Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Plan

What is Partners In Community Nursing’s (PICN) AODA Plan and why is it published?

TL;DR: PICN publishes an Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) Plan that explains how Partners In Community Nursing will identify, remove, and prevent barriers and how the organization follows the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The AODA Plan is a public Program_AODAPlan published via PICN updates to operationalize the Principle_Accessibility and show how PICN follows the Law_AODA. It explains commitments across PICN services and settings, how the Role_NursingTeam will make the Location_WhitbyOffice and community-based care accessible, and what clients can expect from PICN’s accessibility measures.

Who is covered by PICN’s AODA Plan — who does PICN serve under this policy?

TL;DR: The AODA plan covers all clients, employees, potential employees, service providers and community members, including people with disabilities, families, parents and pediatric clients that PICN serves across Durham Region. The Program_AODAPlan explicitly commits PICN to serving Stakeholder_PeopleWithDisabilities and Stakeholder_Families and removing barriers in office and community settings across DurhamRegion. It applies to Service_CommunityNursing and Service_HomeCare and to subservices such as Service_PalliativeCare and Service_PediatricNursing delivered by Role_VisitingNurses and the Role_NursingTeam.

How does PICN train staff and communicate accessibility practices?

TL;DR: PICN trains Client Service Coordinators, Administrative Staff, Managers and Registered Staff on AODA topics at hire and every five years, and when the plan changes, to ensure staff can support accessible service delivery. The Program_AODAPlan requires training on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, customer service standards, interacting with people who use assistive devices or service animals, and procedures for when clients cannot access services. Training applies to the Role_NursingTeam and other staff and is tied to PICN policies such as the Policy_EmergencyProtocol so that staff are prepared across community and office settings.

What accommodations does PICN provide for assistive devices, service animals and support persons?

TL;DR: PICN’s AODA Plan states staff will be familiar with on-site assistive devices, service animals are welcome in public areas, and support persons may accompany clients on PICN premises. The Program_AODAPlan and Principle_Accessibility guide those accommodations: staff receive training on assistive devices, notices are posted to allow Support persons, and policies permit Service animals in public parts of PICN facilities. These practices apply to services delivered in the Setting_Home, Setting_School and at the Location_WhitbyOffice as part of PICN’s Service_CommunityNursing approach.

How can clients provide feedback or request a copy of the AODA Plan?

TL;DR: Clients can provide feedback verbally to Human Resources, by email to hr@picn.ca, by mail to 1001 Burns St. East Unit 2 Whitby ON, or by phone at 905.665.1711 or toll-free 1.800.564.9534; the AODA Plan is available to the public through PICN’s updates channel. PICN’s feedback process described in the Program_AODAPlan states management reviews all feedback and aims to respond within 10 business days. Clients can also request accessible services or start care via the Channel_ServiceRequestForm linked from relevant service pages such as Service_PalliativeCare or Service_FootCare.

Does PICN’s accessibility policy apply to home, school and retirement community visits?

TL;DR: Yes; PICN’s accessibility commitments apply to services delivered in the home, school and retirement community settings, including pediatric, palliative and other community nursing services. The Principle_Accessibility in the Program_AODAPlan applies to Service_PediatricNursing, Service_PalliativeCare and other Service_CommunityNursing subservices delivered by Role_VisitingNurses and the Role_NursingTeam, and PICN states it will design visits in Setting_Home, Setting_School and Setting_RetirementCommunity to avoid barriers for people with disabilities.

What happens if a facility or service at PICN has a temporary disruption?

TL;DR: PICN will post a clear notice at the front entrance explaining the reason, expected duration and available alternatives, and clients should call 905.665.1711 or 1.800.564.9534 for assistance; for clinical emergencies follow the Policy_EmergencyProtocol and call 911. The Program_AODAPlan requires a Notice of temporary disruption to inform clients and families about accessibility impacts and alternatives. For urgent medical issues the Policy_EmergencyProtocol instructs use of Contact_Emergency911, while Contact_MainPhone and Contact_TollFreePICN are listed for non-emergency support and coordination with Role_VisitingNurses.

Why choose Partners In Community Nursing (PICN) for community and home care in Durham Region?

TL;DR: PICN is a community nursing organization serving Durham Region since 1998 that emphasizes flexibility, family-centred care and professional development for its nursing team across home, school and community settings. PICN offers a broad Service_CommunityNursing portfolio including Service_PalliativeCare, Service_PediatricNursing, Service_WoundCare and Service_OstomyCare delivered by visiting nurses and guided by documents such as the Program_StrategicPlan2024_2026 and the Program_AODAPlan. The organization highlights Value_Flexibility and Value_FamilyCentredCare as distinguishing attributes for families and partners in Durham Region.

Are PICN nurses qualified to provide specialized care like ostomy, IV therapy and palliative nursing?

TL;DR: Yes; PICN lists specialized services such as Service_OstomyCare, Service_IVTherapy and Service_PalliativeCare and supports competency through training programs like Program_CAPCE and partnerships with Org_NSWOCC. PICN delivers specialized home-based services requiring skills such as Skill_HomeInfusionTherapy and Skill_CentralVenousLineManagement for IV therapy, collaborates with Org_NSWOCC for ostomy expertise, and relies on CAPCE-enhanced training to strengthen Role_VisitingNurses’ palliative care competency. Specific staff credentials for individual visits are not itemized on the AODA page, so contact PICN for service-level clinical questions.