Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent international medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid in more than 60 countries to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters or exclusion from healthcare.
MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE POSITION
Defining, coordinating and monitoring all care and nursing related activities in the project and ensuring the daily management of the human resources, according to MSF nursing protocols, standards and procedures, in order to warrant efficiency , quality and continuity of prescribed care
RESPONSABILITIES AND TASKS
- Planning and organizing all nursing related activities (IPD, OPD, maternity, nutrition, etc.) and participating in the definition of annual planning and update of its associated budget in order to efficiently maintain the continuity of the standard quality healthcare. When needed, being responsible for scheduling duty rosters, shifts and on call of nursing staff.
- Coordinating and supervising the implementation of the legal therapeutic protocols, procedures and standards, depending on project objectives (PPTCT, PEP, VCT, IEC, SGBV, MH services, etc.) and providing technical support when needed, to ensure the quality of the nursing care, confidentiality and information traceability, patient surveillance, and the application of the therapeutic and sterilization rules by the health care personnel.
- Supervising the nutritional activities in order to ensure that therapeutic food is provided regularly and that it complies with quality and quantity standards
- Ensuring all administrative procedures and documents (individual patient’s card and registration book, discharge paper, transfer paper, referrals, money advances, daily worker payments etc.) and existing data management tools are used correctly.
- According to MSF protocols and in collaboration with the Pharmacist and Medco, supervising the distribution (according to medical prescriptions) and pharmacy activity, preparing new orders when required, supervising expiration terms and consumption patterns, in order to ensure that pharmacy stock levels are permanently updated and above minimum safety point.
- In coordination with the project biomedical service supervising the appropriate use of medical devices and anticipating and communicating future needs.
- In close coordination with the Logistics Manager, supervising laboratory outputs related to nursing activities (blood test) to ensure samples are collected correctly and results are provided on time.
- In close coordination with the HR department, planning and supervising the associated processes (recruitment, training, evaluation, development and communication) of the nursing staff of the project in order to improve staff capabilities and ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required. Training nursing staff on PTE.
- Reporting to the line manager on any relevant information linked to nursing activities and participating in monthly reports
Note: PPTCT = Prevention Parent To Child Transmission; PEP= Post Exposure Prophylaxis; VCT = Voluntary Counselling and Testing; IEC = Information, Education and Communication; SGBV = Sexually Gender Based Violence; MH = Mental Health; PTE = Patient Therapeutic Education
Some of the above-mentioned tasks are not part of the day by day schedule of this specific position in SNNPR, but they are still required to match the MSF standards job description for NAM.
MSF Section/Context Specific Accountabilities
Organization of ongoing activities
- Planning and organizing the weekly movement plan for the medical team (nutritional activities, mobile clinic, assessment, etc.) under the supervision of PMR and PC
- Assuring a balanced division of the team, providing support for staff that need more guidance and/or follow-up
Emergency response
- Assisting the PMR and delegating tasks in assessments/interventions for emergencies (including but not limited to outbreaks)
- Assist in training of staff in emergency-related topics
Quality of care
- Assisting in ongoing activities when needed
- Ensuring policies, protocols and guidelines used are up to date and appropriately followed/implemented
- Ensuring that quality control has been done weekly for all medical devices in use (including but not limited to hemocue, glucometer, …)
Pharmacy Management
- Ensure good dispensing practices in the mobile clinic activities
- Assist PMR in preparation of monthly orders
- Assist PMR in proposition, preparation and completion of donations
Staff management
- Yearly evaluation is done for the staff under his/her supervision
- Active follow-up on set objectives and competency building
- Trainings are organized regularly concerning topics identified as need or as interest by the staff or the supervisor
- Regular staff meeting is organized in cooperation with the PMR
Communication and reporting
- Problems/challenges faced are communicated in time with the PMR
- Assistance in analysis of the received data and ensuring a correct recording
Ongoing intercommunal tensions in the SNNP region in 2020 resulted in large displacements of the population. The region also regularly experiences malnutrition and outbreaks of disease, including measles, malaria and currently also COVID-19.
Health centers have been destroyed and resulted in loss of access to healthcare in many locations. Distrust on the part of some of the affected populations has also led to their rejection of health services or aid in some locations. MSF has managed to negotiate access across the affected areas amongst the tensions.
Where health centers are still open, some services are provided, though the MoH staff require further support with training and supplies. The health extension workers are also experiencing an increased heavy workload given COVID19 surveillance requirements and increased pressure on services where a number of IDPs have settled.
MSF has set up a mobile team strategy in the region to respond to the medical needs of the displaced, as well as the host community who have experienced an increase burden on the availability of water, food and services due to the influx of IDPs. The team is currently working in Konso Zone, Alle Special Woreda, Burji Special Woreda, Derashe Special Woreda, and Amaro Special Woreda. As an emergency organization, the MSF team retains flexibility to respond to needs as they arise and can quickly shift to respond to new emergencies in the area as needed.
The project team regularly evaluates ongoing displacement patterns and is now monitoring the returns of some of the displaced to their origin in order to respond to gaps in healthcare and advocate for their well-being, respect and safety. Lack of access to clean water has led to a high number of water-related illnesses observed via our mobile clinics and thus a strong water and sanitation component has been integrated in our programming across the various areas of intervention.
Increased pressures on food stores as well as decreased access to their fields and harvest collecting may result in increased malnutrition in the coming months of 2021. Support to existing malnutrition programmes as well as training for managing severe acute malnutrition is ongoing.
Given the uncertainty of any political solutions to the intercommunal tensions, the team will need to maintain high flexibility to respond to the needs as they arise – be that an increase in violence or displacement, or outbreaks of disease such as cholera or malaria.
MSF asserts the independent, neutral and impartial nature of our work, and provides high quality, free medical care to IDPs and host communities alike, irrespective of ethnicity or otherwise. We ensure that our staff respect our patients and their culture, whilst collaborating with the health authorities and regularly sharing operational updates.
Job Requirements
Education
- BSc Degree in Nursing required. Specialization or training in tropical medicine desirable.
Experience
- Working experience in supervision of at least 2 years required.
- Working experience in MSF of at least 2 years required.
- Working experience in other NGOs desirable.
Languages
- Amharic and English essential
How to Apply
All applicants should send a CV, a cover letter, educational records, work certificates and a copy of national ID via email: msfocb-snnpr-data@brussels.msf.org (please indicate on the subject box: the vacancy title and your name)
Note: Incomplete applications will not be accepted and only short-listed applicants will be contacted
Posting date: 28/01/21 Closing date: 13/02/22
MSF Belgium promotes the EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION.
We strongly encourage women and people with reduced mobility (able to work in remote places) to apply.
Copies of CV + supporting documents are non-returnable. Phone calls are not allowed
