MCH Nurse at International Rescue Committee

Key Responsibilities:

Neonatal Health:

• Monitor newborn health and identify any potential complications.
• Monitor breastfeeding and offer guidance on other nutrition options.
• Provide linkage with Nutrition for vulnerable Neonates as per assessment.
• Administer essential neonatal interventions, such as treatment of common ailments and vaccinations.

Maternal Health:

• Provide comprehensive antenatal care, including health assessments, counseling, and education.
• Assist with normal deliveries and conduct emergency deliveries for clients presenting in second stage at the clinic.
• Provide postnatal care, including counseling on breastfeeding, family planning, and newborn care.
• Identify and manage and/or refer high risk conditions during pregnancy and postpartum periods.
• Perform essential procedures such as blood pressure monitoring, fetal heart rate monitoring, and vaginal examinations.
• Provide Maternal EPI services (Tetanus injections) as per schedule.
• Offer family planning counseling and services, including long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs).
• Provide post-abortion care and cervical cancer screening and treatment services.

Child Health:

• Provide immunization services according to the Expanded Program of immunization (EPI) schedule.
• Manage common childhood illnesses, such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria.
• Conduct growth monitoring and promote optimal child development through child welfare clinic (CWC).
• Provide nutritional counseling and support.

Record Keeping:

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date medical records for all patients.
• Submit timely reports on maternal, newborn, and child health indicators.

Training and Supervision:

• Participate in training and capacity-building activities to enhance skills and knowledge.
• Supervise and mentor junior staff.

Community Outreach:

• Conduct in-facility health education sessions on maternal, newborn, and child health topics.
• Participate in community outreach activities to promote health-seeking behaviors on needs basis.
• Together with the nurse and clinician, organize for adequate clinic coverage when required.
• Carry out any other additional duties as may be assigned by the supervisor

Safeguarding:

• Demonstrates a commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct by preventing any form of abuse, exploitation or harassment. Promotes a safe and respectful environment for clients, colleagues and communities whilst promptly reporting any safeguarding concerns in accordance with IRC policies and procedures.

Key Result Areas:

• Reduced maternal and neonatal mortality rates
• Increased uptake of antenatal and postnatal care services
• Increased uptake of EPI services
• Reduction of malnutrition through monitoring of children at the child welfare clinic
• Improved family planning utilization rates
• Strengthened community -facility linkage.
• Effective supervision and mentorship of junior staff.

Required Qualifications:

• KRCHN, KRN/KRM.
• Registration with the Nursing Council of Kenya.

Required Experience & Competencies:

• At least 1 years of experience in a busy maternal child health department/clinic.
• Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care / Respectful maternal newborn competency trainings highly desirable.
• Strong clinical skills and knowledge of maternal and child health
• Ability to work under pressure and in challenging environments
• Good communication and interpersonal skills