Lao People's Democratic Republic (the): Funded Neonatal Nurse Volunteers

Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) is an acute pediatric teaching hospital situated in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. It is operated by the New York based non-profit organization Friends Without A Border that is dedicated to providing high-quality and compassionate healthcare to the children in remote areas of Southeast Asia. In 2015 the hospital was opened on the same campus as the Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital and it has been developing its services since then. Average daily census now exceeds 40 patients in the inpatient wards and over 120 outpatients per day.

LFHC is a teaching hospital offering emergency, inpatient, outpatient, and surgical services to babies and children throughout Northern Lao. Limited on-site radiology, laboratory, and pharmacy services, together with a homecare program complement these clinical activities. A major goal of this hospital is to promote the clinical learning and professional development of the local staff such that key positions within the hospital are progressively filled by a well-trained and dedicated local workforce.

Specific Duties:

• Improve and deliver education and training opportunities for the neonatal nursing team. Develop and implement Lao-led training of staff with the aim of developing a self-sufficient education program.
• Develop and implement strategies for the provision of care in the neonatal unit and associated areas of care.
• Liaise with other LFHC Executive Staff to coordinate and develop new working areas in the neonatal unit.
• Assist in the development and implementation of Lao-led training programs and courses
• Liaise with the Nursing Education Director and Medical Education Director in the coordination of joint medical and nursing neonatal education
• Identify new therapeutic measures to deal with more complex neonatal problems that are encountered in the unit and devise new treatment pathways for them
• Conduct educational sessions designed to improve neonatal competencies
• Lead by example in demonstrating excellent neonatal care on a daily basis
• Promote breastfeeding and maternal nutrition, liaising with nutrition and medical teams to accomplish this.
• Review existing nursing specific and hospital wide neonatal policies and protocols, and update as appropriate.
• If required, organize participation in clinical placements and courses in external facilities
• Provide support and guidance to nursing volunteers, encouraging their involvement in training and staff development
• Strengthen relationship with LPPH to improve their maternity staff’s skill and involvement with neonatal resuscitations.
• The volunteer will be required to work a mixture of administrative shifts (08.00 – 17.00) and clinical shifts (07.00 – 19.30 and 19.00 – 07.30) in response to the needs of LFHC. The organization of these shifts will be negotiated with the Nursing Director.

This is a funded role with possibility of extension. One week of leave will be given for each three months of work.

Please email a cover letter, CV, and three references to hr@fwablaos.org with the subject line "Neonatal Nurse Volunteer."

Visit www.fwab.org/laos for further information.