Relief Nurse, Drop-In Services

Fred Victor

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL

Position Type: Relief, Non-Bargaining Unit, Contract

Number of Positions: 2

Reason for Posting: New Position

Rate: $41.11 to $51.38 per hour

Vacation: 7% Vacation Pay

Hours: Days, Evenings and Weekend shifts (subject to change)

Supervisor: Senior Manager, Drop-In Services

Posting Date: June 29, 2026

Application Deadline: July 10, 2026

Location: 145 Queen St. East

Why Fred Victor?

For 130 years, Fred Victor has been a leader in helping people rebuild their lives in Toronto. Our mission is to

improve the health, income and housing stability of people experiencing poverty and homelessness. We are

committed to ending homelessness, one person at a time.

The Community Services (CS) department at Fred Victor is a multi-service, multi-site entity that prioritizes the

involvement of peers and individuals with lived experiences throughout its portfolio. It encompasses the 40 Oak

Community HUB and community programs, Consumption and Treatment Services, Employment and Training

Services, Drop-Ins and Warming and Cooling Centres, and Food Services. Additionally, it operates a social purpose

enterprise with catering services and spearheads a significant peer training initiative.

This role is part of the agency's safe winddown of Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS), supporting the

transition to an enhanced drop-in health services model. The Relief Nurse provides direct, low-barrier nursing care

within the drop-in services program, with a primary focus on wound care and harm-reduction-informed health

support. Working as part of an interdisciplinary team, the Relief Nurse assesses client health needs in a walk-in

setting, delivers point-of-care wound treatment, and connects clients to primary health care, addiction medicine,

and wrap-around supports through community partners, Community Health Centres (CHCs), and other relevant care

pathways. This role is essential to ensuring that people who face barriers to traditional health care — including

those experiencing homelessness, substance use, and complex health needs — have timely access to the care they

need.

Does this sound like work you want to be a part of?

We offer a supportive and collaborative environment, an opportunity to join a diverse team of caring professionals,

and a chance to make a difference. With over 75 programs and services and more than 25 sites, there are lots of

opportunities to grow your career with us. Many members of the management team started in relief and front-line

roles.

What You Will Do

Clinical Care

Provide care consistent with a low-barrier model, without requiring clients to complete an intake assessment

prior to receiving nursing support

Provide on-site wound care assessment, treatment, and dressing changes in a drop-in, low-barrier setting

Conduct basic health assessments and triage for clients presenting with acute or chronic health concerns
Administer care in alignment with harm reduction principles and trauma-informed practice
Monitor and document client progress, including wound healing and response to treatment
Recognize and respond appropriately to signs of overdose, withdrawal, or other urgent health concerns

Referrals & System Navigation

Identify client health needs requiring referral to primary care, specialist services, or emergency care

Facilitate warm referrals and active connections to partner agencies, Community Health Centres (CHCs), and

other primary care pathways

Support clients in accessing addiction medicine services (e.g., opioid agonist therapy, withdrawal management,

addiction medicine consults) through established partnerships and referral pathways

Coordinate with internal and external providers to support continuity of care across services

Refer clients to drop-in system navigation for wrap-around supports (housing, income, mental health, social

services) where these intersect with social determinate with Health

Collaboration & Documentation

Work collaboratively with the drop-in team, including peer support workers, system navigators and harm

reduction specialists

Maintain accurate, timely documentation in accordance with professional and organizational standards

Participate in case conferencing and team check-ins as needed to support coordinated client care

Liaise with partner CHCs, hospitals, and primary care providers to support smooth client transitions

Overdose Response Protocols & Training

Work collaboratively with the drop-in team and outreach team to develop and update overdose response

protocols, ensuring they reflect current best practice and local drug supply trends

Monitor and incorporate emerging changes in the drug supply, including non-opioid sedative adulterants

such as medetomidine, into response planning, recognizing that these substances may cause prolonged

sedation, and other complications not fully reversed by naloxone alone

Design and deliver practical, hands-on overdose response training for drop-in and outreach staff and peer

workers, including recognition of atypical overdose presentations linked to emerging adulterants

Work alongside the Drop-In Senior Manager to keep informed of public health alerts, drug checking results,

and regional surveillance data relevant to overdose risk and support response training in response

Support after-action review and debriefing following overdose events to refine protocols and training based

on real-world experience

Health Promotion

Provide client education on wound care, infection prevention, and self-management

Provide harm reduction education and supplies as appropriate (e.g., safer use information, naloxone)

Support broader health promotion initiatives within the drop-in space as opportunities arise

What You Bring to the Team

Required

Current registration in good standing with [provincial nursing regulatory body, e.g., College of Nurses of Ontario]

as an RN

Current CPR/First Aid certification
Demonstrated experience in wound care
Experience working with populations facing barriers to health care, such as people experiencing homelessness,

substance use, mental illness, and/or poverty

Knowledge of harm reduction principles and trauma-informed care
Familiarity with referral pathways into primary care, CHCs, and addiction medicine services

Preferred

Experience in a drop-in, outreach, shelter, or community health setting

Knowledge of local CHC and primary care partner network

Experience supporting clients accessing opioid agonist therapy or other addiction medicine services

Naloxone administration training

Experience developing or delivering overdose response training or protocols

Up-to-date knowledge of local drug supply trends and emerging adulterants (e.g., medetomidine,

benzodiazepine-related substances)

Additional training in harm reduction, addictions, or mental health

What Sets You Apart

Planning, Organizing, Project Management
Strong clinical judgment and ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced, walk-in setting
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with diverse client populations
Non-judgmental, client-centred approach grounded in dignity and respect
Ability to build rapport quickly and work flexibly within an unpredictable drop-in environment
Strong collaboration and teamwork skills within an interdisciplinary setting
Cultural competency and commitment to equity-informed practice

Compensation and Benefits

For the Relief Nurse, Drop-In Services, Fred Victor offers an hourly rate of $41.11 to $51.38 per hour
7% vacation pay
Access to employee and family assistance plan

How You Can Apply

Send your resume and an email describing why you want to be part of the Fred Victor Team by July 10, 2026, to

***email_hidden*** with ‘Relief Nurse, Drop-In Services’ in the subject line.

A Police Record Check is required by the final candidate prior to hiring.

Accessibility & Accommodation

Fred Victor is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment where employees feel valued and

respected, and where every employee has the opportunity to realize their potential. As such, we welcome and

encourage applicants who identify as racialized persons, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons

across the spectrum of sexual orientation and gender identities and have lived-experience

If you are a person with a disability and require accommodation and/or assistance during the application process, please

relating to accommodation requests will be treated with confidentiality.