Referral Officer

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Background/IRC Summary

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to people affected by war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home. The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict-affected populations. IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri, Monguno, and Gwoza of Borno state, Damaturu of Yobe State, and a current extension to Zamfara and Katsina states, northwest Nigeria. Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs for primary health care, nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, child protection, education, economic recovery, and development. IRC aim to provide the best possible impact for some of the most vulnerable children, women, and men. In all that we do, IRC strives to deliver through IRC’s core values of Integrity, Accountability, Service and Equality.

Project Overview

The Integrated emergency response to the displaced population in Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina States NW Nigeria project is a consortium project led by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in partnership with ALIMA, COOPI, GISCOR and LHI. The project is funded by Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). USAID aims to provide integrated multi-sectoral lifesaving assistance in Health, Nutrition, WASH, Protection and Multi-purpose Cash to the displaced populations in Zamfara State (Anka & Gusau LGAs), Sokoto State (Goronyo & Rabah LGAs) and Katsina State (Batagarawa & Katsina LGAs) in NW Nigeria.

Job Overview/Summary

The Referral Officer will work closely with the health manager to ensure that referral support activities of the project are implemented according to the project deliverables across the targeted locations. She/he will directly lead, manage and coordinate the activities of two-way referral system of patients and establish contact with facility-based healthcare workers, health outreach officers, referral paramedics, MoH seconded staff and responsible for implementation of timely in referral and patient safety in our service locations. The Referral Officer reports to the Health Manager.

Major Responsibilities

Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy

• Lead and support to ensure implementation of a focused two-way referral system and patient safety activities within the catchment locations of the supported health facilities in Gusa’u, Zamfara state.
• Oversee appropriate use of patient screening, triaging, first aid algorithms and IPC.
• Ensure effective routine patient movement, and timely laboratory sample collection and investigations especially for the vulnerable groups in any phase of expansion of new and existing medical care.
• The Referral Officer will support the health manager to manage and train facility-based healthcare workers, health outreach staff, referral paramedics, MoH seconded staff on patient safety, strengthening of 2-ways referral and basic life support skills in referral ambulance.
• Initiate referrals SOPs and ensure adherence to the referral criteria, protocol, SOPs among stakeholders, HWs, paramedics referral personnel, patients and patient relatives.
• Promote positive behavioral change and patient education.
• Oversee the follow up of referred patients in terms of their safety, received prescribed expertized management, obtained necessary laboratory investigation and help patients to cope with their activities for daily living while referred and on admission care.
• Promote and ensure adequate infection prevention and control standards are always maintained in the ambulance vehicle and surrounding in which patient is referred to for further management.
• Follow up with the activities of health MoH seconded -referral staff to ensure that patient referred to any secondary and tertiary health institution received appropriate care including meal source.
• Support the health manager to ensure a planned and well forecast medical bills, patient meal plan and timely payment and reimbursement of the referral centers.
• Keep a good track of all the referral documents.
• Support health manager to follow up with the IRC pharmacy store for timely store release of additional medications and medical supplies that facilitate patient care.
• Support health facilities with information, education, and communication (IEC) materials (billboards, posters, roll-up banners, wall painting, flex banner), registers, printed clinical algorithms, clinical job aids and guidelines booklets/protocols and ensure IEC materials are displayed and put into use needed in patient referral system.
• Ensure beneficiary participation, feedback, and accountability in all aspects of the project.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of referral activities to the health manager.
• Ensure proper communication of field-based data tools to the HWs at the supported facilities.
• Coordinate and follow up with the IRC clinical team in facilitating referral process, provide screening/triage for emergency cases from the camps, mobile clinics and PHCs to the referral centers.
• Support in conducting regular field visits to ensure successful application of referral system.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.
  
  

Human Resource Management

• Oversee the general referral service system and work closely with the senior health officer, health outreach officers, referral paramedics, HWs at supported health facilities.
• Motivate good use of referral criteria, first aid, SOPs, screening, triage system and basic life support.
  
  

Operations

• Ensure proper follow up with the referral centers and timely submission of referral bills to finance.
• Submit weekly work plans and ensure timely implementation of the project activities.
  
  

Communication And Reporting

• Ensure compilation of statistical reports from the supported patients, health facilities and communities for weekly, monthly and annual reports.
• Ensure adequate flow of information for all supervises with constant feedback as may be required.
• Carry out additional relevant or requested duties as may be required by the supervisor.
  
  

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development

• Supervises and monitor the MoH seconded referral staff to ensure that work is done properly and efficiently in accordance with the national guidelines.
  
  

Research, Learning and Analysis

• Monitor closely the morbidity and mortality trends together with all the other health indicators to ensure that prompt actions are taken.
• Provide weekly activity reports to the health manager.
• In conjunction with the technical managers, conduct a mortality review meeting with the referral centers, supported facilities and mobile clinics staff.
  
  

Coordination & Representation

• Attend all relevant meetings in relation to referrals as may be required and feed in the IRC priorities during meetings.
  
  

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to: Health Manager.

Indirect/Technical Reporting: The position will indirectly be reporting to the Nutrition Manager

Position directly Supervises: MoH seconded referral staff.

Key Internal Contacts

• Country Program: Finance Manager, Supply chain Manager, WPE manager, PROL Manager and Child Protection Manager.
  
  

Key External Contacts

• INGO Partner
• FMC Gusau
• Anka General Hospital
• King Fahad women and children Hospital
  
  

Minimum Qualifications:

Education

• Health professional (Registered Nurse) with strong Health background.
• A mature person of high professional discipline and moral integrity, able to work independently and under stress as the situation may dictate.
  
  

Work Experience

• At least 3 years’ experience in managing and implementing Health program.
• Able to lead a team and experience in staff management.
• Previous experience in referral services is an added advantage.
• Experience in outbreak response interventions
• Ability to work with displaced communities with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
  
  

Demonstrated Technical Skills

• Background in referral oriented skills- communication, team work, medical records, basic life support, situation analysis, health assessments M&E and program implementation.
  
  

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies

• Flexible, diplomatic and have the ability and willingness to live and work under pressure of workloads.
  
  

Languages: English, ability to speak local languages (Hausa) is an added advantage.

Computer/Other Tech Requirements

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
  
  

Ability to Travel: 30 % of time if applicable

Standards of Professional Conduct; The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Working Environment

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.