Community Nurse

Explanation of the position,

The community nurse will be trained on more advanced level of health awareness (including SRH, active nutrition screening, vaccination), basic management of acute disease, communicable disease and minor wounds, identification of cases for referral to the PHCC and defaulter cases. She/he will be supported by MdM medical team. 

She/he will support the surveillance of communicable diseases by community outreach volunteers (COVs). In case of outbreak, she will join a Rapid Response Team (RRT) for management of the outbreak, according to MoPH SOPs.  

The community nurse will also undergo regular training focused on the safe handling of GBV disclosures with trauma-informed, confidential, and sensitive approaches, and to guide survivors to the PHCC social worker when available, or to the most accessible case management actors, ensuring quick access to support. 

The community nurse will implement outreach activities 5 days per week. She/he will support COVs in their activities in or outside the shelters, rotating within COVs’ activity location. She/he will support COVs for some of the specific health awareness sessions.          

Main responsibilities:

1. Community health
2. Collection, computerization and analysis of weekly epidemiological data
3. Reporting and attendance to different meetings
4. Others

Main Activities:

1. Community health

• The community nurse will identify health cases by conducting health assessment during community visits with the COVs: 
• For minor cases, the community nurse will deliver basic management by providing immediate care for minor health issues, including first aid, wound care, and management of communicable diseases water borne, skin and vaccine preventable communicable diseases.   
• For moderate to severe cases, the patient will be referred to the PHCC or directly to secondary care depending on the case. The community nurse will ensure follow-up on referred cases to monitor patient outcomes and continuity of care.  
• For communicable diseases, the community nurse will lead and monitor systematic collection of patient case data through COVs which will help to determine the occurrence and distribution of outbreak. The community nurse will collect all data through Dharma and send it to MoPH 
• The community nurse will educate patients on preventive measures, medication adherence, and lifestyle modifications.  
• If outbreaks occurred during community visits, the community nurse will be called to assist with the Rapid Response Team (RRT), to respond to acute watery diseases, cholera, hepatitis A, measles, scabies and lice will be an effective way in responding to the emergency and facilitate timely referral for severe cases.   
• In case of outbreak, the community nurse and COVs will participate in the vaccination campaign within an RRT and in the promotion of vaccination. 
• The community nurse will be trained in PFA to link displaced people with the service they need and provide supportive and practical assistance to distressed people in a respectful way.  
• She/he will also be trained to provide general mental health awareness on normal reactions to stress, on general self-care practices during the crisis, and on the safe referral of people in need of more specialized care.  
• She/he will be disseminating IEC materials in and outside the shelters  
• She/he will identify and analyze barriers for access to appropriate specialized care and collaborate with MdM specialized staff to pilot strategies to overcome these barriers, taking into account cultural sensitivity and context. 

2. Collection, computerization and analysis of weekly epidemiological data

• Perform the daily data collection   
• Participate to the weekly computerization and analysis  

3. Reporting and attendance to different meetings

• Prepare weekly activities report to submit to the line manager 

4. Others

• Participate in need assessments in collaboration with the MEAL department to track evolving needs and gaps 

Behaviour:

• To behave with self-restraint at all times
• To be able to work as part of a team and participate in all activities of the program

Requested Competence/skills:

• University degree or technical diploma in Nursing (colloquium and work permit) 
• Desirable qualifications: Master’s in Public Health 
• Experience with epidemic surveillance and response mainly on cases management  
• Experience working with an NGO is preferable, having a similar role 
• Core knowledge of public health principles and techniques 
• Working knowledge of the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon (health system) on epidemic surveillance and response
• Excellent communication skills
• Able to take initiative within a defined framework 
• Strong commitment to work, the organization and its value 
• Good level in spoken and written Arabic and English
• Autonomy, motivation, punctuality, flexibility, honesty and calm

This job description can be modified at any time according to changes in MDM activities or in the context with prior notice and agreement between the two parties. On demand of the direct supervisor, other tasks might be added to that present list.