OI/ART Direct Service Delivery Nurse - Zimbabwe Health Interventions (ZHI)

Duties and Responsibilities

-The OI/ART DSD nurse will provide technical oversight to the facility HIV testing services (HTS) and ensure that targeted, quality and comprehensive HTS services are being provided by the facility and initiate HIV positive clients on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART).
-The OI/ART DSD nurse will provide quality health care, treatment monitoring and enhanced adherence counselling to clients as per national protocol.
-The DSD nurse will work as a change agent and ensure that all ACCE HIV care and treatment components are implemented and reported with fidelity and that the facility is meeting the targets.
-This position will oversee the project support lay cadres; Conduct HIV testing services as per national guidelines, Work with facility-based lay cadres, out-reach workers and village health workers to mobilise clients within facility and community for HIV counselling and testing, Provide pre and post – HIV confidential counselling and testing;
-Provide oversight that will ensure that the facility is implementing PITC, Index testing at the with fidelity;
-Perform rapid HIV testing on all clients (adults, adolescents and children) that have consented to testing/re-testing and interpret the results to the clients;
-Perform viral load DBS sample collection on infants and counsel caregivers; Counsel HIV-positive clients and link them to ART initiation;
-Counsel HIV-negative clients and link them to prevention counselling and support; Screen all HIV positive clients for TB and STIs and make appropriate referrals; Provide quality care for HIV-positive clients on anti-retroviral (ARV) Treatment;
-Ensure that all clients identified to be living with HIV at the facility and in the community are linked for ART treatment , care and support;
-Provide adherence counselling and initiate clients on ARV treatment. Ensure the number of patients who are transitioned to currently recommended ART regimens, considering stock availability.
-This includes using preferred ART regimens at initiation of treatment and switching patients currently on ART to optimal regimens;
-Take leadership in developing and ensuring collaboration with the project community cadres to reduce missed opportunities; Provide on job training to lay cadres at the facility to improve patient navigation for ART initiation, VL testing, TPT provision;
-Ensure that all clients eligible for VL, TPT, Cervical Cancer are provided with services;
-Work with PCCs to provide mental health screening and refer for mental health care for those that need support;
-Work closely with the CRFs and OWs to ensure retention on treatment and ensure that clints interrupting treatment are followed up and brought back to care;
-Support the scale up of DSD models to aligned with MOHCC targets;
-Link and refer clients to facility and community based Psychosocial Support Services;
-Provide routine follow-up and monitoring of clients (including scheduling interpreting Viral Load and CD4 test results) and provide adherence support to clients provided with results;
-Appropriately manage PLHIV with advanced HIV disease and those with high viral loads;
-Support identification of clients who are defaulting ARVs for tracking, tracing and retention into care; -Support the facility stock management of HIV commodities;
-Documentation of clients in the relevant monitoring and evaluation tools (registers);
-Report MER-recommended regimen disaggregation for TX_CURR;
-Record and maintain filing system for all client records (Monthly cohorts) as per MoHCC and ZHI procedure; Write report to in the event of losses /decreases in facility TX Curr;
-Prepare monthly report on services rendered for submission to supervisor;
-Programme Targets; Work towards meeting the programme set targets for the site which are reviewed on a weekly, month quarterly basis.

Knowledge, Skills and abilities:
Proficiency in English and relevant local language (Shona, Ndebele); Knowledge of community health practices and general medical ethics; Demonstrated ability to work effectively and efficiently within a team ; Ability to analyze and report relevant activities; Sound knowledge of HIV care and treatment practices in Zimbabwe; Training and experience in HIV counselling and testing for adults, adolescents and children; Knowledge of national HIV/AIDS, STI and TB treatment guidelines; Familiar with M&E tools for OI/ART management; Results oriented and able to meet project deliverables; Computer literacy is a must.