Nurse Counselor (ALERT Hospital)

Background: 

AIDS Healthcare Foundation is a global not-for-profit organization that provides cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 2 million patients in 46 countries globally and 14 countries in Africa and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, USA. 

Since 1987, AHF has cared for thousands of people living with HIV and AIDS worldwide. As we create and implement unparalleled programs in new communities globally, we expand the delivery of healthcare and influence over strategies with the sole aim of saving more lives. 

Currently, AHF-Ethiopia is supporting 17 high-load public health facilities, 1 NGO, and 1 AHF-owned clinic and providing standardized comprehensive HIV care and prevention service for more than 61,000 clients in Addis Ababa, Oromia, Amhara, and Sidama Regions.

The organization is looking for experienced candidates for the supported site Nurse counselor position to support the facility on HIV Prevention and Testing services. 

Objective:

AHF-Ethiopia is currently working with MoH, RHB and partners hand in hand in comprehensive and client centered HIV Prevention, care and treatment services. To continue supporting the MoH and RHB in HIV prevention, testing, treatment, linkage, and retention as well as advocacy, qualified candidate with diverse experience is highly required.

Position Summary:

The Nurse Counselor in AHF-Ethiopia Prevention Team based at ALERT Hospital is responsible for the activities of HIV testing programs, and related activities including community-based initiatives. S/he will primarily be responsible for involving, ensuring, and coordinating different HTS approaches (VCT, PITC, ICT, and others) and HIV prevention intervention (condom promotion and distribution, STI Prevention, screening, and Treatment) as appropriate. S/he will also be responsible for optimal linkage of all identified HIV positives to care and treatment services (those who are identified in the facility and referred from other health facilities) through establishing a strong referral linkage mechanism and regular follow-up till all have started their treatment along with their retention in care. The employee will work in close collaboration with other Prevention Teams, Clinical Department, and Advocacy/Marketing staff at AHF Country Office to contribute to the achievement of the country’s prevention intervention and the three 95 targets, by supporting the facility s/he is assigned, to achieve their targets. The employee will be assisting in designing different strategies based on identified implementation challenges/gaps and following planned activities that support improved access to HIV prevention, testing,  care & treatment in Ethiopia to achieve HIV epidemic control.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Perform the day-to-day counseling and testing activities with guidance from the Prevention and Advocacy Coordinator as well as from Prevention, AU Liaison and Advocacy Manager

• Ensure that all relevant materials and equipment for HTS are adequately in place at the facility

• Regularly work on recording and registration of HTS Data on the respective registration and client intake forms

• Assist the Prevention and Advocacy Coordinator and Prevention, AU Liaison and Advocacy Manager in improving the quality of AHF’s HTS, HIV prevention and advocacy activities 

• Take the initiative to improve the hospital HTS activity together with the Prevention and Advocacy Coordinator

• Check the recording and registration of HTS data on the respective registration (ICT, HRST, OPD Abstract Register, VCT…) and client intake forms, ICT follow-up tool, and provide corrective measures as necessary

• Ensure continuous HIV Risk Screening Tool (HRST) availability and optimal utilization at the facility

• Assist collection of monthly HRST cascade performance, analyze on-site, develop performance improvement plan by sites, and provide to the focal person

• Identify targeted testing using HRST orientation, ICT, and PITC training gaps at the facility and provide onsite/on-job orientation for HRST and communicate training needs for AHF Country Office timely

• Work as a Prevention Focal Person in making sure that the universal precautions procedures are in place within the facility

• Establish/strengthen newly diagnosed HIV positives address documentation at VCT clinics to enable tracking of those identified HIV positives who may leave the facility before linkage

• Develop & implement strategies to minimize repeat testers at VCT clinic. Ensure post-test counseling wall chart is available in every SDP & utilized by HCWs during post-test counseling

• Ensure nationally endorsed referral slips are available and utilized within and out of supported health facilities to refer newly diagnosed HIV positives

• Ensure availability and proper utilization of non-ART started patients' follow up form at the facility and those patients are followed till they start ART

• Utilize longitudinal newly diagnosed HIV-positive patient linkage and retention status tracking tool at facility, analyze the data, and present for site MDT/PMT team

• Ensure new HIV positives who declined linkage are filled out in decline checklist, reasons are analyzed, individual improvement plan developed & implemented to reduce declined patients

• Ensure daily/regular tracing and tracking of the final linkage status of HIV-positive clients who were referred to other health facilities, declined, or lost before ART started at the facility

• Collaborate with Medical Team to support missed appointments & interrupted treatment, timely identification & tracking with proper documentation on appropriate registration books

• Monitor and follow regularly, the recording and registration of ICT Data on the respective registration, and client intake forms and correct timely at the facility

• Ensure updated ICT follow-up tool insertion to all patient's charts at the facility

• Ensure daily-based updating of the ICT follow-up tool based on index patients and their contact information at the facility. This will include follow-up with transcription of index patients and their contact information from another tool to ICT follow-up tool and updating on the ICT Performance Improvement Tool

• Support  in identifying all patients on treatment with their pool of elicited contacts by risk category with their test status (Know HIV Positive, Documented Negative, & untested contacts

• Prepare and implement strategies on how to test all those elicited contacts, but not tested, to improve ICT performance of the facility. Closely work with the facility data clerks & testing team, take corrective actions as required, or report to the Prevention and Advocacy Coordinator and Prevention, AU Liaison and Advocacy Manager when necessary

• Assists in other activities including ART service provision, linkage & retention, adherence support, etc. to fill gaps whenever there is a demand from AHF Ethiopia team

• Provide assistance in other outreach HTS activities as deemed necessary, especially in support of HIV prevention events, campaigns, mass testing, mobilization, etc.

• Ensure regular patient screening for STI and OPDs, including ART/PMTCT, and those diagnosed with STI at MOPDs are treated for STI, and tested for HIV with their sexual partners

• Conduct weekly/monthly internal mentorship with the medical team, summarize the feedback, provide feedback for the staff involved in the mentorship, and discuss MDT/PMT

• Ensures proper condom distribution and education to the targeted population at ALERT Center

• Regularly check availability of adequate prevention and testing supplies, identify & flag any shortage of prevention, and testing supplies (HIV Test kit, condom, lancet, glove, capillary tube) and devise timely intervention mechanisms before service interruption at the facility

• Involve & ensure temporary staff who fulfill the requirement as per the JD are registered; standard questions are prepared and examined in collaboration with the appropriate facility and staff

• Work with temporary AHF Staff assigned at the facility on a daily basis and provide follow up and support for them in the areas they are assigned

• Analyze facility HTS performance by approaches (VCT, ICT, HRST, PITC…) by indicators from cascade and target, identify reason for any performance gap, and present on weekly/monthly site level MDT/PMT

• Based on identified HTS approaches optimal implementation gaps, develop PIP, and follow up with its implementation

• Take part in the preparation of AHF-Ethiopia’s country HIV prevention and advocacy program plan in joint with AHF-Ethiopia Prevention Team

• Submit all the required report per due date to the respective supervisors

• Execute any related additional duties assigned by the Prevention and Advocacy Coordinator and Prevention, AU Liaison and Advocacy  Manager

Education, Qualification, and Experience:

• Minimum of Bachelor Degree in Clinical Nursing or Public Health from a recognized institution; having an additional qualification in Psychology Education or Social Science background is an added advantage

• At least three-years experience in HIV program service delivery, with particular emphasis on HIV counseling, in a similar NGO or developmental agency

• Training and skills on HTS would be a necessity; additional training on PMTCT, ART, TB/HIV, Nutrition in HIV… would be an advantage

• Further education in HIV related courses is an advantage

Core Competencies and Specific Skills:

• Proficient in basic computer programs including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet skills, and knowledge on data base

• Excellent written, verbal, and inter-personal communication skills with good command of English & Amharic languages

• Effective time management and meeting deadlines maintaining quality

• Must be highly organized and demonstrate multi-tasking ability

• Flexible, proactive, and able to organize work independently with minimum supervision

• Excellent interpersonal interaction skills and keen to work with good team spirit

How To Apply

Application Procedure:

Interested candidates should apply by email to: Regional Human Resources Manager – AHF Africa Bureau, through: Globalhr.Africa@ahf.org

Applicants are expected to send their documents to the above stated address within ten (10) days of the announcement on Ethiojobs Website.

The application is required to include cover letter of interest, detailed updated CV, copy of academic documents and other credentials, in one file attachment (PDF or Word format), that must be submitted before the deadline.

NB:-

1. Please do not forget to write title of the position for which you are applying on the subject line of your email so that it will be directed to the right department.
2. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview and written exam. Phone calls, physical visit to the organization about the result are strictly forbidden and might be reason for disqualification.