Public Health Post-Secondary Student Placements

Healthy and Safe Communities Department aims to improve and protect the health and well-being of the population of Hamilton and reduce health inequities.

The goal of Ontario’s Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) program is to help children get a healthy start in life. The program focus is prevention and early intervention to improve the well-being and long- term health and development of expectant parents, young children, and their families. The Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) Program offered under the HBHC umbrella is a targeted pregnancy and infancy home visiting program provided by nurses to young, low income, first-time parents starting during pregnancy and continuing until baby is two years of age.

Learning opportunities

HBHC

• Conduct home visits for prenatal, postpartum and families with children up to school entry (in-depth family assessments, blended home visiting, HBHC hospital screening) face to face in client’s home, at community locations and virtually.
• Interprofessional teamwork with Family Home Visitors within Healthy Babies/Healthy Children (HBHC).
• Provide telephone nursing practice (‘with risk’ phone calls).
• Complete ISCIS and OSCAR electronic documentation.
• Enact the Hospital Liaison nursing role.
• Observational activities to support learning plan goals within the Healthy Families Division and Healthy and Safe Communities Department are also available.

NFP

• Intensive, nurse-only home visiting initiated during pregnancy before 28 weeks gestation and continuing until baby turns 2 years of age
• Hamilton Public Health Services adheres to all elements of the NFP Program (staff training and supervision, staffing ratios, schedule of visits, use of standard curriculum and visit to visit guidelines).
• Visits occur mostly in clients’ home, but may be conducted in safe community locations, by phone or virtual technology.
• Documentation is completed in ISCIS and OSCAR electronic records
• Observational activities to support learning plan goals within the HFD and H&SC Department are available.

Placement Requirements

• Students will work primarily in the community conducting home visits (or in hospital setting for HBHC), and they will also meet with their preceptor virtually and in the office as negotiated with their preceptor.
• Students must have access to a vehicle as home visit locations and hospital screening can occur across the City of Hamilton and are not always easily accessible by the HSR (bus).
• Parking fees and mileage will not be reimbursed.
• Hours of this clinical placement may be outside of Monday - Friday and 8:30 to 4:30 depending on program needs.

Location of Placement

Robert Thompson Building (RTB)
110 King Street West, 2ndFloor
Hamilton, ON
L8P 4V3

Healthy and Safe Communities Department aims to improve and protect the health and well-being of the population of Hamilton and reduce health inequities.

PHNs in the Healthy Families School Program promote health and well-being in schools by working together with members of the school community (such as school staff and students). PHNs address a variety of health topic areas such as mental health and well-being, nutrition, and physical activity.

Learning opportunities

• Learn how to promote health in a school community using the Foundations for a Healthy School on priority health topic areas.
• Assist in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating school health action plans through work with students, staff, and community partners. Opportunities may include meetings with groups such as student groups, School Councils or with community organizations.
• Attend meetings with PHN preceptor(s) with both internal and external partners.

Placement Requirements

• Students must have access to a vehicle for this placement.
• Parking fees and mileage will not be reimbursed.
• Hours of this clinical placement are Monday - Friday and 8:30 to 4:30.

Location of Placement

School Program staff work within a hybrid model (i.e. school sites, and home office as primary work locations)

School Program has office space available at:
Robert Thompson Building (RTB)
110 King Street West, 4th Floor
Hamilton, ON
L8P 4V3

Healthy and Safe Communities Department aims to improve and protect the health and well-being of the population of Hamilton and reduce health inequities.

Learning opportunities

• Produce educational materials and/or reports for facilities pertaining to vaccine storage and handling protocols.
• Participate in research and health promotion through the intake line and provide information for vaccine decision making for parents and Health Care Providers.
• Monitor, investigate and document all suspected cases of Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI).
• Participate in planning, implementation and evaluation of Universal Influenza Immunization (UIIP), school program, screening of student records and/or pandemic management.
• Provide immunizations at school and community based clinics.
• Work closely with PHN during Incident Management System (IMS) activation.

Pre-placement requirements

• This placement requires travel and transportation of materials (including vaccine). Students must have access to a vehicle for this placement.
• Parking fees and mileage will not be reimbursed.
• Students must be able to lift and transport up to 25 lbs (including vaccine clinic supplies).
• Hours of this clinical placement may be outside of Monday – Friday and 8:30 to 4:30 depending on program needs.

Location of this placement

Robert Thompson Building (RTB)
110 King Street West, 2nd Floor
Hamilton, ON
L8P 4V3

The Health Promotion program supports the Healthy Families Division to complete continuous quality improvement and health promotion projects related to priority populations and strategic priorities.

Learning opportunities

• Collect and analyze relevant data to monitor trends over time, emerging trends, priorities, and health inequities related to family health
• Collect, appraise, synthesize and apply evidence to inform program planning and evaluation
• Work collaboratively with Healthy Families Division service-delivery programs on program planning, evaluation and continuous quality improvement projects
• Consult and collaborate with community partners on health promotion initiatives
• Attend and facilitate meetings with internal partners and community organizations
• Develop communication plans and materials (e.g., posters, postcards) for specific audiences including families and internal and external partners
• Utilize project management tools to contribute to project planning and implementation
• Provide presentations on health promotion initiatives to internal and external partners

Pre-placement requirements

• Students may be required to attend community locations for meetings as part of this placement; access to a vehicle is not a requirement, but travel to locations within the City of Hamilton should be expected.
• Parking fees and mileage will not be reimbursed.
• Hours of this clinical placement may be outside of Monday - Friday and 8:30 to 4:30 depending on program needs.

Location of this placement

David Braley Health Sciences Centre (DBHSC)
100 Main St W, 5th Floor
Hamilton, ON
L8P 1H6

Healthy and Safe Communities Department aims to improve and protect the health and well-being of the population of Hamilton and reduce health inequities.

Learning opportunities

• Participate in case, contact and outbreak management.
• Conduct home, community, and virtual visits with clients.
• Provide intake support for reportable and non- reportable diseases.
• Facilitate community presentations.
• Facilitate health teaching of individuals and groups.
• Participate in health promotion activities.
• Liaise with external partners such as local health care providers, acute and long-term care facilities, daycares, schools, etc.

Pre-placement requirements

• Students must have access to a vehicle for this placement.
• Parking fees and mileage will not be reimbursed.
• Hours of this clinical placement may be outside of Monday – Friday and 8:30 to 4:30 depending on program needs.

Location of this placement

Robert Thompson Building (RTB)
110 King Street West, 3rd Floor
Hamilton, ON
L8P 4V3

While most of our placements do require travel to different locations within the City of Hamilton due to the nature of our service delivery, we strive to offer student opportunities where using public transportation, cycling and walking are options. Please indicate how you will get to placement locations in your application. Placements that require a vehicle, will indicate this in their description.

No. You must have access to personal transportation to complete placements that indicate a vehicle is required. These placements require nurses to travel anywhere in the City of Hamilton for service delivery and sometimes on short notice. Additionally, it is not uncommon for schedules to change and nurses must be flexible in re-arranging their day to accommodate service needs.

Most days will fall between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, however, each program has their own unique service delivery needs so alternate hours, evening, and weekend work may be required. Because your shifts will be 8 hours, you will need to attend more shifts than you would at an acute care setting. For example, 24 hours of clinical service would be two (2) 12 hour shifts at a hospital but would be three (3) 8 hour shifts in public health. This is an important consideration for scheduling around your other courses.

You may work from a variety of locations, including public health offices, community locations, clinics, or home (in a suitable, private area only).

At the start of the term, your public health nurse preceptor will introduce you to your placement setting and program. There will be a couple weeks of learning and getting orientated, but you will begin to take on the responsibilities of the nurse as your placements progresses, and your preceptor will be your support each step of the way. Much like other placements, you will be expected to enact the role of the Public Health Nurse by the end of the term under the guidance of your preceptor.

You can review the current opportunities that are available for students are listed under "Available Placements" on this page. These opportunities will vary from term to term. Each placement profile will describe the placement requirements and some of the responsibilities of the PHNs in that program that you may be involved with. You are asked for your placement preferences in the application you submit; however, please note that not all requests can be accommodated.

The process includes an application letter and resume which are to be submitted to the PHN Education Coordinator. You will receive confirmation via email that your application has been received.  Once it is reviewed, you will be notified about whether you have been successful in obtaining a public health placement.

There will be some introductory e-modules to complete prior to your start in public health that will be sent you when you are notified that you have been selected for the placement. This content will introduce you to the important aspects of public health and help prepare you for this placement. There will also be a mandatory orientation at the start of the term.

Please feel free to contact us with your questions! Our PHN Education Coordinator is here to help. Email: [email protected]

Students of all Master’s level degree programs need to apply to through their university placement course.

You will gain clinical experience and training through direct client contact, a thorough orientation, bi-weekly discussions of assigned readings and weekly supervision by trained Couple and Family Therapists; Master’s of Social Work and Approved Supervisors with the AAMFT.

Every week, you will have dyadic or group supervision and training, case presentations, discussion of assigned readings related to family and post-modern approaches to therapy, exploration of how theory informs practice and how practice informs our clinical models.

As part of the training program, you will also have the opportunity to participate in Quick Access Services (walk-in/single session), multi-theoretical meetings and all staff meetings and in-services meetings.