Honesty Trust Respect Concern Love

Residential Withdrawal Nurse (RN) – Hope Centre

• Full-time, Permanent.
• Based at Lower Plenty
• $56.5524 per hour per annum, plus super
• 17.5% annual leave loading and generous salary packaging options
• Progressive Workplace Flexibility options that enable genuine work life balance

About Odyssey Victoria:

Odyssey Victoria (OV) is a place of hope and positive change for individuals working towards breaking their pattern of addiction. At Odyssey we believe that every person should have the opportunity to change and grow. Our diverse teams work with individuals, families, and communities to reduce alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, improve mental health, and reconnect people to their family and the community. OV is a dynamic and fast-growing organisation committed to excellence in service provision and innovation in responding to alcohol and other drugs use problems.

Role Purpose:

The Nurse is responsible for carrying out several AOD related nursing interventions. This includes being responsible for the medical management of a client’s alcohol or other drug withdrawal and involves monitoring client withdrawal symptoms and associated medication management. Interventions also include support to participate in residential rehab program, stabilization on OAT, assistance to reduce use over time and nursing interventions to improve client’s health status.

Key areas of focus:

• Client Treatment
• Networking with other Community Services
• Practice Leadership
• Line Management
• Legislative Compliance

Duties include but are not limited to…

• Receive referrals via admissions.
• Conduct withdrawals from substances in a non-medical environment.
• Facilitate the commencement and stabilisation of OAT (Opioid Assisted Therapy) with clients who use opioids.
• Assist clients with OAT conversions i.e. Methadone to Suboxone or Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine (LAIB).
• Provide harm reduction interventions (e.g. safer injecting practices, provision of Naloxone training etc).
• Provide a number of evidence-based interventions such as psycho ed, motivational interviewing, mindfulness, basic CBT etc.
• Develop close connections with pharmacotherapy networks and access to DACAS (Addiction Medicine Specialists - AMS).
• Work closely alongside General Practitioners.
• Ensure that medical staff are appropriately qualified, professionally supervised and provided with regular feedback regarding their performance.
• Maintaining a working knowledge of government legislation and RACGP standards for General Practice, as relevant to the site practices and ensuring compliance is maintained at all times.

For a copy of the position description which outlines the full list of responsibilities, please click HERE (odyssey.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/POSTC5015-Residental-Withdrawal-Nurse-RN-Lower-Plenty.pdf).

Who are WE looking for?

To be successful in this role, you must hold the below qualifications/experience…

1. Relevant Tertiary Nursing qualification (Div 1) and registration with the Australia Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
2. Certificate IV in AOD or have completed the required competencies* (or able to complete within the first 12 months of employment) and competencies in dual diagnosis (or able to complete within the first 24 months of employment).
3. Current First Aid and CPR certificate
4. Well-developed nursing skills, including comprehensive assessment, crisis intervention, problem-solving, conflict resolution, decision-making, goal setting, case planning, development, monitoring and evaluation.
5. Experience with the provision of nursing interventions with people who use drugs and alcohol and are withdrawing from use.
6. Sound understanding of alcohol and other drug withdrawal, overdose, and intoxication.
7. Sound knowledge of evidence based AOD interventions, such as harm reduction principles, motivational interviewing etc.
8. Experience working with complex clients.
9. Experience with the provision of providing in the home or outreach services.
10. Proven ability to work with a range of people and organisations (including specific groups such as Aboriginal, CALD and forensic clients) in a respectful and non-judgmental manner.
11. Proven ability to collaborate with other service providers and stakeholder engagement.

For a copy of the position description which outlines the full key selection criteria, please click HERE (odyssey.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/POSTC5015-Residental-Withdrawal-Nurse-RN-Lower-Plenty.pdf).

*Appendix A (AOD Competencies)

OV requires staff in clinical positions to have the following competencies (or their equivalent). Where people do not already have these competencies, OV will invest in the staff’s professional development by providing them through our registered training organisation (RTO).

The competencies required in the first 12 months of employment are:

• CHCAOD001 – Work in an alcohol and other drugs context
• CHCAOD004 – Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues
• CHCAOD006 – Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues
• CHCAOD009 – Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans

What we can give YOU!

In return we are committed to offering you an inclusive and transparent workplace culture where our people can develop to be their very best by:

• Ongoing learning and development opportunities to upskill your clinical capabilities.
• Providing work that is meaningful and challenging, with career development opportunities through project and secondment opportunities and succession planning
• Providing career pathways across diverse OHV programs.
• Access to 24/7 counselling through our Employee Assistance Provider (EAP)
• Generous leave options such as 48/52 Purchase Leave, Study Leave and Sabbaticals
• Flexible working arrangements such as monthly RDO’s for full-timers (arrangements will vary based on role requirements).

In addition to the above, staff will also be provided monthly Clinical Supervision sessions for professional development and personal wellbeing.

Application information

Please apply directly via our careers website (applications via external recruitment websites or via email will not be considered)

Applications should be addressed to Tim Flora and include your CV and a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria.

If you have any questions relating to the position, please contact Tim Flora, Program Manager – Lower Plenty on [email protected] or 0403 334 169.

We will be assessing applications on a rolling basis and suitable candidates will be shortlisted immediately. This role will close once a suitable candidate has been selected, so please don’t wait to apply!

Our commitment to diversity

At OV we value diversity and believe that a range of backgrounds brings a variety of ideas, perspectives and experiences that will enhance our effectiveness. We promote a workplace that actively seeks to include, welcome and value unique contributions by encouraging people with disability, Aboriginal Australians, LGBTQIA, young people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply for this position.

Safety screening

OV is committed to child safety and is a child safe organisation. All OV employees must undergo Police Records and Working with Children Checks. Any person issued with a negative notice on their Working with Children Check will not be eligible for employment with us.

Mandatory COVID vaccinations

In line with OV's Mandatory Vaccination Policy, all Odyssey Victoria staff are required to hold Fully Vaccinated (Boosted) status, having also received the Booster Vaccination. Evidence of this minimum of three (3) COVID-19 vaccinations will be requested during the onboarding process and offers will be rescinded where such evidence cannot be provided.

All Odyssey Victoria sites are smoke free for all employees