Nurse Mentor (based in Khayelitsha)

Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international organization that has been providing TB/HIV services in South Africa since 1999 and in Lesotho since 2006. MSF has been working in Khayelitsha, Western Cape for the last ten years, initially focusing on access to affordable and safe antiretroviral (ARV or ART) treatment, and later piloting innovative models of care. Some of our current projects include decentralization of HIV care to peripheral clinics, integration HIV and TB care, nurse-based initiation of ART and patient-centred DR-TB management.  Innovative models of care continue to be piloted in this setting. For 2011-2012 the project is focusing on a youth adherence program, patients on 2nd line ARVs, patients failing 2nd line ARVs, long term adverse events monitoring, clinical mentoring, the DR-TB decentralized program and others.
 
JOB SUMMARY:
The Nurse Mentor will serve as a member of a multidisciplinary team with the main responsibility of mentoring health care workers, particularly nurses at MSF supported sites, in comprehensive initial and long term management of HIV/AIDS.  S/he will support capacity building for nurses to initiate ART in an integrated model of care, and will ensure that the provision of ART services is conducted according to national guidelines.  The nurse mentor may cover a wide number of clinics in Khayelitsha, and will be expected to track data involved with the mentorship program. 
 
The Nurse Mentor must be non-judgmental, non-discriminatory, trustworthy, flexible, and empathic, and must be able to motivate and support the communities s/he is working with.  (S)he will need to be able to work independently and problem solve in the mentorship role.
 
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work in collaboration with the mentorship team to improve comprehensive HIV primary care services to outpatients in primary health centres (PHC) and/or MOUs
• Independently conduct training and mentorship activities to support nurse management of uncomplicated HIV cases, including ARV initiation and follow up, and the referral process for complex cases
• Advise on prescribing medication according to standard treatment guidelines and essential drug lists
• Foster high quality of care and care delivery improvement though the mentoring activities
• Provide telephonic support to mentees as requested
• Provide education and re-education in the proper use and completion of HIV stationary medical records
• Reinforce the importance of proper data collection
• Mentor managers and clinicians on comprehensive reproductive health care including HIV care, treatment, and counselling, tuberculosis screening & treatment, STI diagnosis & treatment, and contraceptive care
• Organize clinical meetings for educational purposes
• Provide didactic trainings and lectures for MSF courses and community education
• Attend continuing education programs to ensure current knowledge of procedures, protocols, and clinical care issues
• Participate in hospital, district, and PHC meetings; support a multidisciplinary team approach to managing clients
• Practice in accordance with South African Nursing Council regulations