Vanessa Kinch
Prince George
Summary
Compassionate, solutions-oriented nurse, dedicated to providing exceptional care and devising creative treatment plans for adolescents and adults dealing with concurrent disorders.
Overview
2025
2025
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Mental Health and Substance Use Resource Nurse
Northern Health
Prince George, British Columbia
01.2023 - Current
- Recommended updates to current legislation, regulations and policies.
- Identified, evaluated and developed solutions to remove roadblocks to change.
- Optimized tasks and procedures resulting in reduced expenses and increased efficiency.
- Helped to create and maintain the Northern Health Substance Use Clinic.
- Built pathways, standard operating procedures, and workflows to operationalize Mental Health and Substance Use work at the clinic.
- Preform regular quality checks on EMR to ensure orders are created, data/stats are captured appropriately, and documentation is accurate.
- Routinely connected with stakeholders to discuss communication pathways, funding options, and recruitment of healthcare personnel.
Team Lead at Northern Health Virtual Clinic
Northern Health
Prince George, British Columbia
01.2022 - 01.2023
- Mentored and guided employees to foster proper completion of assigned duties.
- Developed team communications and information for meetings.
- Led projects and analyzed data to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Recruited, hired and trained all staff, providing direct supervision, ongoing staff development and continuing education to employees.
- Supervised team of 15 nurses and 10 tele-care assistants.
- Conducted performance reviews, informal 1:1 meetings, and education plans with staff.
- Compiled data and presented information to executive leadership.
- Helped to build out care pathways for the Virtual Clinic including Mental Health and Substance Services.
Tele-Care Nurse
Northern Health
Prince George, BC
09.2020 - 01.2022
- Educated clients and families to support wellness activities, self-care techniques and prevention strategies.
- Fostered strong relationships with clients and families to support comprehensive social, mental and physical care.
- Prepared visit notes, updated and summarized client records and conferred with health care disciplines in providing coordinated client care.
- Facilitated therapeutic communication, conflict resolution and crisis intervention by redirecting negative behaviors and helping patients regain or improve coping abilities.
- Documented novel coronavirus screening assessments.
- Assisted the UCDR team in completing contact tracing for clients who have tested positive for Covid-19.
- Connected with unattached patients who have tested positive for Covid-19 to complete active daily monitoring.
- Led morning huddles, assisted doctors with GAD 7 and PHQ9 assessments, provided education for new nurses orientating to the program.
Clinical Nursing Instructor
Stenberg College
Prince George, BC
01.2017 - 05.2019
- Oversaw laboratory and clinical environments to help students advance knowledge and abilities. - Approx April 2019 Psychosocial Rehabilitation Focus
- Completed three clinical lab rotations on the Acute Psychiatric Ward ay UHNBC with an acute mental health focus (clinical dates been Feb 2016-2018)
- Assessed student knowledge levels and abilities with detailed assessments.
- Strived to continuously update course strategies and content based on current trends and technological advancements in healthcare.
- Contributed educational and clinical expertise to help optimize training courses and boost student learning.
- Coached underperforming students to help meet clinical objectives
- Oriented and provided instruction to students during clinical rotations.
- Created training materials and implemented instructional strategies to track student progress, ascertain skills and development and perform staff assessments.
CAR 60 Program
Northern Health Authority
Prince George, BC
01.2019 - Current
- Provided crisis intervention in the community with high risk clients.
- Offered education, counsel, and support to RCMP members in regards to apprehending clients under the Mental Health Act.
- Accompany RCMP members and client(s) to the designated facility (UHNBC) for appropriate assessment and liaison between appropriate inpatient/outpatient programs.
- Examined patients and dispensed psychotropic medications as needed.
- Pharmacological and non-pharmacological management and treatment of various disorders and diseases.
- Liaised between patients and physicians to ensure patient comprehension of treatment plans..
- Delegated staff nurse duties.
Clinician
Early Psychosis Intervention
Prince George, BC
08.2017 - 01.2019
- Administered medications to patients as prescribed by mental health physicians.
- Promoted effective levels of individualized care to each and every patient.
- Collaborated closely with the patient's mental health team to determine proper methods and medications for treatment.
- Conducted monthly patient case conferences, in-services and staff meetings to educate staff and facilitate good communication.
- Trained new staff on quality control procedures.
- Routinely collaborated with department managers to correct problems and improve services.
Psychiatric Liason Nurse
Northern Health Authority
Prince George, BC
.1 -1 - .1 -1
- Developed patient care plans, including assessments, evaluations and nursing diagnoses.
- Pharmacological and non-pharmacological management and treatment of various disorders and diseases.
- Processed monthly reports for department performance.
- Instructed patients and family members on proper discharge care.
- Closely monitored acute conditions.
- Liaised with various inpatient/outpatient programs to ensure that each client is connected to a program that fits their specific needs.
- Worked closely within the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Model to help empower client with their own health.
Assertive Community Treatment
Northern Health Authority
Prince George, BC
.1 2014 - .1 2015
- Aided patients in arranging medication evaluations and psychological testing.
- Maintained an individual caseload of more than 20 acutely ill clients with concurrent disorders while providing medication management for 50 + clients on the ACT team. Medications ranged from three times daily administration of oral medications to monthly anti0psychotic injections.
- Frequent advocating for patients rights and needs within the community.
- Provided comprehensive case management services, including creating treatment plans and connecting clients and families to appropriate resources.
- Trained in substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, and the effect of employment and housing issues on mental health.
- Directed family-centered, strengths-based, culturally competent and individualized intakes and assessments.
- Facilitated a smooth discharge by encouraging and reassuring clients throughout their transitions.
- Completed successful referrals to addictions treatment centres throughout British Columbia whilst organizing transportation and funding.
Community Response Unit
Northern Health Authority
Prince George, BC
.1 2013 - .1 2014
- Documented patient information obtained from interviews.
- Evaluated patient care needs, prioritized treatment, and maintained patient flow.
- Facilitated referrals to community programs that could support the needs of each patient.
- Provided education on Axis I and II disorders which included successful pharmaceutical interventions.
- Conducted short term counselling sessions for selected clients using the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy model.
- Liaised with community psychiatrists to advocate for diagnostic clarity and medication reviews for clients in need.
- Provided education to over 15 Registered Nursing students completing their mental health practicums through the College of New Caledonia and the University of Northern British Columbia.
Adult Psychiatric Unit and Adolescent Psychiatric Assesment
Northern Health Authority
Prince George, BC
.1 2011 - .1 2013
- Documented patient information obtained from interviews.
- Pharmacological and non-pharmacological management and treatment of various disorders and diseases.
- Examined patients and dispensed PRN's and other medications as needed.
- Conducted goal planning sessions utilizing the Brief Action Plan and Motivation Interviewing models.
- Facilitated smooth discharges with community programs to ensure additional support upon discharge.
- Worked closely with a highly skilled multidisciplinary team.
- Provided education about the Mental Health Act to clients who have been admitted involuntarily under the Mental Health Act.
Intensive Case Management
Northern Health Authority
Prince George, BC
08.2016 - 06.2017
- Trained in substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, and the effect of employment and housing issues on mental health.
- Kept abreast of new and developing information in the mental health field by regularly attending professional conferences and workshops.
- Consulted with and trained highly skilled mental health and medical staff.
- Observed and monitored client behavior and responses to treatment.
- Facilitated a smooth discharge by encouraging and reassuring clients throughout their transitions.
- Conducted therapeutic individual and family therapy sessions.
- Directed family-centered, strengths-based, culturally competent and individualized intakes and assessments.
- Connected clients with community service and resource agencies.
- Displayed sensitivity to the cultural and linguistic needs of the clients and families served.
- Administered anti-psychotic injections to clients in various community settings.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Psychiatric Nursing
Stenberg College
Vancouver2011
Skills
- Strong clinical judgment
- High level of autonomy
- Patient/family focused
- Adept at prioritizing/managing deadlines
- Skilled in intake interviewing
- Culturally sensitive
Certification
- CPR/First Aid/AED Level C
- Psychology 101 and 102 Online Courses. Thompson’s River University, January 2008 Kamloops, British Columbia.
- Brief Intervention Training & LEAN Training 2014
- LOCUS Training 2015
- Brief Action Planning 2016
- Occupational Health and Safety 2017
- Violence Prevention Training/Personal Safety Training 2017
- Active member of the Joint Occupational Health and Safety committee
- Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Certificate 2019
- CORE Linx Management Courses 2019
- Emotion Focused Family Therapy - 2019
Additional Information
References:
Clifford Mann, Team Leader of Intensive Services, 778-349-4277
Roberta Miller, Team Lead of Northern Health Virtual Clinic, 250-613-5144
Graham Hall, Executive Lead for Mental Health and Substance Use Services, 778-349-6546
Timeline
Mental Health and Substance Use Resource Nurse
Northern Health
01.2023 - Current
Team Lead at Northern Health Virtual Clinic
Northern Health
01.2022 - 01.2023
Tele-Care Nurse
Northern Health
09.2020 - 01.2022
CAR 60 Program
Northern Health Authority
01.2019 - Current
Clinician
Early Psychosis Intervention
08.2017 - 01.2019
Clinical Nursing Instructor
Stenberg College
01.2017 - 05.2019
Intensive Case Management
Northern Health Authority
08.2016 - 06.2017
Bachelor of Science - Psychiatric Nursing
Stenberg College
Psychiatric Liason Nurse
Northern Health Authority
.1 -1 - .1 -1
Assertive Community Treatment
Northern Health Authority
.1 2014 - .1 2015
Community Response Unit
Northern Health Authority
.1 2013 - .1 2014
Adult Psychiatric Unit and Adolescent Psychiatric Assesment
Northern Health Authority
.1 2011 - .1 2013