PICN Updates

What is the purpose of the “PICN Updates” page and why would I subscribe?

TL;DR: The PICN Updates page publishes organizational documents and news (for example the PICN Strategic Plan 2024–2026 and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Plan) to build trust and keep families, partners, and staff informed; you can subscribe with your email to receive these updates. The PICN Updates channel is maintained by Partners In Community Nursing (PICN) as a trust and information hub where the Program_StrategicPlan2024_2026 and Program_AODAPlan are published alongside blog and news items from Channel_PICNBlog and Channel_PICNUpdates. The page’s main audience includes families, caregivers, health partners, and current or prospective staff in Durham Region who want authoritative information about PICN’s priorities, accessibility commitments, and service developments. The visible call to action on the landing page is a newsletter subscription (“Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates”), which helps PICN share documents like the Strategic Plan and AODA Plan and announcements about services or hiring.

Who is Partners In Community Nursing (PICN) and who do you serve?

TL;DR: PICN is a community nursing and home care organization serving families, children, older adults, and clients with complex needs across Durham Region, including Oshawa, Pickering, Whitby, and Ajax. Partners In Community Nursing (PICN) delivers community nursing and home care through a visiting nursing team and employment programs (Visiting Nursing Program, Shift Nursing Program, School Nursing Program). The organization serves Stakeholder_Families, Stakeholder_PediatricClientsBirthTo21, Stakeholder_OlderAdults, and other groups across Durham Region and the cities of Oshawa, Pickering, Whitby, and Ajax. PICN’s Role_VisitingNurses and Role_NursingTeam provide services such as Service_PalliativeCare, Service_PediatricNursing, Service_WoundCare, Service_IVTherapy, and Service_FootCare in home, school, retirement community, and other community settings.

Which organizational documents and articles are available on this page?

TL;DR: The landing page lists and links to the PICN Strategic Plan 2024–2026 and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) Plan, plus blog posts published on the PICN Blog and Updates channels. The page explicitly links to Program_StrategicPlan2024_2026 and Program_AODAPlan; these are published under Channel_PICNUpdates and are intended to show PICN’s priorities and accessibility measures. The page also links to Channel_PICNBlog articles authored by Person_KailyKay (for example posts dated 2025-06-16 and 2025-04-01). If you need the documents, the site provides direct internal links (/picn-updates/picn-stratplan and /picn-updates/picn-aoda-plan) and an RSS feed for updates.

How can I request services such as palliative care, IV therapy, or foot care from PICN?

TL;DR: You can request services like Service_PalliativeCare, Service_IVTherapy, and Service_FootCare using PICN’s Online Service Request Form or by calling PICN at the main or toll-free numbers listed on the site. PICN maintains a Channel_ServiceRequestForm (an online JotForm) linked from service pages and the Updates/resource navigation; Service_PalliativeCare, Service_IVTherapy, Service_FootCare and other services show a HAS_ACCESS_PATH to that form. The landing page and site also list contact points (Contact_MainPhone: 905.665.1711 and Contact_TollFreePICN: 1.800.564.9534) and the office Location_WhitbyOffice. For publicly funded palliative access, Org_OntarioHealthAtHome can also fund or coordinate Service_PalliativeCare and provides a referral pathway (Contact_OHatHPhone: 1-800-263-3877). The page does not list precise pricing; funding depends on the service and payer (private insurance, public coordination) and is not specified here.

Do you provide pediatric nursing and school-based services?

TL;DR: Yes—PICN offers Service_PediatricNursing delivered by visiting and school program nurses in homes, schools, and community settings for pediatric clients from birth to age 21. PICN’s Role_VisitingNurses and Role_SchoolNurses deliver Service_PediatricNursing across Setting_Home and Setting_School as part of the Program_SchoolNursingProgram and Program_VisitingNurseProgram. The service requires specialized skills such as Skill_EnteralFeeding, Skill_TracheostomyVentilatorCare, and Skill_CentralVenousLineManagement to support Stakeholder_PediatricClientsBirthTo21. The Updates and service pages link to pediatric service descriptions and the Channel_ServiceRequestForm for families who want to initiate care.

How does PICN address accessibility and compliance with the AODA?

TL;DR: PICN publishes its Program_AODAPlan to explain how it implements the Law_AODA and Principle_Accessibility across services, settings, and public materials to remove barriers for people with disabilities. The landing page links directly to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Plan (Program_AODAPlan), which operationalizes Principle_Accessibility and explains PICN’s commitment to following the Law_AODA. The AODA Plan describes measures to identify, remove, and prevent barriers that affect Stakeholder_PeopleWithDisabilities in settings such as Setting_Home and Setting_School, and it is made available to the public via Channel_PICNUpdates. If you have specific accessibility needs not described in the plan, the page invites contact through the site contact points so PICN can work with families and partners to accommodate those needs.

What should I do in a medical emergency or when I need 24-hour support?

TL;DR: For medical emergencies follow the Policy_EmergencyProtocol and call Contact_Emergency911; for non-emergencies contact PICN at Contact_MainPhone or Contact_TollFreePICN as listed on the site. PICN maintains an emergency protocol (Policy_EmergencyProtocol) that instructs clients to call 911 in urgent life‑threatening situations (Contact_Emergency911). For non-urgent questions or to request services, the site lists Contact_MainPhone (905.665.1711), Contact_TollFreePICN (1.800.564.9534), an email (info@picn.ca), and the Whitby office Location_WhitbyOffice. Palliative and complex-care services also emphasize 24-hour support strategies in their service principles, but the landing page instructs immediate emergencies to use 911 rather than the PICN numbers.

How does PICN ensure specialized training and quality for palliative and oncology care?

TL;DR: PICN’s visiting nurses receive targeted education such as the CAPCE program and collaborate with professional associations (NSWOCC) and community partners to support evidence-based Service_PalliativeCare and Service_OncologyNursing. Program_CAPCE enhances the competency of Role_VisitingNurses in hospice and palliative care, and Org_NSWOCC supports specialized Service_OstomyCare and wound care competencies. Principle_EvidenceBasedPractice and Principle_CommunityPartnerships guide Service_OncologyNursing and Service_PalliativeCare delivery, and PICN highlights Value_ProfessionalDevelopment and Value_FamilyCentredCare as organizational priorities. The landing page and related blog articles point to these training and partnership approaches as part of PICN’s quality and safety framework, though specific credential lists for individual nurses are not published on the Updates page.

How can nurses or clinicians learn about career opportunities at PICN?

TL;DR: Visit PICN’s Career Opportunities page (Channel_CareerOpportunitiesPage) to learn about employment programs such as the Program_VisitingNurseProgram, Program_ShiftNursingProgram, and Program_SchoolNursingProgram and to apply. The footer and resources navigation link to Careers and Channel_CareerOpportunitiesPage where PICN presents employment pathways: Program_VisitingNurseProgram (home, school, retirement community practice), Program_ShiftNursingProgram (extended shift coverage), and Program_SchoolNursingProgram (school-based roles). The site and blog content (for example articles featuring Person_DillonGodfrey) describe Value_CareerGrowth, Value_ProfessionalDevelopment, and Value_Innovation as reasons clinicians choose PICN. Detailed job postings, application steps, and benefits appear on the careers page rather than on the Updates landing page.