Nurse Midwife - 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 this year, 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 biopic 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 Theresa 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/

Duties & Responsibilities

Facility Based

• Undertaking antenatal care in hospitals, homes and GP practices
• Assist OB/GYN and other providers with complicated deliveries, C-sections.
• Examine, monitor and administer medications, injections and intravenous

infusions during labor

• Assessing patient care requirements and writing care plans
• Carrying out screening tests
• Providing information, emotional support, and reassurance to women and their partners

Ï Taking patients’ samples and vital signs. Work closely with other providers in diagnosing and treating women with acute and chronic illnesses

Community Based

• Participate in community outreaches organized by anchor facility and/or CMMB Program Staff
• Support the development and implementation of clinical training sessions for facilities located in hard-to-reach-areas.
• Identifying, establishing and training community networks of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and volunteers to improve linkages and referrals to the center
• Assist with the development of communication projects and outreach initiatives.
• Assess and report training, supplies and medicines needed to program staff as needed.

Educational Focus

• Assessing local staff capacities to identify areas for knowledge and skills-based capacity-building
• Developing a capacity-building strategy for routine and periodic staff development in MCH technical areas
• Training local nurses and midwives to develop new skills and knowledge
• Assisting with the planning and implementation of trainings for healthcare workers and community mobilizers

Ï Click here to enter text.Implementing initiatives to educate the community about health topics and resources including distribution of health education materials, reports, bulletins, and visual aids

Operational Focus

• Collaborating with health specialists and civic groups to determine community health needs and co-develop need-based plans and intervention strategies
• Participating in project site visits, project-related trainings, and events
• Provide relevant data to monitor CMMB program activities by recording, maintaining and reporting data to program staff to assist with grant applications and reporting needs.
• Collaborate with the CMMB Volunteer Program team to provide input on prospective volunteers during the vetting process and update materials for the Field Volunteer Orientation.
• All other duties as assigned

Qualifications & Skill Requirements

• BSN and MSN or APN, or equivalent academic degrees
• Current, active clinical license in good standing with licensing body
• Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) or Certified Midwife (CM)
• Minimum 5 year of relevant experience
• Knowledge of professional and ethical standard of health care delivery and practice
• Capacity to administer treatment to patients in a sympathetic and tactful manner
• Ability to work collaboratively and live with a diverse group of professionals
• Willingness to work in conditions and during evening/weekend hours
• Experience managing high-risk pregnancies and complicated deliveries
• Experience with antenatal and postnatal care
• Experience managing preeclampsia/eclampsia
• Experience using a partogram
• Ability to recognize and interpret symptoms
• Experience with family planning and mother-child health care
• Experience in any of the following:

o International public health

o Refugee health

o Tropical medicine

• Knowledge of STDs, HIV/AIDS, and/or PMTCT protocols
• Familiarity and interest in global health issues, especially maternal and child health issues
• Familiarity and interest in public community health, and preventative medicine
• International experience or experience working in under resourced countries is preferred
• Experience as a supervisor, manager, teacher, trainer and/or any relevant leadership activities is preferred