Want to become a Patient Family Advisor?

Patient Family Advisors (PFAs) are patients, their family members and/or caregivers who volunteer as active members of Nova Scotia Health teams. They provide feedback that helps teams as they set priorities and make decisions that can impact the health care system and the community.

If you have recent personal, family or caregiver experience with any Nova Scotia Health healthcare service, you can apply to become a Patient Family Advisor! You cannot apply to become a PFA if you are a current Nova Scotia Health staff member, Community Health Board Member, Foundation or auxiliary member, or an elected official.

People interested in becoming PFAs in any capacity can:

  • Scroll down to view opportunities and apply online
  • Call a toll-free phone line, 1-833-732-5646 (1-833-PFA-JOIN)
  • Email pfajoin@nshealth.ca

After you submit your application, here are the next steps:

  1. Someone from Nova Scotia Health will contact you to help find an opportunity that matches your experience and interests
  2. Volunteer Services will contact you and arrange for your onboarding. This includes obtaining a criminal background check, signing a confidentiality agreement, and setting you up as an official volunteer with Nova Scotia Health
  3. Once onboarding is complete, you will be asked to attend an online orientation session to introduce you to the PFA role and help answer any questions you may have.
  4. A staff member will contact you to provide final orientation to the team you'll be joining and the activities you'll be doing. You will also be set up with a NSH email account, and a NSH Microsoft Teams account.

PLEASE NOTE: The Patient Family Advisor role is not intended to address specific concerns, complaints, or other feedback related to care. To report any complaints, concerns, compliments or other feedback related to the care you or a loved one received from NSH, please click here to contact NSH Patient Relations. A member of the Patient Relations team will contact you to follow up on the feedback you submitted.

Patient Family Advisors (PFAs) are patients, their family members and/or caregivers who volunteer as active members of Nova Scotia Health teams. They provide feedback that helps teams as they set priorities and make decisions that can impact the health care system and the community.

If you have recent personal, family or caregiver experience with any Nova Scotia Health healthcare service, you can apply to become a Patient Family Advisor! You cannot apply to become a PFA if you are a current Nova Scotia Health staff member, Community Health Board Member, Foundation or auxiliary member, or an elected official.

People interested in becoming PFAs in any capacity can:

  • Scroll down to view opportunities and apply online
  • Call a toll-free phone line, 1-833-732-5646 (1-833-PFA-JOIN)
  • Email pfajoin@nshealth.ca

After you submit your application, here are the next steps:

  1. Someone from Nova Scotia Health will contact you to help find an opportunity that matches your experience and interests
  2. Volunteer Services will contact you and arrange for your onboarding. This includes obtaining a criminal background check, signing a confidentiality agreement, and setting you up as an official volunteer with Nova Scotia Health
  3. Once onboarding is complete, you will be asked to attend an online orientation session to introduce you to the PFA role and help answer any questions you may have.
  4. A staff member will contact you to provide final orientation to the team you'll be joining and the activities you'll be doing. You will also be set up with a NSH email account, and a NSH Microsoft Teams account.

PLEASE NOTE: The Patient Family Advisor role is not intended to address specific concerns, complaints, or other feedback related to care. To report any complaints, concerns, compliments or other feedback related to the care you or a loved one received from NSH, please click here to contact NSH Patient Relations. A member of the Patient Relations team will contact you to follow up on the feedback you submitted.

  • Our health care system learns from your experience. Help us shape the future.

    Nova Scotia Health has made a commitment to involve people in establishing priorities and making decisions that matter to them and impact their lives, our community and the sustainability of our health care system.

    We are looking for Patient and Family Advisors to provide input as active members on the Diagnostic Imaging Renewal Project at Aberdeen Regional Hospital. We are seeking 1-2 community-minded individuals to bring a patient and/or family/caregiver point of view and voice. No special knowledge or skills are needed. The ideal person is someone who can use their experience as a patient or family/caregiver to help shape the care we provide.  

    Those selected will have the following qualifications:

    • Recent personal or family/caregiver experience with Diagnostic Imaging within the Aberdeen Hospital, Northern Zone 
    • Be 18 years of age or older. 
    • Can look at issues from more than one point of view. 
    • Can share honest points of view in a respectful way. 
    • Be reflective of diverse populations and perspectives in our community.
    • Interested in making a positive contribution to health care services.
    • Previous volunteer experience is an asset.

    Additional requirements:

    • Sign a confidentiality agreement.
    • Have or be willing to obtain a Criminal Background Check.
    • Declare any potential conflicts of interest. 
    • Be able to commit to attend at least 3 meetings per year. Meetings are typically held during mornings or afternoons Monday to Friday at Aberdeen Regional Hospital or virtually. 
    • Be able to commit to a term of the life of the project  


    Please Note:

    These are volunteer positions. Current Nova Scotia Health employees, Foundation members, Community Health Board members and elected officials are not eligible to apply.

    Nova Scotia Health is committed to being a workforce that is free of discrimination, values diversity and is representative, at all job levels, of the people we serve. Our priority groups are Aboriginal People, African Nova Scotians, Persons with Disabilities and Recent Immigrants. Members of these groups are welcome to apply and self-identify if they wish to be considered under our Employment Equity policy.

    Click here to apply!
  • Nova Scotia Health's Primary Health Care team is recruiting 1 or more PFAs to this opportunity

     A new clinic in Millbrook is being built, the goal is to have a PFA sit in on meetings, share stories and use their voice to represent their community. The goal is helping health care professionals understand the needs of the patients in the community through surveys, brochures etc. Working together we create a better experience for all. 

    Activities/Tasks:

    Examples of activities and tasks may include: 

    • Serve as the voice of patient/family, representing not only themselves as an individual but all of those who may be connected to our health care system
    • To partner with staff to ensure patient and family-centered care is at the core of all decision-making 
    • Attend Quality Improvement Working Groups, Projects, and Pilot Programs
    • Share stories 
    • Active member on teams, councils and committees
    • Can assist with interviewing other PFAs 

     

    Skills Required:

    Qualities: 

    • A passion for enhancing the health care experience for patients and families. 
    • Respects other people's opinions and perspectives.   
    Click here to apply!
  • Central Zone Infection Prevention and Control (CZ IPAC) Quality Improvement & Safety is recriuting for 2 PFAs

     Location of Program: Commitment includes attendance at quarterly meetings (meetings occur typically in September, December, March, and June). Meetings held in person in Halifax (1.5 hrs from 1230-2pm with lunch provided). May be the occasional request to review program materials such as patient teaching pamphlets. Can be done by email.

     Overview of Program: IPAC is a Nova Scotia Health provincial program and is an important part of patient safety.

    The Infection Prevention and Control team is a group of health care providers within Nova Scotia Health (NSH) who focus on preventing and controlling infections. The team includes several Infection Control Practitioners (ICPs), Infectious Disease Physicians, as well as support personnel. All NSH facilities work with one or more ICPs. Our role is to help other health care providers prevent and control infections by:

    ☑ Tracking infections

    ☑ Promoting good hand hygiene and other infection control practices

    ☑ Managing outbreaks

    ☑ Providing education to all health care providers and volunteers                                                                                                                                           

     IF interested reach out to: Lori Jessome-Croteau,   Lori.Jessome-Croteau@nshealth.ca 902-717-3299

     

     

                     

     QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND   PATIENT SAFETY

     

                     

    Tanya M.Maillet

    WZ Patient Safety Advisor

    Quality Improvement and Patient Safety

     

     

      Cell: 902.740.0516

    tanya.maillet@nshealth.ca

       www.nshealth.ca 

       

     

    Click here to apply!
  • Patient and Family Advisors wanted to help improve surgery and endoscopy care

    Have you or a loved one been referred for or had a surgery or endoscopy procedure in the last two years?

    Nova Scotia Health’s Perioperative Services Network would like your help. The network leads effort to help improve care for patients and is seeking Patient Family Advisors to ensure that patient / family centred care is at the core of planning and decision making.

    No resume or health care training required! Your care experience is all you need.

    The information you provide in this form will be kept confidential and will only be shared with the NSH staff member(s) helping to find you a PFA opportunity. 

    Click here to apply!
  • Have you or a loved one recently received care from Nova Scotia Health?

    Want to use your care experience to give honest feedback on decisions and projects that impact patients & families?

    We are looking for new volunteer members to join the Patient, Family & Public Advisory Council from the following areas:

    • Cape Breton, Antigonish, or Guysborough areas
    • Colchester, Cumberland, East Hants, or Pictou County areas
    • South West, South Shore, or Annapolis Valley areas

    No resume or health care training required! Your care experience is all you need.

    The information you provide in this form will be kept confidential and will only be shared with the NSH staff member(s) helping to find you a PFA opportunity. 

    Click here to apply!
  • It's OK if you don't know which opportunity you want to join. Let us find you an opportunity for you!

    Simply click the button below to apply, and we will contact you to find you an opportunity. 

    The information you provide in this form will be kept confidential and will only be shared with the NSH staff member(s) helping to find you a PFA opportunity. 


    Click here to apply!
Page last updated: 19 Feb 2025, 09:57 AM