The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
The International Rescue Committee has been working in Somalia since 2006, providing essential services to conflict and disaster affected communities. The IRC has been operational in Central Somalia (Mudug and Galgadud regions) and Mogadishu implementing interventions in the areas of livelihood, WASH, Governance and peacebuilding, GBV, Nutrition, education and health reaching out to more than 200,000 conflict and drought affected people.
JOB OVERVIEW
The Nutrition Nurse is responsible for better nutrition among communities through treatment clinical symptoms of severe acute malnutrition and prevention of further deterioration of the nutrition situation through provision of therapeutic food, routine drugs, health and nutrition education and capacity building and technical support to the ministry of health in the management of severe acute malnutrition.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Smooth and accurate running of OTP/SFP
- Comply with the health and safety rules / instructions of the Nutrition Nurse/supervisor for wearing protective gears (if/when applicable) related to the job.
- Respect medical ethics at all times.
- Carry out nutritional screening of all children <5 years old.
- Refer the children after Nutritional screening to respective departments.
- Keep job place clean and ordered.
- Ensure that protocols are strictly followed and implemented.
- Ensure proper, clear and accurate data recording on clinical registration book and nutrition cards.
- Participate to the demonstration of the preparation of the ration for each new admission.
- Ensure that all program materials are well maintained.
- Check the hygiene at each stage of the OTP/SFP visits
Managing nutrition
- Apply admission and discharge criteria to the children.
- Fill in the nutritional cards where applicable.
- Use Z-Score, MUAC, BMI, Nutritional oedema as measures of nutritional screening depending on the case and protocol.
- Check appetite and stimulate the child with toys, sounds, etc where applicable.
- In collaboration with OTP nurse Supply or administer systematic treatments and plumpy nut with enough knowledge on how the patients should take the treatments.
- Increase awareness of the mothers about need to come back each week for the follow up of the child.
- Maintain material in good conditions (check the well work of the scales).
- Do daily, weekly and monthly Statistics.
- Do Daily, weekly and monthly consumption.
- Assist OTP nurse in carrying out order of Plumpy nut, the drugs included in the nutritional program and cards & sheets while using the correct order form.
- Gives individual health education related to child’s problem.
- Contact supervisor in case of any problem.
- Take and record the vital signs (Temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, level of consciousness, oxygen level, and weight) according to daily schedule, for admissions or at his own initiative, according the patient’s condition.
- To examine all the new admission (history and medical examination) in collaboration with the nurse.
- To make all procedures respecting the hygienic rules, utilizing proper technique and to keep all the material clean.
- To participate to the health education of the patients and caretakers.
- To respect the working time.
Infant and Young child feeding (IYCF) activities
- Assess mothers and their children to identify specific feeding support needs (through Simple Rapid Assessment and Full Assessment of mother-baby pair)
- Assess the knowledge of the beneficiaries before and after counselling sessions.
- Provide one-on-one breastfeeding counseling for mothers experiencing difficulties breastfeeding including supporting re-lactation;
- Ensure all mothers/caregivers are aware of the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months;
- Provide mothers with practical advice on correct attachment and positioning when breastfeeding and respond to any concerns or local taboos associated with breastfeeding;
- Counsel mothers on the appropriate time to introduce complementary feeding, and the benefits of continued breastfeeding and respond to any concerns or local taboos associated with complementary feeding;
- Educate the mothers on the quality, quantity and frequency of complementary feeds to promote adequate weight gain;
- Discourage and educate mothers on the dangers of feeding bottles
- Provide appropriate counseling and ensure support is provided to caregivers of targeted infants who have no possibility to be breastfed;
- Provide pregnant women with preparatory counseling for breastfeeding and colostrum feeding, to prevent pre-lacteal feeds and bottle feeding;
- Counsel the mothers on correct maternal nutrition during pregnancy and lactation;
- Deliver messages on IYCF practices and maternal nutrition to the targeted community/communities through group education sessions;
- Lead and conduct support groups for caregivers of children under 1-year-old and pregnant and
Accountability:
- Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling for IRC values.
- Holds partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance, and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
Reporting
- Fill OTP/TSFP registers and patient cards properly.
- Submit weekly and monthly OTP/TSFP reports to M and E.
- Provide weekly and monthly nutrition supplies reports.
- Produce defaulter tracing and referral reports.
- Maintain the department records in well filled.
- Maintain supply consumption reports.
- Maintain records of mothers/caregivers attending counselling sessions.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Diploma in Nutrition, Bsc Public Health, Nursing with Nutrition diploma.
- 2year’ experience in CMAM is required.
- Addition nutrition training in combined protocol is an added advantage.
- Strong communication skills, oral, written and presentation.
- Extremely flexible and have the ability to cope with stressful situations.
- Should be a team player and culturally sensitive.
- Excellent spoken and written local language and English language.
REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:
- Commitment, punctuality, proactive, a good team player, ability to work under difficult conditions in the field, trustworthy, honesty, etc
- All IRC staff are required to adhere to THE IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies.
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Knowledge of combined protocol (Treating SAM and MAM using simplified dosage of RUTF).