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.

Program Overview

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

Healthy Babies Healthy Children

• 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.

Nurse Family Partnership

• 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 to 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.

Learning Opportunities

Students will work with a preceptor in one of these focus areas. Highlights of placement experiences are noted.

Reproductive Health and Breastfeeding

• Co-facilitate prenatal classes to a variety of groups, including adults, teens, and single pregnant people

• Work collaboratively with Public Health Dietitians to deliver weekly interactive prenatal education sessions.

• Provide consultation to other public health professionals and community partners related to reproductive health.

• Provide on call-and telephone support to clients and professionals and apply best practice guidelines at breastfeeding calls/OTN/home visits

• Engage in social media – Facebook page www.facebook.com/healthyfamilieshamilton

• Support public health priorities (health equity, healthy weights, mental health and addictions)

• Synthesize and apply knowledge from evidence when contributing to planning and evaluating initiatives and contribute to workgroups through project planning

Healthy Growth and Development

• Participate in the Check It Out Drop-In child developmental screening clinics for children 0 – 6 years.

• Participate in health resource development activities e.g. developing key messages or integration new information into curriculums for group on topics such as perinatal mood disorder, infant and early years mental health, child safety, nutrition.

• Develop engaging content for the Healthy Families Facebook page: www.facebook.com/healthyfamilieshamilton

• Provide presentations and consultations to internal and external community organizations/ agencies within the community

• Co-facilitate parenting groups such as Parenting with Love

Pre-Placement Requirements

• Students must have their own vehicle to conduct public health service delivery. See FAQ.

• Parking fees and mileage will not be reimbursed.

• Hours of this clinical placement may be outside of Monday to 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

Sexual Health Program

Vaccine Program

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

Learning Opportunities

• Perform STI testing and treatment, pregnancy prevention and counselling, vaccine administration and provision of harm reduction supplies and Naloxone, in the sexual health clinics.
• Learn how to conduct case management for reportable sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• Learn to triage incoming STI laboratory results and assign case management staff as appropriate through the Intake process. Consult with administrative staff in the intake process.
• Facilitate community presentations and outreach work as opportunities arise.
• Provide support on the Sexual Health Phoneline to answer calls from individuals seeking information about sexual health.
• Refer clients to community agencies as appropriate.
• Work on program development such as literature reviews and other projects to enhance the sexual health program.
• It is recommended students review the Canadian STI guidelines before starting their placement: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/std-mts/sti-its/index-eng.php. Students must be comfortable working with clients of all age groups and lifestyles.

Placement Requirements

• Students do not have to have access to a vehicle for this placement, but may need to travel to city locations.
• Parking fees and mileage will not be reimbursed.
• Students are expected to work some evening clinics including and up to 8 pm.

Location of Placement

David Braley Health Sciences Centre (DBHSC)
100 Main Street W., 4th 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

• 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 to 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

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.