The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND
The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict affected populations. IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri and Monguno of Borno state and Damaturu of Yobe State. Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs primary health care, nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, child protection, education, food security & livelihoods.
Job Overview/Summary
The Referral Officer will work closely with the Senior Health Officer – Medical Doctor to ensure that referral support activities of the project are implemented according to the project deliverables across the targeted locations. She/he will directly lead, manage and coordinate the activities of two-way referral system of patients and establish contact with facility-based healthcare workers, health outreach officers, referral paramedics, MoH seconded staff and responsible for implementation of timely in referral and patient safety in our service locations. The Referral Officer reports to the Senior Health Officer – Medical Doctor.
Major Responsibilities
Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy
• Lead and support to ensure implementation of a focused two-way referral system and patient safety activities within the catchment locations of the supported health facilities in Monguno.
• Oversee appropriate use of patient screening, triaging, first aid algorithms and IPC.
• Ensure effective routine patient movement, and timely laboratory sample collection and investigations especially for the vulnerable groups in any phase of expansion of new and existing medical care.
• The Referral Officer will support the Senior Health Officer – Medical Doctor to manage and train facility-based healthcare workers, health outreach staff, referral paramedics, MoH seconded staff on patient safety, strengthening of 2-ways referral and basic life support skills in referral ambulance.
• Initiate referrals SOPs and ensure adherence to the referral criteria, protocol, SOPs among stakeholders, HWs, paramedics referral personnel, patients and patient relatives.
• Promote positive behavioral change and patient education.
• Oversee the follow up of referred patients in terms of their safety, received prescribed expertized management, obtained necessary laboratory investigation and help patients to cope with their activities for daily living while referred and on admission care.
• Promote and ensure adequate infection prevention and control standards are always maintained in the ambulance vehicle and surrounding in which patient is referred to for further management.
• Follow up with the activities of health MoH seconded -referral staff to ensure that patient referred to any secondary and tertiary health institution received appropriate care including meal source.
• Support the health manager to ensure a planned and well forecast medical bills, patient meal plan and timely payment and reimbursement of the referral centers.
• Keep a good track of all the referral documents.
• Support Senior Health Officer – Medical Doctor to follow up with the IRC pharmacy store for timely store release of additional medications and medical supplies that facilitate patient care.
• Support health facilities with information, education, and communication (IEC) materials (billboards, posters, roll-up banners, wall painting, flex banner), registers, printed clinical algorithms, clinical job aids and guidelines booklets/protocols and ensure IEC materials are displayed and put into use needed in patient referral system.
• Ensure beneficiary participation, feedback, and accountability in all aspects of the project.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of referral activities to the Senior Health Officer – Medical Doctor.
• Ensure proper communication of field-based data tools to the HWs at the supported facilities.
• Coordinate and follow up with the IRC clinical team in facilitating referral process, provide screening/triage for emergency cases from the camps, mobile clinics and PHCs to the referral centers.
• Support in conducting regular field visits to ensure successful application of referral system.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.
Technical Support and Quality of Care Management:
• Ensure that all necessary drug information is correctly and fully recorded on the stock cards: IRC code, batch number, and expiry date, date of receipt or delivery, stock balance (incoming/outgoing), receipt and delivery document reference numbers.
• Complete all the tables for monitoring stock movements and consumption on the PIT.
• Prepares the monthly stock report.
• In conjunction with the senior Pharma Manager/Log Manager, perform physical stock counts in accordance with the frequency defined in the SOP.
• Inform the Program Manager – Health Outcome/Senior Pharma Manager when the stock of goods is nearing the minimum or maximum threshold, and regularly provide the Senior Pharma Manager and Program Manager – Health Outcome with a list of the items with expiry dates within the next six months.
• Monitor the temperature of the warehouse and ensure that products requiring cold chain (vaccines) are always stored at a suitable temperature (between +2°C and +8°C) - manually record T twice daily - Reports any deviation, using the cold chain breech report.
• Prepare the cold chain boxes as per Cold chain SOP.
• Ensure the availability of enough icepacks, clean cold chain containers for the outreach activities including vaccine campaigns.
• Ensure cleaning, defrosting and maintenance of fridges.
Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:
• Oversee the general referral service system and work closely with the senior health officer, health outreach officers, referral paramedics, HWs at supported health facilities.
• Motivate good use of referral criteria, first aid, SOPs, screening, triage system and basic life support.
Monitoring Health Program implementation
• Ensure proper follow up with the referral centers and timely submission of referral bills to finance.
• Submit weekly work plans and ensure timely implementation of the project activities.
• Ensure compilation of statistical reports from the supported patients, health facilities and communities for weekly, monthly and annual reports.
• Ensure adequate flow of information for all supervises with constant feedback as may be required.
Research, Learning and Analysis
• Monitor closely the morbidity and mortality trends together with all the other health indicators to ensure that prompt actions are taken.
• Provide weekly activity reports to the health manager.
• In conjunction with the technical managers, conduct a mortality review meeting with the referral centers, supported facilities and mobile clinics staff.
Coordination & Representation
• Attend all relevant meetings in relation to the health program as may be required and feed in the IRC priorities during meetings.
• Facilitate field visits for internal and external stakeholders, when required.
Key Working Relationships
Position Reports to: Senior Health Officer – Medical Doctor.
Indirect/Technical Reporting: Program Manager – Health Outcome, Senior Pharmacy Manager, Health Coordinator, Field Coordinator.
Position directly Supervises: MoH referral focal persons.
Key Internal Contacts:
Country Program: Health Program Staff and Managers, all other IRC sectors
Region/Global: N/A
Key External Contacts: Other partner NGO’s, MoH, SPHCDA, LGA PHC departments.
Job Requirements
Education: Health professional (Registered Nurse) with strong Public Health background. A person of high professional discipline and moral integrity, able to work independently and under stress as the situation may dictate.
Work Experience:
• At least 3 years’ experience in managing and implementing Health program.
• Able to lead a team and experience in staff management.
• Previous experience in referral services is an added advantage.
• Experience in outbreak response interventions
• Ability to work with displaced communities with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
Demonstrated Technical Skills:
• Background in referral-oriented skills; communication, teamwork, medical records, basic life support, situation analysis, health assessments M&E and program implementation.
Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:
• Flexible, diplomatic and have the ability and willingness to live and work under pressure of workloads.
Languages:
• Fluency in English, Hausa and Kanuri (Kanuri is an added advantage).
Computer/Other Tech Requirements:
• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Add position-specific (e.g. accounting software, statistical software, etc.).
Ability to Travel: N/A
Standard of Professional Conduct: IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting.
Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.
Employment Gaps: We welcome applicants with varied career paths and recognize that a gap in employment does not define a candidate's potential. We value transferable skills and are committed to investing in the growth and development of our team members. We encourage applicants to highlight any relevant skills or experiences they have acquired, even if they were not gained in a traditional work setting.
Compensation and Benefits: IRC strives to provide externally competitive and internally equitable Compensation and Benefits programs that attract, motivates, and retains employees that deliver strong performance while demonstrating the IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct.
Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity and inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, nationality, ethnicity or tribe, gender, age, religion, caste, sexual orientation, differently abled, geographic origin, marital status, veteran status and cultural background (or any other characteristic protected by law). We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.
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