Overview Mental Health and Substance Use Triage Nurse (RN/RPN) - Adult Mental Health - Casual Pool
Vancouver Coastal Health is seeking a Mental Health and Substance Use Triage Nurse (RN/RPN) to join the Adult Mental Health team in Powell River, BC.
Responsibilities Provide initial client screening related to referral priority and appropriateness of referrals, urgency of needs, and confirmation of the appropriate required service.
Act as a liaison with other internal and external teams to assess client care needs.
Coordinate site-specific client allocations/assignments based on priority, ensure workload is distributed evenly, and client care needs are met.
Follow established standardized client allocation/assignment processes and utilize escalation procedures to ensure timely and appropriate client allocation/assignment, minimizing delays in care provision.
Prioritize daily workload to accommodate urgent client needs and referrals.
Provide holistic, evidence-informed nursing care to clients with complex mental health and substance use needs through comprehensive assessment, risk identification and mitigation, and collaborative care planning.
Coordinate and monitor treatment and response in partnership with clients, families, and community supports, offering psychoeducation, harm reduction, and medication management.
Deliver a range of therapeutic interventions including crisis response, counselling, and motivational interviewing, while maintaining professional documentation and regulatory standards.
Advocate for client rights, liaise with emergency and community agencies, and actively participate in case conferences to address emerging issues.
Uphold qualified standards through ongoing learning, mentorship, and engagement in quality improvement to enhance team capacity and client care.




Qualifications Current practicing registration as a Registered Nurse or Registered Psychiatric Nurse with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).
Two (2) years of recent experience providing nursing care for individuals with mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders, including care and transition planning, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Valid BC Driver’s License required as local area travel may require the use of a vehicle or other accepted mode of transportation.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Demonstrated knowledge of mental health and substance use theory and practice, including therapeutic communication, crisis intervention, psychopharmacology, interdisciplinary care coordination, counseling, and knowledge of community resources.
Ability to triage multiple clients’ needs, prioritize urgent situations, and escalate level of care as appropriate.
Knowledge of nursing practice frameworks emphasizing client- and family-oriented care, health equity, and psychosocial rehabilitation.
Trauma- and violence-informed practice, harm reduction, recovery-oriented and strengths-based care.
Ability to promote Indigenous cultural safety and provide culturally safe care in diverse settings.
Familiarity with relevant legislation and standards (e.g., Mental Health Act, Adult Guardianship Act, BCCNM Standards).
Skills in motivational interviewing,



cognitive behavioral techniques, counseling, group facilitation, and psychoeducation.
Proficiency in applying the nursing process: screening, assessment, risk identification, care planning, interventions, and evaluation.
Ability to work with clients and families using in-person, clinic, virtual, and outreach modalities.
Strong communication, problem-solving, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills; ability to work both independently and in an interprofessional team.
Adaptability to unexpected events and changing workload priorities.
Proficiency with clinical digital information systems and basic computer skills.
Work Location & Conditions The hours of work and work area may be subject to change consistent with operational requirements and applicable agreements and statutes.
As per Ministry of Health policy, all health care workers in publicly-funded facilities are required to report past vaccinations or infection history. New hires will provide this information during onboarding.
Why Join Vancouver Coastal Health? VCH is a leader in care, research, and teaching, serving more than one million BC residents. We value teamwork, equity, and inclusive environments. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, career development opportunities, wellness supports, recognition programs, and employee discounts.
Equity, diversity and inclusion: We invite applications from equity-deserving communities including Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized groups, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities and sexual orientations.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for this posting.
Thank you for your interest in Vancouver Coastal Health.

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📌 Mental Health and Substance Use Triage Nurse (RN/RPN), Adult Mental Health (Casual Pool) - Powe[...]
🏢 Vancouver Coastal Health
📍 British Columbia