Vacancy Announcement

PIH currently has implementation programs in Haiti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Peru, Mexico, Russia, Sierra Leone and Navajo Nation. Through our partnership with Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, we support a wide range of programs in dozens of other countries around the world.

Our Work In Sierra Leone:

Partners In Health (PIH) began supporting the government of Sierra Leone in response to the Ebola epidemic in October 2014. Recognizing the large need for continued investments in the health system after Ebola, PIH is committed to long-term health system strengthening in support of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), guided by the same principles as our emergency response and our work around the world: public sector accompaniment, integrated and comprehensive services, social justice, nimbleness and flexibility, partnership, community ownership, and evidence-based interventions. In the aftermath of the epidemic, PIH is committed to supporting the delivery of comprehensive health services in Sierra Leone, from the community level to the health center and to referral hospitals.

The MCOE Nurse/Midwifery Manager will be responsible for promoting evidence-based nursing practice through staff development, formal and informal training within and outside the clinical setting and ensuring optimal patient outcomes. He/she will serve as a role model, advocate, and provide guidance, while also sharing their clinical experiences to help nurses and midwives develop and gain confidence in their roles, most importantly thinking critically and solving problems independently. The Nurse/Midwifery Educator must also have a strong knowledge base in program and curriculum design, be able to assess a student’s needs, be innovative, and thoroughly enjoy, didactic and bedside/clinical teaching.

The MCOE Nurse/midwifery manager is responsible for maintaining and developing the following key performance areas:

Clinical Practice:

• Perform nursing and midwifery practices in accordance with Sierra Leone’s Nursing and Midwifery standards of practice, policies and guidelines
• Demonstrate accountability for nursing and midwifery practices and transfer this process to all RMNH staff
• Demonstrate a high level of understanding, knowledge and skills in adult, pediatric, midwifery and neonatal nursin
• Demonstrate expert clinical knowledge through problem solving and decision making skills, which can be interpreted and transferred to all staff
• In conjunction with team members, design and update as needed the RMNH guidelines, policies and procedures, monitoring of assessment tools to ensure optimum patient care and safety for use in the MCOE
• In addition design clinical pathways, workflows, referral process of clinical care for all departments within the MCOE, working closely with the RMNH teams as appropriate, to develop policies and quality improvement processes of:
  • Conduct of Care
  • Scope of Professional Practice
  • Multidisciplinary Team Working
  • Data & Information Gaps
  • Ineffective Systems
  • Poor communication
  • Workload issues
  • Poor individual or team practice
  • Complaints
  • Disciplinary actions
  • Financial and resource implications
  • Health and safety deficits
  • Patient Flow
  • Infection Control rates
  • Pressure Area rates
  • Safeguarding issues
  • Domestic violence issues
  • Drug administration
  • Maternity Emergency Obstetric Warning Signs Chart
  • To abide by the NMC Rules and Standards
  • This list is not exhaustive and will be built on as needed
• Working closely with the RMNH Clinical Manager and multi-disciplinary team, be responsible for the recording, monitoring and auditing of clinical standards of care within all RMNH department:

• To lead by example and empower staff in their personal and professional development to undertake a greater range of clinical skills to modernise and improve patient care as part of MCOE planning
• Identify opportunities for improvements in practice as highlighted through evidence and research based practice
• To promote clinical competence in the practice setting and identify the individual and unique educational needs for learners and all staff working in the maternity unit
• Contribute to the design of the training curriculum for all RMNH staff and students in conjunction with the Clinical Education team, nursing and midwifery directorates
• Maintain own competence as a Nurse/Midwifery Manager through certification and clinical practice

Education and Research:

• Contribute to the design of the training curriculum for all RMNH staff and students in conjunction with the Clinical Education team, nursing and midwifery directorates
• Actively participate in the implementation and evaluation of the Nursing/Midwifery Orientation and Student Nurses Orientation Programs in collaboration with the Directors of RMNCH, Nursing and Clinical Education
• Initiate, participate and contribute to the development of clinical knowledge and skills of new and existing nurses and midwives as well as student nurses
• Develop and maintain clinical educational resources
• Participate in the delivery of formal and informal education
• Develop, implement and evaluate extended skills programs for nurses/midwives in collaboration with the Directors of RMNH and Nursing
• Actively participate in activities that promote the professional development and education of nurses
• Foster an environment that supports the utilization of nursing research
• Collaborate with the Directors of Nursing/RMNCH and Director of Clinical Education to identify research opportunities

Quality Improvement and Management:

• Undertake necessary components of the performance evaluation process
• Promote and participate in quality improvement and safety activities as well as institutional accreditation processes
• Participate in relevant committees, meetings and service activities as required and provide relevant feedback and dissemination of appropriate information
• Contribute to the nursing and midwifery education component of the strategic plan of the organization
• Participate in critical incident debriefings as required
• Maintain effective communication channels between the RMNH and MCOE teams
• Ensure processes are in place to facilitate effective communication between all disciplines, patients and relatives, that meets individual needs
• Develop a complaints process that will ensure that staff can react in a calm and courteous manner, ensuring that wherever possible complaints are dealt with efficiently and satisfactorily and resolved in the local clinical area
• Work with the nurse/midwives in managing and reviewing the workload on a daily basis ensuring equitable provision across the area of responsibility
• Lead and develop a robust recruitment and retention strategy for the MCOE, ensuring a workforce fit for purpose.

Professional Practice and Development:

• Demonstrate advocacy for nurses/midwives and patient groups
• Actively pursue opportunities to advance own professional knowledge and skill development
• Participate in relevant ongoing professional development programs
• Demonstrate a commitment to professional development through membership in relevant professional organizations or associations
• Demonstrate awareness of current nursing and midwifery practices, initiatives and related health issues that enhance reproductive, maternal and neonatal nursing care
• Participate in health promotion and community outreach activities
• Act as an effective role model for staff through mentoring and teaching so as to achieve optimal staff development and patient outcomes

• MD or equivalent medical training and board certification in Obstetrics and Gynaecology required preferably from West African
• Minimum of four years of clinical experience with at least 6-months in a low-resource health care setting required
• Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) clinical and program management experience strongly preferred
• Experience in the following areas preferred: HIV/TB, treating malaria and other tropical diseases
• Ebola screening, isolation, and management experience is a plus
• Experience and interest in providing clinical education, training, and mentorship to health workers
• A strong commitment to social justice and health as a human right is essential in all aspects of the leadership and management
• Experience in public health and/or program management is a plus
• Exemplary interpersonal communication skills, verbal and written, required to effectively engage with senior leadership, partners, and clinicians on sensitive political and confidential issues.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with culturally diverse staff across departments and country
• Working knowledge and ability to use Microsoft Office and other relevant software
• Evidence of providing culturally sensitive and competent quality care in an extremely stressful environment
• Proven ability to exercise good judgment, demonstrate political astuteness, and tact
• Proven commitment to social justice and passion for serving the poor and vulnerable
• Humility, a sense of curiosity, and commitment to creatively tackling seemingly impossible problems
• Sense of humor and ability to laugh at self, and with others
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and effective in the face of unexpected challenges as well as the willingness to accept a standard of living that is clean and comfortable but simple
• Ability to live in Kono District, Sierra Leone full-time with shared accommodation

This is a description of the job as it is at present constituted. It is the practice of this organization periodically to examine employees’ job description and to update them to ensure that they relate to the job as then being performed, or to incorporate whatever changes are being proposed. This procedure is jointly conducted by each manager in consultation with those working directly to him or her. You will, therefore, be expected to participate fully in such discussions and reach an amicable conclusion with your manager.