VCHs peoplecentred values and focused on advancing Indigenous Cultural Safety antiracism equity diversity and inclusion.

Education & Experience

• Two 2 to three 3 years recent related experience working with Indigenous communities in British Columbia with a combination of training education and/or experience in a similar field.
• Bachelors Degree in health care Social Work Nursing or related discipline preferred.
• Preference will be given to Indigenous applicants including First Nations Metis and Inuit Peoples. We encourage Indigenous applicants to identify in their CV cover letter or application form.
• Travel within the health authoritys geographic area is required with access to appropriate transportation.

Knowledge & Abilities

• Extensive knowledge of communitybased First Nations Metis and Inuit organizations in British Columbia.
• Extensive knowledge of health issues impacting First Nations Metis and Inuit communities.
• Broad knowledge of Indigenous and nonIndigenous services and resources currently available within Vancouver Coastal Healths (VCHs) communities of care (CoCs) for First Nations Metis and Inuit clients in need of health and social supports.
• Demonstrated ability to deal with cultural issues sensitively.
• General knowledge of Trauma Informed Practice and Harm Reduction approaches and Strengthsbased care.
• Demonstrated ability to promote Indigenous Cultural Safety.
• Demonstrated ability to provide competent and culturally safety care in a variety of settings and with diverse populations.
• Demonstrated ability to initiate and maintain collaborative respectful and caring working relationships with colleagues partners and clients.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated intermediate skill with operating wordprocessing spreadsheet and database programs.

The hours of work including days off and work area may be subject to change consistent with operational requirements and the provision of the Collective Agreement and applicable statutes. Successful applicants may be required to complete a Criminal Records Review Check.

As per Ministry of Health policy all health care workers working in publiclyfunded health care facilities are required to report their past receipt of certain vaccines or history of certain infections. Collecting these records will allow for offering of any missing vaccines and for appropriate actions to be taken in the event of any future exposure to a communicable disease or during outbreaks. For all new hires and appointments to Vancouver Coastal Health you will be asked to provide this information as part of the onboarding process.

WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH

VCH is a world class innovator in medical care research and teaching delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH we embrace thinking boldly taking smart risks and going first when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families. We invite you to join us in creating healthy lives in healthy communities by showcasing our passion for care connection to the communities we serve and our culture of teamwork that makes VCH a great place to work.

Comprehensive health benefits package including MSP extended health and dental and municipal pension plan
Grow your career with employerpaid training and leadership development opportunities
Wellness supports including counselling critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families
Awardwinning recognition programs to honour staff medical staff and volunteers
Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff

At Vancouver Coastal Health our vision of healthy lives in healthy communities inspires us and our values and pillars guide us. We support equitable practices diverse teams and inclusive environments which are vital to creating welcoming spaces where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and feel supported. We encourage applications from equitydeserving communities including Indigenous Peoples and members of racialized groups people with disabilities and people of all gender identities and expressions and sexual orientation.

Vancouver Coastal Health is proud to be recognized as one of Canadas Top 100 Employers in 2024.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for this posting.


***Employees of VCH must apply online via the Internal Career Portal on CareerHub you are currently viewing the External Career Portal. Refer to the site for instructions on how to view internal job postings and how to apply as an employee. Current VCH employees who apply to this posting using this external site will be considered as an external candidate. Seniority will not apply.***

Thank you for your interest in Vancouver Coastal Health.