Job Description

The post holder will work closely with pediatricians, nursing leadership and frontline staff to improve the assessment, resuscitation and management of critically ill children and to strengthen the capacity of nurses working in pediatric emergency and acute care settings.

This position is not intended to function primarily as a routine ward nurse. The emphasis of the role is on clinical leadership, bedside mentoring, education and service development within pediatric emergency and critical care services. 

• Provide expert pediatric emergency nursing care for critically ill children.
• Support nurses in assessment, stabilization, triage and emergency management of pediatric patients.
• Provide real-time clinical support for critically ill and deteriorating children.
• Lead bedside teaching and clinical coaching in pediatric emergency and acute care settings.
• Support multidisciplinary ward rounds focusing on complex and critically ill patients.
• Promote adherence to national and international pediatric emergency care standards.
• Support implementation of evidence-based emergency nursing protocols.
• Guide nurses in early recognition and management of severely ill children.
• Support resuscitation and emergency response activities.
• Promote accurate clinical documentation and communication.

Education and Capacity Building

• Serve as the primary clinical mentor for nurses working in pediatric emergency and acute care settings.
• Deliver bedside teaching, simulation sessions and structured clinical education programes.
• Support nurse orientation and competency development.
• Facilitate training in: 
  • Pediatric assessment
  • Emergency management
  • Resuscitation
  • Triage
  • BLS
  • PALS
• Develop teaching materials and competency assessment tools.
• Support continuing professional development activities.

Quality Improvement

• Participate in pediatric mortality and morbidity reviews.
• Support clinical audits and quality improvement initiatives.
• Identify gaps in pediatric emergency care and recommend improvement measures.
• Monitor adherence to clinical guidelines.
• Contribute to protocol and guideline development.

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSc Nursing).
• Current nursing license and registration with the relevant professional regulatory body.

Candidates must meet the requirements under either Pathway A or Pathway B below:

Pathway A: Postgraduate qualification and specialist experience

• A Master’s degree, postgraduate diploma or equivalent recognized specialist qualification in one of the following areas: 
  • Pediatric Nursing;
  • Pediatric Emergency Nursing;
  • Pediatric Critical Care Nursing; or
  • Another closely related pediatric emergency or critical care speciality.
• A minimum of five (5) years’ post-registration experience providing direct clinical care to pediatric patients.
• Of these five (5) years, at least two (2) years must have been spent working in one or more of the following settings: 
  • Pediatric Emergency Department;
  • Pediatric Resuscitation Unit;
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU);
  • Pediatric High Dependency Unit;
  • Pediatric Critical Care Unit; or
  • An equivalent pediatric emergency or critical care setting.

OR

Pathway B: Extensive specialist experience

• A minimum of ten (10) years’ post-registration experience providing direct clinical care to pediatric patients.
• Of these ten (10) years, at least five (5) years must have been spent working in one or more of the following settings: 
  • Pediatric Emergency Department;
  • Pediatric Resuscitation Unit;
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU);
  • Pediatric High Dependency Unit;
  • Pediatric Critical Care Unit; or
  • an equivalent pediatric emergency or critical care setting.

Candidates qualifying under either pathway must also demonstrate:

• Experience in the assessment, stabilization and management of critically ill pediatric patients.
• Experience providing bedside mentorship, clinical supervision, structured education or competency development for nurses.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary teams caring for acutely or critically ill children.
• Evidence of clinical leadership within pediatric emergency or critical care services.

Preferred

• PALS certification.
• BLS certification.
• Instructor certification in PALS or BLS.

Neonatal nursing experience will not be counted towards the required pediatric emergency or critical care experience.

The successful candidate will receive appropriate training and must adhere to the organisation’s safeguarding policies. Employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory references and screening checks, which may include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

As a participant in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, we request information from previous employers about any instances of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment. Additionally, Partners In Health Sierra Leone will share records of such misconduct with other agencies upon staff departure, ensuring transparency and accountability. By applying, candidates acknowledge and agree to these recruitment procedures

Previous applicants for this position are not eligible to re-apply.