Job Description

KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation

KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation (KNCV) is one of the leading international non-profit organizations dedicated to fighting tuberculosis (TB) worldwide. We are an international center of expertise for TB control that stimulates effective, efficient and sustainable tuberculosis control strategies in a national and international context. We are an organization of passionate TB professionals, including medical doctors, researchers, training experts, nurses and epidemiologists.

Over the past century we have built a wealth of knowledge and expertise, initially by successfully driving back TB in the Netherlands, and subsequently by partnering in the fight against TB in over 40 countries worldwide. We operate from a central office in The Hague in the Netherlands and additional country offices worldwide. KNCV raises funds from individual, institutional and corporate donors. In Ethiopia, KNCV has more than 13 years of experience in comprehensive TB program support of the national program.

Background

TB preventive therapy (TPT), which involves giving anti-TB drugs to people with dormant TB infections, can reduce the risk of individuals developing active TB disease. But despite being recommended for PLHIV and household contacts of confirmed pulmonary TB patients, delivery and uptake of TPT have been slow and remain suboptimal globally. New innovations, such as a shorter regimen that combines two antibiotics—Isoniazid and Rifapentine—taken once a week for 12 weeks (known as 3HP), provide an opportunity to scale up TPT and are becoming available worldwide. Shorter regimens have potential advantages over the previous standard of care, Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT), including once weekly dosing, as well as better adherence and completion. However, to effectively scale these new TPT regimens, it is critical that we understand the barriers and facilitators to implementation. Achieving global targets, including those set at the September 2018 UNHLM on TB, not only requires scaling up affordable and safe TPT regimens, but also collecting evidence to guide future implementation and policies.

The Opt4TPT study is a three-year programmatic assessment of TPT delivery across three countries, namely Ethiopia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, to generate critical knowledge to improve TPT uptake, implementation and outcomes. By following a cohort of PLHIV prospectively and directly observing service delivery in health facilities, Opt4TPT’s approach will provide valuable new knowledge regarding routine use of TPT, as well as outcomes during, and following TPT. This study will create an important understanding of TPT uptake and completion from the patient perspective and delivery from the health system perspective. These results will provide actionable information for improving service delivery and the scale-up of TPT. The project also assess the cost of patients of taking TPT, seeking care for symptom of TB, as well as any TB related illness.

Purpose of the position and organizational position

As part of the implementation of Opt4TPT project in Ethiopia, we will conduct qualitative, quantitative, and health economic research to: 

• Quantify the TPT continuum of care—from treatment initiation to completion—among PLHIV eligible for TPT and describe reasons for TPT refusal, discontinuation and completion, including patient perceptions, adverse events, drug tolerability, incident TB and death.
• Identify key system and provider characteristics, including models of care present in a clinic contributing to TPT prescribing, including clinic structures, clinician attitudes, and knowledge of and adherence to local TPT prescribing guidelines.
• Conduct cost-effectiveness analysis to compare different TPT delivery strategies.
• As a Research Nurse, you are expected to actively engage in the implementation of TB prevention treatment study for HIV positive participants in a public healthcare setting, involve and provide clinical services, actively participate in research-related activities and support related general administration activities.

Place in the organization

The Research Nurse reports to the Project Coordinator. The Research Nurse works closely with the Research Assistant, staff at study sites, the value stream mapping consultants and IMPAACT4TB team.

What does KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation offer?

• A full time (40 hours) fixed-term contract for one year, with the intention to extend the contract;
• An informal work atmosphere in an international environment, where initiative is appreciated;
• A highly motivated team of experienced, self-driven colleagues;
• The salary is dependent upon education and relevant working experience.

Job Requirements

Profile

 As Research Nurse your activities will be to:

• Oversee study participant enrollment, including informing eligible individuals about the study and obtaining their written informed consent;
• Maintain accurate study logs related to enrolment and other study activities;
• Obtain medical history, physical examination, and TB screening of study participants;
• Specimen collection for clinical investigation;
• Assessing the results and refer participants for further treatment where necessary;
• Complete, compile and submit study case report forms (CRFs) and source documents timeously;
• Collect, store and report data appropriately as per the protocol;
• Perform quality checks on collected data;
• Collaborate with clinical staff and managers;
• Report on daily/weekly activities to Project coordinator and meet stipulated screening and initiation targets;
• Promotion of good relations with the Health facility staff and management;
• Participate in training activities of persons working on the project to accomplish aims of the project;
• Ensure day-to-day support of the research staff on sites;
• Prepare participant files and documents;
• Safe storage and transportation of biological specimen;
• Attend study meetings to report on study progress.

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and related field;
• Experience in research at least 3 years;
• Experience working with staff in public healthcare facilities is advantageous;
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, Research methods of both qualitative and quantitative study;
• Experience/ Knowledge of HIV/TB diagnosis, treatment and care issues;
• Training certificate on HIV care and treatment (recent/ in the past 3 years);
• Having a GCP course is an advantage;
• Good communication skills;
• Ability to solve practical problems;
• Good management and interpersonal skills;
• Proficient in written and spoken English and fluency in local languages;
• Ability to work independently and in a team;
• Ability to work under pressure;
• Good numerical skills;
• Able to pay close attention to detail.

How to Apply

You can apply for this position through the link before May 12, 2021.

For more information, please contact our HRM Team in Ethiopia: + 251116673801. For further information on KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, please visit here