Career pathways for Nurse Practitioners
In addition to a variety of practice areas, Nurse Practitioners have opportunities to advance their career by engaging in research, quality initiatives, furthering clinical expertise and exploring leadership opportunities.
Make a difference and grow your Nurse Practitioner career at VCH.
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who have completed a Master's or Doctoral degree and are licensed by the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM). NPs are highly skilled, full-scope independent health-care providers that provide comprehensive health care in various clinical areas, including urgent care, primary care, acute hospital-based care, and specialized care in the areas of mental health, substance use, and complex chronic disease.
At VCH, we encourage all Nurse Practitioners to gain confidence within their practice settings and simultaneously build their skills to become leaders in their own way.
Nurse Practitioners are natural leaders. They have a unique skill set that derives from their understanding and experience in the health system and population health combined with their knowledge of medicine and expertise as nurses.
Examples of ways to apply leadership include but are not limited to:
- Preceptoring students
- Mentorship for New NPs
- Leading a Quality Improvement initiative
- Ensuring Quality Assurance
- Contributing to research
- Leading Medical Staff
- Attending and presenting at conferences
- Continuing medical education
Getting started
As a nurse practitioner, there are many areas of practice at VCH an NP can work. Our focus is on population health and addressing social inequities. The practice settings where NPs are currently found include acute care, community and primary care clinics, urgent care centres, and mental health and substance use. Nurse Practitioners can complete additional training to perform procedures such as IUD insertions, casting, suturing and inserting chest tubes. NPs are all encouraged to be prescribers of Opioid Agonist Therapy, HIV prevention and treatment, and other specialized therapies like hormone therapy for Gender Affirming Care to meet the needs of our population. Additional training opportunities to develop competency in these areas of care are available through VCH.
In addition to a variety of areas of practice, NPs can have opportunities to explore leadership opportunities in professional practice or medical affairs. Courses in leadership are offered to support the career journey. Many NPs combine both clinical and leadership practices.
Michelle's story
"I think back on my early days as an RN and the support I had from colleagues, mentors and leadership. When I went back to school to do my Nurse Practitioner degree, I had tremendous support from my manager who really championed that leap."
Michelle Sims: Regional Director Nurse Practitioners and Associate Head of the Department of NPs
Watch Michelle's storyQuestions? Speak with a Talent Acquisition Advisor today.
Interested in joining the VCH Nurse Practitioners Department at VCH? Contact us, and we will gladly discuss your dream job with our team.
Clinical excellence
Become an expert in your field whether it be mental health, substance use, renal transplant or neurosurgery. In doing so, you have the ability to be a resource to your NP colleagues and others within VCH. Put yourself out there to be a resource to others and/or share your knowledge and expertise in formal presentations at NP department meetings, NP on the run conference or lunch and learn sessions.
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Professional Development
Professional development in your practice areas will vary greatly. This may include attending your department's Grand Rounds, specialty-specific conferences or obtaining certification for advanced skills required in your specialty.
Mentor
Being a mentor can take on various forms within VCH. It may involve mentoring NPs and other providers or precepting NP students. The VCH NP Department is also proud to have a Mentorship Program involving experienced NPs paired with novice NPs for ongoing support and relationship building.
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Preceptor a NP student
Preceptorship of students can benefit both the student and the preceptor as it creates an environment which facilitates ongoing learning. NPs at VCH are encouraged to take students once established within their roles and have the ability to take students for full or partial hours.
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Become a mentor
Sign up to be a mentor in our Mentorship Program established by Medical Affairs. Once you have gained experience as a Nurse Practitioner, you may provide ongoing guidance and support to novice Nurse Practitioners who have recently become VCH Medical Staff. New NPs at VCH all have the opportunity to be mentored through our program.
Committee Chair
VCH has a variety of committees, including a Newsletter Committee, Data and Outcomes Committee and a MOSCE Committee. As NP bylaws under Medical Affairs govern NP practice, committees work to implement quality NP practice within VCH. Chairing committees allows NPs to make changes at a systemic level. Responsibilities of the Committee Chairs include distributing the meeting agenda, running the meeting, delegating of tasks, distributing minutes and ensuring the committee work is in line with its vision and timelines to achieve its' goals.
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Leadership skills development
Leadership programs such as Exploring Leadership will give Nurse Practitioners explore topics such as leadership communication, conflict, and respectful workplace. Applying these learnings to the committee work one may be involved in will further solidify the course learnings.
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Committee member
Committee members attend meetings and bring ideas forward to build on committee work. They learn to work with team members from various backgrounds and carry out tasks such as interviewing for the upcoming newsletter or creating a call-out for speakers for the upcoming Nurse Practitioner on the Run. Once feeling confident in the work said committee is doing, committee members may choose to Chair the committee if this position becomes vacant.
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Committee chair
Committee chairs bring with them the experience of being a committee member. The skills they have are further built on by chairing a committee. Nurse practitioners in these positions are encouraged to partake in the Leadership Foundations courses that focus on facilitating successful meetings, leading projects with agility, and so much more.
Quality Improvement Project Lead
There are always ways to improve how care is delivered. VCH provides Nurse Practitioners with the training and knowledge to carry out their own quality improvement projects in their practice area.
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Training and skills development
Nurse Practitioners as medical staff can participate in the Physician Quality Improvement training opportunities, which include an introduction to QI training, intermediate training, advanced cohort training and one-on-one quality improvement coaching. The knowledge and skills obtained in these courses are invaluable to Nurse Practitioners as they improve clinical practice and health system performance, enhance professional and/or organizational development and improve patient and population health outcomes.