Background:

We are seeking highly qualified and experienced applicants for the position of Direct Service Delivery Nurse for the HIV Care and Treatment program. The opportunities have arisen in Matabeleland North province(Bubi x2, Lupane x2, Tsholotsho x1, Nkayi x1, Umguza x1). Zim-TTECH’s activities occur primarily in the technical areas of health system strengthening; epidemiology and strategic information strengthening, health workforce development; operations research and evaluation; and prevention, care, and treatment of infectious diseases.

Position Summary:

Successful candidates shall provide direct service in support of both facility/community testing, ART initiation, retaining clients in care and ART, viral load monitoring, linking clients to TB preventive therapy and treatment, defaulter tracking and accurate documentation in line with tracked indicators and in conjunction with MoHCC facility staff. Successful candidates shall supervise and coordinate the activities of CLFs/VLFPs and VHWs at facility and community level and report to MoHCC district structures and to the respective Zim-TTECH District Programs Improvement Officers.

Responsibilities:

• Strengthening index testing and partner testing at health facility and community for consenting clients.
• Promoting and providing HIVST kits for clients with partners of unknown HIV status especially in ANC.
• Screening for and managing cases of partner and gender-based violence and making necessary referrals.
• Collaborating with the MoHCC community department to provide community-based services such as HIV testing during EPI and other outreaches and participating in community engagement events to promote HIV related services, such as viral load testing.
• Collaborating with DSD Primary Counsellors to screen and test all clients visiting the facility and clients booked in the community and ensuring that all eligible clients are tested for HIV and providing preventative services to clients who test negative.
• Providing health education on various HIV related health topics in groups and on one-on-one sessions and promoting male partner involvement, and testing.
• Ensuring clients who are positive for CaCx screening are treated or referred accordingly; Improving PMTCT indicators by ensuring all pregnant women booking at facility are tested for HIV and their exposed infants are tested at required intervals and conducting follow-up to final outcome.
• Ensuring infants testing HIV positive are promptly initiated on ART if not contraindicated.
• Promoting the use of optimized ART regiments in adults as well as infants and ensuring clients are fully transitioned to TLD and granule formulations by the set dates and summoning those with high viral load for EAC and listed for tracking.
• Ensuring proper and complete reporting of adverse drug reactions in the MCAZ ADR form booklets and other reporting platforms taking steps to alleviate the reactions through reassurance, medical treatment of events and withdrawal or substitution of the offending drugs.
• Promoting retention by promoting Differentiated Service delivery models for ART and other TB/HIV services including PREP. Furthering the uptake of DSD ART models to decongest health care facilities and increase time and quality for clients who need clinical consultation.
• Coordinating with CLFs, CATS, VLFP, YMM and VHWS/HPs to identify high risk population that need sensitisation on HIV and HIV related services and collaborating with Health Centre Committee to ensure community buy-in of HIV related programs.
• Referring vulnerable clients to OVC partners for assessment and assistance and collaborating with other community-based testing partners for cross referral of HIV testing, linkage to care and other services.
• Conducting quarterly facility folder review for accurate data reporting and management of all clients with outstanding services using the flagging system.
• Mobilising for mass viral load collection, offering counselling for viral load testing and ensuring all results for clients are properly filed and recorded in the client file.
• Promoting the use of telemedicine in order to expedite second line switch without requiring client to travel to district of provincial hospital for Doctor’s consultation and being vigilant on second line ART failures and referring suspected cases accordingly especially those who had been on a PI based second line regiment for more than 2 years.
• Producing and providing required reports on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis as required and participating in DSD review meetings.
• Sharing and presenting direct facility and community services reports at DHE meetings and other district related fora as a way of disseminating information and best practices.
• Implementing patient ART refill appointment system and managing missed appointments; Collaborating with Data Entry Clerks in the arrangement of client files in proper cohorts to enable efficient and consistent identification of such files whenever needed.
• Overseeing the compilation of clients who have missed appointments and following up on same the following day.
• Implementing strategies to ensure retention in care, such as SMS reminders, early defaulter tracking, high viral load coverage, high VL suppression, close monitoring of at-risk age groups such as adolescents, boys and young people.

Qualifications

• Registered General Nurse (RGN) having valid registration with the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe.
• A valid Rapid HIV testing certificate is mandatory.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in working with MoHCC or health-related implementing partners coupled with a strong understanding of the Zimbabwe health care system structures.
• Should be able to work as part of a team and closely with expert clients and other volunteers.
• Experience in supporting community activities is an added advantage.

Interested candidates should submit their application letter, detailed Curriculum Vitae, and certified copies of certificates to dsdn@zimttech.org

Candidates should apply to only one district of choice and should specify their preferred district in the subject box of their email applications. Only shortlisted candidates shall be considered.