Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare. MSF offers assistance to people based on need, irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.
Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of neutrality and impartiality.
A worldwide movement
MSF was founded in Paris, France in 1971. Its principles are described in the organisation’s founding charter. It is a non-profit, self-governed organisation.
Today, MSF is a worldwide movement of 24 associations, bound together as MSF International, based in Switzerland.
Thousands of health professionals, logistical and administrative staff – most of whom are hired locally – work on programmes in some 70 countries worldwide.
Humanitarian action
MSF’s work is based on humanitarian principles. We are committed to bringing quality medical care to people caught in crisis, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation.
MSF operates independently. We conduct our own evaluations on the ground to determine people’s needs. More than 90 per cent of our overall funding comes from millions of private sources, not governments.
MSF is neutral. We do not take sides in armed conflicts, we provide care on the basis of need, and we push for independent access to victims of conflict as required under international humanitarian law.
Bearing witness and speaking out
MSF medical teams often witness violence and neglect in the course of their work, largely in regions that receive scant international attention.
At times, MSF may speak out publicly in an effort to bring a forgotten crisis to public attention, to alert the public to abuses occurring beyond the headlines, to criticise the inadequacies of the aid system, or to challenge the diversion of humanitarian aid for political interests.
Quality medical care
MSF rejects the idea that poor people deserve third-rate medical care and strives to provide high-quality care to patients. In 1999, when MSF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the organisation announced the money would go towards raising awareness of and fighting against neglected diseases.
Through the Access Campaign, and in partnership with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, this work has helped lower the price of HIV/AIDS treatment and stimulated research and development for medicines to treat malaria and neglected diseases like sleeping sickness and kala azar.Main Purpose
Organize and carry-out all nursing activities related to the operating theatre (OT) running, according to MSF health protocols, universal hygienic standards and in coordination with the surgeon and anaesthetist, in order to ensure a smooth functioning of the surgical activities (pre, during and post-operative care) offered to patients.
Responsibilities
Ensure the preparation of the material and equipment (checking the quantity and quality), in the OT and carry-out the reception, transport of the patient from the preparation room to the OT and ensuring his/her installation for surgery.
Assist the surgeon and anesthetist during the operation, anticipating their needs, in order to facilitate their job and helping throughout the whole process
Checks vital parameters of the patient with the nurse anesthetist.
Organize the patient’s transport and installation from the operating theatre to the recovery room and carry-out all the post-operative activities (used material collection, OT’s cleaning and disinfection, resetting all equipment and material back), in order to prepare the OT for next surgical intervention or any emergency.
Implement and follow-up the hygiene, sterilization, asepsis and disinfection protocols and procedures at all times, in pre, during and post- operative activities, in order to ensure the patient and staff’s safety conditions. i.e. waste containers availability, sharps container, checking no material or needles remain in the surgical towels, placing instruments into soak container, take instruments/linen to sterilization unit, etc.).
Supervise and train the hygiene officers while in the OT in following all appropriate protocols and procedures, in order to ensure the quality of the healthcare given to patients.
Control all equipment and material stock to be used in the OT (carrying out inventories, checking its quality and its functioning, storage conditions, etc.), in order to ensure an efficient and rationale use of material resources while preventing damage and deterioration.
Carry-out and supervise administrative procedures and documents (check identity of patient and his/her consent for the operation, fill in patients files, forms, statistics, quantitative surgical data collection, etc.), and report any problematic situations and cases arising, in order to have updated and correct information about the day-to-day activity and ensuring proper transfer of information.
Participate in data collection and reporting.
Intervene in support of other services whenever needed and work particularly in close collaboration with obstetrics departments.
Requirements
Education:
Essential Bachelor in Science of Nursing
Two-year experience as IBODE in a 2nd level hospital.
Experience:
Desirable 2 years’ experience. Having worked in MSF or other NGO’s and in develop-ing countries is desirable.
Languages:
Local language essential and mission language essential.
Remuneration
According to MSF salary scale plus 13th month allowance equivalent to 1 month of gross salary.