Job Description

Job Title:

Pediatric Emergency Nurse Specialist

Work Location:

Kono

Department:

Clinical

Report to:

Pediatrics Nurse Supervisor

Requisition Number:

4898

Line Management

No

Position Overview

The Pediatric Emergency Nurse Specialist is a specialized clinician, educator and mentor responsible for strengthening pediatric emergency and critical care services at KGH. The position is intended to support the development of high-quality pediatric emergency care through direct clinical practice, bedside mentoring, staff education, clinical leadership and quality improvement initiatives.

The post holder will work closely with pediatricians, nursing leadership and frontline staff to improve the assessment, resuscitation and management of critically ill children and to strengthen the capacity of nurses working in pediatric emergency and acute care settings.

This position is not intended to function primarily as a routine ward nurse. The emphasis of the role is on clinical leadership, bedside mentoring, education and service development within pediatric emergency and critical care services.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The roles and responsibilities of the Pediatric Nurse Specialist shall include but not be limited to the following: Clinical Practice

• Provide expert pediatric emergency nursing care for critically ill children.
• Support nurses in assessment, stabilization, triage and emergency management of pediatric patients.
• Provide real-time clinical support for critically ill and deteriorating children.
• Lead bedside teaching and clinical coaching in pediatric emergency and acute care settings.
• Support multidisciplinary ward rounds focusing on complex and critically ill patients.
• Promote adherence to national and international pediatric emergency care standards.
• Support implementation of evidence-based emergency nursing protocols.
• Guide nurses in early recognition and management of severely ill children.
• Support resuscitation and emergency response activities.
• Promote accurate clinical documentation and communication.

Education and Capacity Building

• Serve as the primary clinical mentor for nurses working in pediatric emergency and acute care settings.
• Deliver bedside teaching, simulation sessions and structured clinical education programes.
• Support nurse orientation and competency development.
• Facilitate training in:
  • Pediatric assessment
  • Emergency management
  • Resuscitation
  • Triage
  • BLS
  • PALS
• Develop teaching materials and competency assessment tools.
• Support continuing professional development activities.

Quality Improvement

• Participate in pediatric mortality and morbidity reviews.
• Support clinical audits and quality improvement initiatives.
• Identify gaps in pediatric emergency care and recommend improvement measures.
• Monitor adherence to clinical guidelines.
• Contribute to protocol and guideline development.

Education and Work Experience Requirements:

Required

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSc Nursing).
• Current nursing license and registration with the relevant professional regulatory body.

Candidates must meet the requirements under either Pathway A or Pathway B below:

Pathway A: Postgraduate qualification and specialist experience

• A Master’s degree, postgraduate diploma or equivalent recognized specialist qualification in one of the following areas:
  • Pediatric Nursing;
  • Pediatric Emergency Nursing;
  • Pediatric Critical Care Nursing; or
  • Another closely related pediatric emergency or critical care speciality.
• A minimum of five (5) years’ post-registration experience providing direct clinical care to pediatric patients.
• Of these five (5) years, at least two (2) years must have been spent working in one or more of the following settings:
  • Pediatric Emergency Department;
  • Pediatric Resuscitation Unit;
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU);
  • Pediatric High Dependency Unit;
  • Pediatric Critical Care Unit; or
  • An equivalent pediatric emergency or critical care setting.
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OR

Pathway B: Extensive specialist experience

• A minimum of ten (10) years’ post-registration experience providing direct clinical care to pediatric patients.
• Of these ten (10) years, at least five (5) years must have been spent working in one or more of the following settings:
  • Pediatric Emergency Department;
  • Pediatric Resuscitation Unit;
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU);
  • Pediatric High Dependency Unit;
  • Pediatric Critical Care Unit; or
  • an equivalent pediatric emergency or critical care setting.

Candidates qualifying under either pathway must also demonstrate:

• Experience in the assessment, stabilization and management of critically ill pediatric patients.
• Experience providing bedside mentorship, clinical supervision, structured education or competency development for nurses.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary teams caring for acutely or critically ill children.
• Evidence of clinical leadership within pediatric emergency or critical care services.

Preferred

• PALS certification.
• BLS certification.
• Instructor certification in PALS or BLS.

Neonatal nursing experience will not be counted towards the required pediatric emergency or critical care experience.

Organisation Profile

Partners In Health (PIH) is 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 currently work in 11 countries, including Sierra Leone, where we strive to ease suffering by placing patients at the center of all care, bringing the benefits of modern medicine to all. In Sierra Leone, PIH is committed to strengthening long-term health system in support of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), guided by public sector accompaniment, integrated and comprehensive services, and a commitment to advancing health equity. Partners In Health has built the Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE) as an expansion of the Koidu Government Hospital in Kono district to raise the standard of care for mothers and newborns in Sierra Leone. A cutting-edge facility, the MCOE expands the campus of Koidu Government Hospital, dramatically increasing the number of beds, services, and facilities available to mothers and babies. By introducing new technology, investing in training for health care workers, and offering a preferential option for the poor, this cutting-edge facility will also prove what is possible as a model for care across the continent and beyond.

Misconduct Disclosure

Partners In Health Sierra Leone is dedicated to preventing unwanted behaviour in the workplace, including sexual harassment, exploitation, abuse, financial misconduct, and ensuring the welfare of those we serve. We expect all staff, consultants, contractors, vendors, and volunteers to uphold these values as outlined in our code of conduct.

The successful candidate will receive appropriate training and must adhere to the organisation’s safeguarding policies. Employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory references and screening checks, which may include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

As a participant in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, we request information from previous employers about any instances of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment. Additionally, Partners In Health Sierra Leone will share records of such misconduct with other agencies upon staff departure, ensuring transparency and accountability. By applying, candidates acknowledge and agree to these recruitment procedures

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 Friday, October 30, 2026.

Previous applicants for this position are not eligible to re-apply.