Registered Nurse in South Sudan

CMMB in South Sudan

South Sudan is the world’s newest country, achieving independence from Sudan in 2011 after a 30 year campaign and conflict. However, in 2013, an internal political dispute led to the outbreak of civil war which has continued on and off since. But in August of 2022 a peace deal was signed and there are grounds for optimism that it will lead to a prolonged period of peace and development.

However, this does not account for regional variation in the experience of the people since independence. The north of the country has been the worst hit with significant mortality, displacement of people and a refugee crisis, and this has occurred in other regions.

St Therese Mission Hospital sits in the south-west of the country, in Nzara in Gbudue state, the area least impacted by the armed conflict. Whilst it has experienced issues relating to the conflict, it has escaped the debilitating effects seen in other areas. In 2018, the Hospital has been able to function untouched by conflict.

Nzara and the surrounding area exists in the same topographical region as large parts of neighboring Congo and Central African Republic, with lush, fertile soil, a temperate climate and no current risk of drought or famine. It is distant from the Sahel region of other parts of the country.

CMMB’s CHAMPS areas in South Sudan serve the towns and surrounding areas of Ezo, Nzara, and Yambio. The initiative focuses on safe motherhood, child protection, safe water and sanitation, and women’s empowerment. CMMB provides HIV/AIDS care and treatment and community health workers conduct health information sessions, testing and adherence counseling. The CMMB team provides training and mentorship to local healthcare workers and water committees and manages the supply and distribution of medications and water purification tablets.

Placement Site: Nzara, South Sudan

Nzara is a town with a population, including surrounding villages, of around 100,000. It is approximately 20km from the state capital of Gbudue, Yambio, which has a population of around 300,000.

The remote town has no infrastructure in terms of services such as electricity, water and gas. All the services are obtained on a house to house level, with use of solar power and bore holes. The road network is basic, hard, impacted mud roads which perform surprisingly well during periods of heavy rain. Resources in the facility site are extremely limited with high levels of supply constraint.

There are a few bars and places providing live football streams, but in essence there are no local cultural venues. There are simple marketplaces offering fresh fruit and vegetables and other basic items. Learn more: https://sttnh.org/, https://cmmb.org/champs-community/nzara-south-sudan/

Position Summary

Nurses (RN’s) will champion CMMB’s mission by working with local communities’ and their health facilities to strengthen the local health system by providing direct care services, actively engaging with patients and their families, supporting program development and outreach activities, and developing capacity by training and mentoring local staff. As an RN, you will be supporting the responsibilities outlined below, and divided into four categories: facility, community, education, and operational. Based on your clinical specialization, you will be performing the assigned duties and responsibilities with a focus in labor & delivery, neonatal care, pediatrics and maternal health.

Duties & Responsibilities

Facility Based

• Consult and coordinate with health care team members to assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient care plans
• Monitor, record, and communicate patient conditions; develop and update patient medical histories and progress notes
• Perform physical examinations, make tentative diagnoses
• Collaborate across disciplines to coordinate patient care, including patient transfer, discharge, referral and spiritual/psychosocial support needs
• Serve in both inpatient wards and outpatient clinics, such as primary care clinics, HIV/TB clinics, MCH clinics

Community Based

• Assist in vaccination initiatives, programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hospital organization, oversight of hygiene measures, management of drug stocks, and data collection
• Evaluate learning needs of patient and/or family and provides patient/family education appropriate to age, culture, condition, and circumstances. Instruct patients and families on topics such as health education, disease prevention, and childbirth; develop health improvement programs
• Participate in project/community site visits and CMMB project-related trainings and events
• Collaborate with health specialists and civic groups to determine community health needs and co-develop need-based goals
• Implement initiatives to educate the community about health topics and resources; Distribute health education materials

Educational Focus

• Provide clinical capacity building and health education to local staff and community health workers
• Participate in training and instruction of staff, students, auxiliary workers and community members
• Collaborate with facility team to develop skills and expertise to improve local development
• Utilize past experiences to share insights in clinical judgment to assist in the institution evidenced-based practices

Operational Focus

• Improve operation capacity through developing and implementing protocols and practice guidelines as appropriate
• Provide recommendations on infection prevention measures to be implemented alongside newly developed protocols.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications & Skill Requirements

• Relevant degree (BSN/RN)
• Current, active license to practice nursing in good standing with licensing body
• Minimum 10 year of clinical experience as licensed practitioner
• Knowledge of professional and ethical standard of health care delivery and practice
• Capacity to administer treatment to patients while utilizing a sympathetic and tactful attitude
• Ability to work and live with a diverse group of professionals
• Familiarity and interest in global health issues, especially maternal and child health issues
• Familiarity and interest in public and community health, or preventative medicine
• Willingness to work in extremely resource-limited conditions and during evening/weekend hours
• Willingness to enhance capacity building activities and programs
• Experience in any of the following

o Emergency/Trauma

o Women’s health

o Maternal health

o Labor and Delivery

o HIV/AIDS

o Infectious diseases

o Neonatal care

o Nutrition

o Pediatrics

o Pharmacy

o Public health

o Tropical medicine

o Tuberculosis (TB)

o Vaccination campaigns

o Refugee health

• International experience or experience working in developing countries is preferred
• Experience as a supervisor, manager, teacher, trainer and/or any relevant leadership activities preferred
• Training in at least one of the following preferred

o Infectious disease

o Public health

o Tropical medicine

• Knowledge of STDs, HIV/AIDS, and/or PMTCT protocols preferred