Vacancy Announcement

Job title:

SECHN Midwife

Work Location:

Kailahun. Sierra Leone (Jojoima, Buedu or Bandajuma CHC)

Department:

Clinical - RMNCAH

Reports to:

Senior Midwife Mentor and Facility Clinical Lead

Line Management

Yes

Application Status

External Advert

Organisation Profile

Partners In Health (PIH) is an international health organization relentlessly committed to improving the health of the poor and marginalized. PIH partners with local governments to build local capacity and works closely with impoverished communities to deliver high-quality health care, address the root causes of illness, train providers, advance research, and advocate for global policy change. Our delivered services in the field are based in our partnership with the Governments and Ministries of Health and the support to education, training and mentorship to Health care workers and students is one of our pillars for the Health care system strengthening.

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.

Position Overview

PIH-Sierra Leone is supporting the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in the implementation of the five-year World Bank funded QEHSSSP health systems strengthening project that will implement a comprehensive Hub-and-Spoke approach in 5 districts in Sierra Leone through focused investments in staff, stuff, space, systems and nutrition.

Through the project, Partners in Health, in the leadership of Ministry of Health and Sanitation, will be supporting 3 health facilities in the district (Jojoima, Buedu and Bandajuma) through comprehensive health systems strengthening approaches to develop these sites as sites for comprehensive Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child Adolescent Health and Nutrition services.

The Midwife is a critical member of the PIH Sierra Leone team and will work collaboratively with the clinical and support services staff to provide high-quality, comprehensive maternal and newborn health services at the Kailahun Hub facilities as required. The Midwife will be supervised by the Midwife Mentors with oversight by the facility Clinical Lead and overall by the Reproductive Maternal and Neonatal Health Director, Program Manager and District Clinical Lead.

She will work to improve the quality of maternal and newborn health services in Kailahun District and reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality with a specific focus on labor and delivery services at the hub she is based. The positions will be based in one of the health facilities in Kailahun: Jojoima CHC, Buedu CHC or Yawei Bandajuma CHC.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide high quality antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care to pregnant women, new mothers and their babies, including provision of the full package of antenatal care services as per the Sierra Leone national protocols and guidelines for emergency and obstetric and newborn care.
• Actively participate in the identification and management of antenatal complications requiring treatment, follow-up and clinical management.
• Provide high quality and timely basic emergency care for obstetric complications during antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal periods.
• Provide high quality normal and delivery care including ensuring proper monitoring of labor through the use of the partograph and other monitoring tools in use in the department.
• Supervise clinical maternity staff at the department, ensuring all patients are properly cared for and monitored, vital signs checked, medications given as prescribed, partographs completed accurately and acted on as needed.
• Provide daily essential newborn care to all infants born at the Maternity department at Jojoima and/or Buendu/Bandajuma Delivery units.
• Identify, liaise with the medical team and transfer sick babies as needed to Jojoima CeMONC or Kailahun Government Hospital for further treatment as needed.
• Provide routine daily postnatal care for women and infants through to 6 weeks postpartum.
• Evaluate postnatal patients prior to discharge and provide discharge counseling to ensure that mothers are able to care for their newborns competently and confidently.
• Ensure proper documentation is maintained in all maternal and newborn records, health and clinic registers.
• Collaborate with the Midwife Mentor and the appropriate staff to ensure clinical staff can provide BEmONC services in line with MOHS and WHO standards.
• Prepare documentation and participate in MDSR monthly reviews, including presentations for DHMT.
• Provide clinical assessment, birth plan development, and on-going care for patients at the facilities we work in.
• Provide leadership, supervision and support for maternity staff to provide quality maternal and newborn health services at the QEHSSSP supported sites including BEmONC/CEmONC services, ANC, PNC, Delivery Care, Essential Newborn Care, PMTCT, AYFS and Family Planning.
• Lead and enforce health & safety standards, Infection Prevention and Control protocols, including ensuring the availability of PPE and cleaning supplies.
• Ensure and maintain daily stock checks for the availability of medicines, consumables, supplies and equipment for the Delivery Department to avoid stock outs, including during nights and weekends.
• Support maternal and newborn health outreach activities in collaboration with the RMNCAH program manager and Clinical Lead.
• Work rotating shifts, including significant night shift coverage, and rotating “on call” weekends.
• Provide compassionate and respectful maternity care in line with the PIH mission and values.
• Participate in all quality improvement activities in the department and significantly contribute to successful outcomes and targets being met.
• Other responsibilities related to the work as required

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment

At Partners In Health, we are committed to ensuring that those who benefit from our work- including our patients, families and community members – as well as our staff are treated with dignity and respect and protected from sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment. A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Partners In Health’s PSEAH policy. Partner In Health will request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Education and Work Experience Requirements

• SECHN Midwife certification from recognized College or University with current registration at the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
• At least two years of midwifery experience, at least 1 of which was in a low-resource setting.
• Experience in managing high risk pregnancies and complicated deliveries
• Proven knowledge of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care, including neonatal resuscitation. ETAT certification is advantageous.
• Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner.
• Ability to work well in a team, be dependable, flexible, time conscious and hard working.
• Able to consistently produce high quality work.
• A strong commitment to social justice and health as a human right.
• Fluent in verbal and written English.
• Willing to live and work fulltime in Kailahun, Sierra Leone.
• Priority will be given to qualified candidates working as volunteers in the designated health facilities.
• Must not hold dual employment.

Social Justice

We are a global health and social justice organization that responds to the moral imperative to provide high-quality health care globally to those who need it most. We strive to ease suffering by placing patients at the center of all care, bringing the benefits of modern medicine to all.

Method of application

Interested candidates are required to apply through our website: www.pih.org/employment. In your application, please ensure to include names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of three (3) referees not later than 12:00pm GMT (Midnight) on Monday 11th December 2022