Registered Nurse

Kílala Lelum Health and Wellness Cooperative is an Indigenous-led health cooperative in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, dedicated to holistic, culturally grounded care for urban Indigenous communities. Emerging from a collaboration between physicians, nurses, Elders, and frontline staff, the organization was created to address gaps in traditional Western medical models. Inspired by the Vancouver Indigenous Elders Partnership program, Kílala Lelum integrates Elder-led mentorship and direct care into primary healthcare, supporting mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.

The cooperative employs Elders, physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals to deliver comprehensive services that honor cultural traditions and promote health equity in a holistic way. Team members join a mission-driven environment that values Truth and Reconciliation, community resilience, and inclusive, trauma-informed care.

Role Description
We are seeking a Registered Nurse (RN) who is passionate about harm reduction and promoting health and wellness equity in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) to join the Relational Care Team. The Registered Nurse (0.6 FTE) is an on-site role based in Vancouver, BC, providing primary and holistic nursing care to community members in collaboration with Elders, physicians, and allied health professionals.

Day-to-day responsibilities include conducting assessments, delivering evidence-informed nursing interventions, administering medications and treatments, and supporting chronic disease management. The nurse contributes to care planning, coordinates referrals, and participates in interdisciplinary case discussions to ensure culturally safe, client-centered care. Additional responsibilities include health education, advocacy, and support for individuals and families, with attention to harm reduction, trauma-informed practice, and social determinants of health.

The role also involves maintaining accurate documentation, adhering to professional standards and regulations, and contributing to quality improvement and community-driven initiatives.

Compensation
Hourly salary will be based on BCNU wage grid.

Responsibilities

Establish relationships with members and provide culturally safe, kind, and empathetic support; support wellbeing and increase access to holistic health supports such as Elders, Social Workers, Counsellors, Physicians, and Dieticians;

Complete outreach to members in the DTES for delivery of medication/food, phlebotomy, and wound care; occasional outreach for appointment accompaniment;

Chart all documentation in EMR OSCAR records; complete paper charting in MAR for medication dispensing;

Provide medication management to members living in the DTES experiencing mental illness, substance use disorders, and chronic illness such as HIV, Diabetes, and COPD;

Conduct phlebotomy, wound care, general and focused assessments, referrals, case management, STI screening and management, Narcan training, and harm reduction education;

Follow leadership of Relational Care Lead and Relational Care Manager regarding program changes, day-to-day functioning of program, and plans to meet future goals;

Complete case management and liaise with other healthcare teams in DTES;

Supervise and support nursing practicum students from UBC Nursing;

Assist with training new nursing staff; and,

Distribute harm reduction and other supplies; support with referrals and connections to other community services and supports.

Qualifications

Current Registered Nurse licensure (or equivalent) in good standing, with

eligibility to practice in BC;

Demonstrated clinical skills in primary care, chronic disease management, and community or public health nursing, including assessment, care planning, and patient education;

Experience or strong interest in Indigenous health, culturally safe and trauma-informed care, and working respectfully with Elders and the DTES community;

Knowledge of harm reduction principles, mental health and substance use care, and approaches that address systemic determinants of health for Urban Indigenous Peoples;

Strong communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work…