EMERGENCY – Trauma & Emergency Surgery Nurse – Sudan

This role requires complete autonomy in managing the care of trauma patients, often in critical condition and with polytraumatic injuries, in the Emergency Department, wards and/or Intensive Care Unit.

BACKGROUND AND ORGANISATION OF WORK

Since 15 April, when the fighting erupted between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), nearly 1,000 civilians have been killed, and about 6,000 injured across the country, according to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), as of 17 June (source: Health Cluster meeting minutes). The violence has also impacted health workers, hospitals, ambulances and patients. Dozens of attacks on Sudan’s healthcare system have been verified by the WHO (source: WHO Sudan Sitrep 14 June); health facilities have been damaged in shelling and arson attacks, vital medical supplies looted, health workers killed, injured and arrested, and patients deliberately obstructed from accessing health care. Fuel shortages and electricity cuts have also forced many hospitals in Sudan to suspend operations.

In particular, the area in Soba Hilla in Khartoum, where EMERGENCY’s Salam Centre for Cardiac Surgery is located, has witnessed multiple bouts of fighting and skirmishes due to the presence of an RSF base nearby. This has entailed that the number of cardiac patients reaching the Salam Centre has decreased due to access problems; at the same time, more and more people showed up in need of stabilization and trauma surgery due to conflict-related injuries.

In light of this, and following requests from local health authorities, a special emergency team was deployed on the field to assess the situation and identify an appropriate emergency response, considering the security circumstances and the current absence of other working health facilities.

It was decided to proceed with the trauma intervention but within the bounds of the Salam Centre, so as to have both enough staff and equipment to carry out activities with ease. Moreover, the project can take advantage fo the existing stocks of drugs, consumable and equipment.

The project will provide access to free of charge and lifesaving specialized surgical treatments and stabilization for the conflict-affected population.

The Trauma & Emergency Surgery Nurse supervises, teaches and works alongside the national staff colleagues providing treatment and care for both adult and paediatric patients admitted to the ward or in the Emergency Department.
He/She will collaborate with the national and international nursing colleagues, medical and technical personnel, to deliver the highest possible standards of care and treatment.

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

The new surgical section of the hospital planned in the Salam Centre will be composed by 2 OT Rooms, 1 Emergency room, 1 HDU with 10 beds and a post-acute ward, for a total number of 40 beds plus physiotherapy services for rehabilitation for in and out patients.

Assignment to one or more departments will be made on the basis of your specific skills and professional experience. The workload and rota of the international nurses are variable, depending on the needs and organisational set-up of the hospital; you will usually have at least one day off a week. However patient care must be guaranteed 24/7 for emergencies on the ward and in the Emergency Department.
The international nurse organises the work of the national staff in his/her area of responsibility, together with the Medical Coordinator of the project.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

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 Nurse are:

• management of nursing triage in the Emergency Department, in collaboration with the national colleagues;
• in case of a mass casualty, to manage critical patients as instructed by the team leader responsible for the protocol (Mass Casualty Plan);
• care of surgical patients, including those with polytrauma, pre and post-operatively;
• care of critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit and High Dependency Unit;
• 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.

OTHER SPECIFIC DUTIES AND MANAGEMENT OF STOCKS AND SUPPLIES

The Trauma & Emergency Surgery Nurse may be assigned other specific duties identified by the Medical Coordinator, based on the needs of the Centre (e.g. ensuring the hygiene protocols are being followed throughout the service areas of the hospital, management of the pharmacy and orders of consumables…).

MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING OF LOCAL PERSONNEL

Clinical activities and patient care are always carried out alongside and in collaboration with local personnel, who thus benefit from training in the field. There is also provision for more specific teaching activities, managed by the international specialists, in accordance with the individual needs of each hospital.

CASELOAD AND EQUIPMENT

The technological level of the equipment present in the Centres is suited to the clinical and managerial protocols in use, and the level of professional autonomy of the national staff, with the aim of achieving – and sustaining – high standards of care. Diagnostic equipment, basic laboratory tests, technical and auxiliary services are always available.

.SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

• Nursing Degree (or equivalent Diploma) and current registration on the professional nursing register of your Country of residence;
• at least 8 years’ continuous professional experience in one or more of the following specialist areas: Emergency Surgery, Orthopaedics and Trauma and/or Intensive Care Unit;
• good working knowledge of the English language (at least B2, Europass);
• Strongly motivated by humanitarian work;
• Good organisational skills, capacity to manage competing workload and work within a team;
• Able to capacity build and supervise local surgical staff
• Professional experience in an international humanitarian context or low-income countries is an asset

REQUIRED AVAILABILITY

6 months overseas stay including a period of leave to be taken at the end of the mission in agreement with the coordinator.