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 nurse mentor is an experienced nursing staff, who will serve as a role model, advocate, and provide guidance, while also sharing their clinical experiences to help nurses develop and gain confidence in their roles, most importantly thinking critically and solving problems independently. For new nurses, the Nurse Mentor will get them acclimated to the clinical setting. The Nurse Mentor will provide formal and informal training, support, and counseling to nurses within safe environments, inside and outside of clinical settings. Nurse mentors

demonstrate compassion and humility in their interactions and develop trust-based relationships with their mentees. Nurses who rely on their mentors for guidance, wisdom, and knowledge sharing often see their mentors as role models, teachers, and friends.

Strategies nurse mentors can use to help develop the skills and confidence of nursing staff include coaching, teaching, counseling, advocating, and providing support. Additional strategies include sharing success stories, assisting all nurses in social situations, and getting them to think critically and solve problems.

• Collaborate with the Neonatal Clinicians, RMNH Clinical Manager and Koidu Government Hospital Matron to assist with developing and facilitating a neonatal care curriculum and Induction pack, to ensure nurses at the facility are aware of, and comply with standard nursing policies and protocols, and use best practices while providing nursing care.
• Ensure that student nurses develop good nursing practice skills; supervision and mentorship of nursing students who are posted to the facility for clinical practicum is required.
• Provide nursing care alongside nurses in the wards, while being observant for opportunities for mentoring and coaching in nursing competencies; this may include working in varying shifts as required.
• Work collaboratively with the Nurse-in-Charge of the wards to identify gaps in nursing care and developing a plan to systematically address such gaps; this may also include identifying professional and clinical development opportunities for high performing nurses in the wards.
• Identify and implement Quality Improvement projects that would improve on the ward’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), while also improving patient outcomes and developing nursing practice and clinical skills.
• Facilitate In-Service trainings and nursing clinical presentations as a means to encourage and develop a culture of continuous learning among the nursing teams.
• Create and maintain a safe and open learning environment for nursing staff including for student nurses.
• Collaborate with the Child health Clinical team and RMNH Manager to facilitate annual Nursing Skills competencies check-offs.
• Effectively manage the wards in the absence of the Nurse-in-Charge and with the support of the Hospital Matron and other Nursing leadership.
• Provide supervision of nursing staff in the wards in collaboration with the Nurse-in-Charge to ensure that nursing policies and protocols are followed and that nurses provide competent, evidence-based care.

• Collaborate with the Child Development Clinic to identify babies in need of follow-up and to ensure appointments are set-up, with links to care prior to discharge from the facility.

• Conduct surveys to identify training needs for nurses and students while also seeking feedback from clinicians working in those wards.

• Provide training and mentorship at other PIH-supported facilities as may be required.

• Collaborate with the M & E team to collect data, compile and share activity and monthly reports required by the grant with the Directors of Nursing and Clinical Education and others.

• Other responsibilities as deemed required by the RMNH Clinical Manager and the Neonatal and Child Health Clinicians.

• State Registered Nurse (SRN), BSc as a minimum entry requirement
• Neonatal/Pediatric Nurse Certified Specialist training
• 5 or more years of experience as an SRN, practicing in a Neonatal/Special Care Baby Unit setting for a minimum of 3 years as a senior nurse/In-Charge
• Experience in working in Pediatric and Child Health departments as the incumbent will need to provide support in these areas as needed
• Evidence of additional training/specialization in neonatal care
• Experience as a preceptor or tutor or of mentoring others, is a plus
• Experience in QI processes and data collection for monitoring and evaluation as there is a need to generate monthly reports and regular unit QI projects
• Basic knowledge and proficiency in using Microsoft Office – Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing in English as this is the first language of communication in this role
• Ability to work well with others in a team and be creative
• Pursue attention to detail
• Ability to be adaptable, especially working in different clinical departments and shifts, including weekend and night shifts as may be required.
• Commitment to social justice and health care as a human right.

Ability to live and work fulltime in Kono District, Sierra Leone.