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. We work in over 60 countries, offering assistance to people based on need, irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. The Operational Centre Brussels is looking for a: Psychiatric Nurse (m/f/x)
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Migrants and refugees have the right to access to shelter, food, medical and psychosocial care as well as to objective information on asylum procedures and their rights. The political context is unfavorable: restrictive and deterrent policies, talk of criminalization of migrants, incidents involving police and migrants, limitation of the number of people who can apply for asylum, etc. The “ping-pong game” between local, regional and federal politics to find out who is responsible for welcoming migrants has the consequence of leaving them on the street or under the responsibility of volunteers and / or NGOs.
In addition, during the period of the electoral campaign in 2019, migrants were regularly stigmatized by the largest political party in Belgium. This stigma has resulted in an adaptation of the speech of almost all our politicians (regardless of their obedience) against the “illegals” or the “transmigrants” for fear of losing votes.
Several Belgian NGOs and civil society actors have joined forces and provide a series of humanitarian services as part of a joint project, the humanitarian hub, which aims to respond comprehensively to the needs of migrants and refugees in transit. The hub offers medical care, mental health care, a family link search service, clothing distribution, social and legal assistance, as well as possibilities to recharge cell phones and telephone communications with the family. Within this humanitarian hub, Médecins Sans Frontières provides mental health care and actively participates in the management and coordination of the project.
After a year and a half of presence in the humanitarian hub in the field of mental health, our activities have highlighted a lack of structural response for the migrant population in transit who need more sustained psychological care. This is why we have created a 2nd line service to provide this psychological follow-up and thus increase our mental health care offer and meet the needs observed. Organizational and structural limits and the lack of projections for the future of the hub limit us in the development of new activities.
The Covid19 pandemic has also brought many changes to the current context and after being highly involved in this emergency response, the project continues to adapt to it.
Target population:
• 700 to 1000 migrants in transit in Brussels (turnover therefore, a renewal of the population is observed approximately every 3 months).
• Among the migrant in transit population, the number of people suffering from moderate to severe mental disorders is estimated at 26%. (The estimate varies according to the different studies on the subject, and according to the different political configurations and tendencies, we speak of 18 to 41%)
Expected results:
• Within the hub (new cases): 35 to 50 first line consultations / month.
• In the psychosocial structure (only on references) / (follow-ups): 150 to 200 consultations / month (psychiatric follow-ups, psychiatric care, socio-legal support).
The MSF team consists of 1 Field Coordinator, 1 Project Mental Health Referent, 1 Mental Health Activity Manager, 1 Resources Manager, 4 psychologists, 1 psychiatrist focal point, some psychiatrists (volunteer or detached), 1 psychiatric nurse, 4 Cultural mediators.
• Provide psychiatric nursing care, mental health support and follow-up of patients, according to psychiatrist’s prescriptions and the defined treatment plan, following MSF protocols and MSF hygiene stand-ards/precautions, in order to ensure the quality and continuity of care for the targeted population.
• Be in charge of psychological and/or medical emergencies (Hospitalizations, crisis management, follow-ups after hospitalizations, references, contacts with hospital).
MAIN ACTIVITIES
• Organize and carry out care and treatments according to medical prescriptions, and assisting during psychiatric consultations, and other medical procedures.
• Participate in health education, evaluate, follow-up and reinforce the medication adherence.
• Ensure patients receive appropriate care and that those with lack of autonomy and/or medical needs received the support needed.
• Carry out admission, surveillance and follow-up of patients (i.e. assessment of the evolution of their state of health and the identification of any emergencies or deterioration of the patient).
• Organize hospitalizations or MEO if necessary in collaboration with the medical team.
• Carry out and supervise administrative procedures and documents (fill in patient’s files, forms, consumptions, statistics, registers, etc.), ensuring an appropriate written/oral handover, and reporting any problematic situations and cases that may arise.
• Identify the most vulnerable people (including Sexual Violence victims) in outreach during maraudes.
Specific context accountabilities
• Collaborate in the evaluation and the carrying out, diagnosis and treatment plan of patients in close collaboration with psychologists and psychiatrists.
• Refer patients to other mental health professionals whenever necessary, in order to provide the most appropriate treatment and improve the patient's condition.
• Collaborate closely with medical, social and legal services in HUB and/or in MSF clinic, promoting a multidisciplinary approach.
• Assist and train staff members and resourceful people whenever necessary in order to enhance the scope of Mental Health activities.
• Work in close collaboration with the cultural mediators in order to use appropriate terminology and behavior during sessions.
• Inform the Psychiatrist Focal Point about any issues or problems that may arise related to patients.
• Be the focal point for the HUB and the housing centers, meaning : give appointement to vulnerable beneficiaries according to the psychologists’ timetable in HUB (priority system), ensure the role of “back-up” at the Hub, taking care of urgent situations during open hours consultation.
• Organize, in collaboration with HUB partners “maraudes” for identifying beneficiaries in need of mental health care and find the most appropriate way to help them (orientation toward the HUB, hospitalization, etc.)
• Be the focal point between hospital, mental health services and MSF team for patients who need to be hospitalized and keep the Mental Health Activity Manager informed.
• Ensure that all patient information is kept confidential.
• Ensure that medication prescribed by psychiatrists matches the restrictions related to MSF standards (according the recommendations of the psychiatrist referent in HQ) and be the focal person for communication with the partner pharmacy.
• Collaborate with medical services of Fedasil or Red-cross centers and the social worker of the project for reffering beneficiaries coming to the HUB to their services; if these beneficiaries can not have access to effective care by FEDASIL or Red-Cross, open a file and refer to MSF psychiatrists, then, when the beneficiary is stabilize, refer the beneficiary to these centers and provide the psychotropic prescription and brief summary o the patients.
• Complete, file and archive patient’s files in an appropriate manner.
• Participate in the mapping of facilities for referral (SSM, psychiatric wards).
• Participate in the elaboration of the project strategy together with the Project Mental Health Referent and the team.
• Participate in the redaction of working documents such as SOPs, SITREPs.
Education
· Essential: recognized psychiatric nurse degree/diploma
· Essential: Bachelor in Science of Nursing**
Experience
· Desirable: Previous experience in a psychiatric ward, ideally in Belgium
· Demonstrated experience working in multidisciplinary team
· Training in counseling or psychotherapy is an asset
Languages
· Essential: English and French
· Arabic and/or Dutch are an asset
Competencies
· Works towards objectives, preserving established standards
· Shares information and coordinates with the team and/or others
· Adapts behavior to the needs of the situation
· Understands other people’s stress
The candidate adheres to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
· 1-year Fixed-term contract - Full time - extendable **
· Expected starting date: As soon as possible.
· Location: Brussels, Belgium
· A dynamic and stimulating work environment alongside multicultural colleagues
This vacancy is archived.