Anesthetist Nurse at Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA)

Main purpose
The anesthetics nurse works alone, and so is responsible for anesthesia (pre-anesthesia evaluation, administration of anesthetics, recovery period, pharmacy, equipment, etc.) and, in collaboration with the surgeon, for pre and post-operative care in accordance with his/her (hereafter referred to as “his”) speciality (resuscitation, pain, ATB, etc.),

He/She is requested to pay particular attention to hygiene rules and pain management.

FUNCTIONAL AND HIERARCHICAL LINES

• He/she manages: nurses in the recovery room, and in the domains linked to his speciality, nurses in intensive care and surgical departments;
• He/she collaborates and inter-reacts with all the personnel working in the operating theatre (nurse anesthetists, managers, surgeons, nurses); the hospital personnel, and in particular the nurses and doctors in the accidents and emergency department, intensive care and surgical departments.

Accountabilities

A system of night duties guarantees 24h/24h service.

Pre-operative consultation

• Checking that patients have given signed authorization for their operations;
• Respecting medical confidentiality and providing patients with information on their illnesses and treatments
• Programmed interventions
• Carrying out the patients’ pre-operative consultations before they undergo surgery;
• Evaluating the risks of operating in collaboration with the surgeon;
• Deciding on the type of anesthetic to be used.
• Emergency interventions
• Carrying out the necessary resuscitation maneuvers
• Evaluating the risk of operating in collaboration with the gyneco-obstetrical

Anesthesia

• Preparing the drugs, material and equipment required for administering the anesthetics;
• Undertaking the induction and maintenance of the anesthetics in accordance with the techniques chosen beforehand and following the rules of hygiene and asepsis in force;
• Monitoring patients throughout their interventions.

Immediate post-operative surveillance (Recovery room)

• Ensuring the immediate recovery of patients;
• Transferring the patients to and installing them in the recovery room;
• Passing on necessary information to the recovery room nurses;
• Evaluating patients’ pain and setting up a protocol of post-operative pain relief;
• Drawing up post-operative prescriptions relating to his speciality (hydric resuscitation, ATB, pain relief).

Post-operative care

• Carrying out a joint round with the gyneco-obstetrical Dr once or twice a day
• Renewing prescriptions, checking that they are followed
• According particular attention to the correct case management of pain
• Systematically evaluating pain once or several times a day
• Adapting prescriptions to the levels of pain

Intensive care

Providing post-operative follow up of surgical patients present in the facility (rounds, prescriptions, etc.)

Hygiene

• Checking the rules of hygiene concerning the protection of patients and personnel are followed (by himself and his colleagues);
• Knowing how to react in the case of accidental blood exposure

Pharmaceutical material

• Setting up and monitoring the stock of anesthesia material;
• Supervising the hygiene and integrity of anesthesia material: decontamination, sterilization, storage conditions, etc.
• Checking that the anesthesia station is tidied, cleaned and re-stocked between each patient
• Drawing up pharmacy orders according to needs;
• Supervising the follow up and traceability of tranquilizers (register, empty phials).

Data collection

• In collaboration with the gyneco-obstetrical, carrying out quantitative surgical-anesthesia data collection
• Drawing up and sending out reports for the monthly follow up of peri-operative mortality
• Drawing up and sending out monthly reports on the quality of anesthesia/pain management

In collaboration with other departments

• Maintaining close collaboration with the accident and emergency department and responding to its frequent requests for his opinion and/or resuscitation;
• Intervening in support of the midwifery and obstetrics teams in the maternity department, particularly for the resuscitation of newborns amongst others;
• Intervening in support of other services if needed;
• Supervising the management of emergency trolleys;
• Possibly supporting training projects, e.g. blood transfusion control, first aid, etc.

Pain
Being the reference person for pain problems within the health facility 

Others

• Respecting the deontology and confidentiality linked to his/her function and the rule of the organization;
• Participating in different project meeting if deemed necessary;
• Exercising vigilance and informing his supervisor in the events of medical error.

Requirements

Education
Anesthetist Nurse diploma

Experience

• Previous experience at least 2 years in Humanitarian assistance, as anesthetist nurse in ALIMA or others NGOs.
• Essential working experience in developing countries is desirable.
• Languages            
• English is a pre-requisite.
• Knowledge
• Resuscitation procedure, management of intensive care unit patients, computer literacy

Competencies

• Results
• Teamwork
• Flexibility
• Commitment
• Stress management