EMERGENCY is an independent and neutral international organisation founded in 1994 to provide free, high-quality medical and surgical care to victims of war, landmines and poverty. EMERGENCY promotes a culture of peace, solidarity and respect for human rights. We work in a sustainable way: building healthcare facilities, training local personnel, and conducting search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea.

ROSTER POSITION FOR:  Sudan

TYPE OF CONTRACT: fixed term contract (6 months), which includes a monthly salary, travel expenses, board and lodgings, insurance cover (liability, health and accident insurance), a period of paid leave to be taken at the end of the mission

This role requires complete autonomy in managing the care of cardiopathic patients in ward and/or in Intensive Care Unit (or High Dependency Unit).

BACKGROUND AND ORGANISATION OF WORK

The Cardiac Surgery Nurse supervises, instructs and supports colleagues of the national staff, in the treatment and care of patients – adults and paediatrics – in all phases from assessment to hospitalization, pre- and post-operative.

Along with the other members of the nursing team, He/She will collaborate with the various medical specialists (cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, cardiac anaesthetists, Internal Medicine specialist) present in the Centre and facilitate the transmission of relevant nursing information to the national staff.

A team leader and/or a head nurse will be present to coordinate the activities, inform about the nursing protocols in use and the level of preparation and autonomy of the colleagues of the local staff.

The Cardiac Surgery Nurse is responsible to the Head Nurse, who is in charge of the management and organisation of the project.

The departments in which you may be required to work are:

• CARDIOLOGY CLINIC: 3 examination rooms equipped for the diagnosis of patients identified in triage, the management of patients on the waiting list, and post-operative follow-up;

• WARD: 32-bed ward and 16-bed High Dependency Unit;

• INTENSIVE CARE UNIT: 15 fully equipped beds (2 isolation beds);

• CATH LAB: 1 cardiac catheterisation laboratory fully equipped to carry out diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Assignment to a department is evaluated on the basis of specific skills and professional experience already acquired. The workload and rota of the international nurses vary according to the needs and organisational set-up of the hospital; usually there is at least one day off a week.

However patient care must be guaranteed 24/7 in ward and in ICU.

DUTIES AND REPONSIBILITIES

All EMERGENCY personnel are expected to know and follow the hospital admissions criteria, guidelines, protocols, and the diagnosis and treatment standards in use in the Centre, and to ensure the correct compilation of clinical records and statistics in both computer and paper formats.

The main duties and responsibilities of the International Cardiovascular Nurse are:

WARD

• Care of patients at all stages of their diagnosis and treatment, both for surgical procedures and post-procedure in Cath Lab;

• in the High Dependency Unit, care of critical patients who are not in need of intensive care, or those discharged from ICU.

INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

• Care of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (pre-op);

• post-op care of cardiac surgery patients starting from day 0;

• care of patients with post-op complications: prolonged mechanical ventilation, intra aortic balloon pump, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).

CATH LAB

Preparation and care of patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.

Furthermore, in all departments:

• Correct application and supervision of the nursing protocols, including those regarding hygiene and sterility;

• correct compilation and maintenance of nursing notes, clinical files and patient records;

• assistance in clinical research and record keeping as required by the scientific programmes of the specialist sector of the Medical Division of EMERGENCY.

MANAGEMENT AND ORDERS OF STOCKS AND SUPPLIES

The Cardiac Surgery Nurse, in collaboration with the team leader, is responsible for checking that the equipment and materials are always quantitatively and qualitatively adequate. He/She participates in ordering supplies from the hospital pharmacy, and collaborates with the team leader and the Medical Coordinator in sending orders for periodic re-stocking.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

• Nursing Degree (or equivalent Diploma) and current registration on the professional nursing register of your Country of residence;

• at least 3 years’ continuous professional experience in one or more Cardiovascular departments (e.g. Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology, Cardiac ICU, Cardiac HDU, Coronary Care Unit, Cath Lab).