Job Description
Position Title: Cervical Cancer Nurse
Location: Kwekwe
Program Summary:
The Zimbabwe HIV Care and Treatment (ZHCT) mechanism project increases the availability and quality of care and treatment services for people living with HIV (PLHIV) by complimenting the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s (MOHCC) efforts towards HIV epidemic control in Zimbabwe. The project provides technical assistance to the management, coordination and provision of comprehensive HIV clinical care and treatment services within the national HIV program. The technical assistance spans across all MOHCC and PERFAR HIV priority technical areas.
Position Summary:
The Cervical Cancer Nurse will be assigned to work under the guidance and technical supervision of the health facility leadership team and directly reporting to the designate District HIV Care and Treatment Coordinator.
Duties and Responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
The main responsibilities for the Cervical Cancer Nurse will be to provide cervical cancer screening for women living with HIV (WLHIV) as guided by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) strategic plan. The responsibilities extend to include the treatment of precancerous lesions using cryotherapy and thermal ablation. In consultation with the client, the nurse will develop a treatment plan for each client, that includes subsequent follow-up and necessary investigations. Key will be to design treatment plans as guided by the MoHCC SOPs and guidelines. The Cervical Cancer Nurse will be responsible for managing and reporting ALL adverse events experienced by the client during screening and treatment. In cases where the treatment goes beyond the scope of the nurse’s training and experience, (s)he shall refer all clients to the next level of care and ensure that the client completes the referral by conducting the necessary follow-up. Adherence to the MoHCC and FHI360 SOPs and guidelines. The Cervical Cancer Nurse must ensure that all clients receive the best quality care and treatment.
Key Performance Areas:
• Conduct cervical cancer screening and treatment of precancerous lesions for women living with HIV (WLHIV) between the ages of 25-49 years as per national guidelines.
• Work with the health care workers at the health facility to identify HIV positive women between the ages of 25-49 years for cervical cancer screening.
• Register eligible clients in the electronic and paper-based registers before client is screened.
• Counsel client on the benefits and potential side events of cervical cancer screening so that client can give informed consent.
• Conduct VIAC for each client in a safe, private, confidential and dignified environment for every client.
• After screening client, treat client using the provided SOPs and algorithms.
• The nurse will be expected to offer treatment to clients with STIs, cervicitis or genital ulcer disease incidentally diagnosed during the screening process. Adherence to the STIs treatment guidelines is of paramount importance.
• In consultation with the client, the nurse will be responsible for drawing up a follow up plan/schedule and book the client in the provided diary.
Conduct treatment for precancerous cervical cancer lesions
• For clients who screen positive for pre-cancerous lesions the nurse will provide treatment using cryotherapy or thermal ablation, depending on availability of treatment method.
• For ALL clients with precancerous lesions, the nurse will be expected to use treat and see approach to avoid missed opportunities.
• Treat and monitor all clients for adverse events. It is the responsibility of the nurse to report all adverse events to the FHI360 and MoHCC databases.
• Clients with suspected invasive cancer shall be referred to the next level of care in consultation with the hospital doctor and/or mentor. The nurse will be responsible for following up of the client and calling the receiving facility to ensure client completes referral. Documentation of the patient referral outcome shall also be done by the nurse.
• Where applicable, the nurse shall be responsible for issuing client with suspected invasive cancer with biopsy and/or transport coupons.
Outreach, community mobilisation and demand creation
• Work with the Health workers (Primary Counsellors, Outeach Workers, Village Health Workers, Facility based lay cadres, Nurses and Health Centre Committee etc) at the health facility to mobilize clients within facility and community for cervical cancer screening.
• Conduct outreach VIAC visits to screen women in hard to reach areas. In consultation with the District Health Executive (DHE) a schedule for outreach visits to identified sites should be developed and adhered to. The CC nurse will also compile a list of names for the outreach team and a duty roster developed as well.
• Schedule follow up visits for all clients screened and treated during outreach visits. Support identification of clients who are defaulting for tracking and tracing.
Strategic Information and Evaluation (SIE)
• Registration of all clients screened for cervical cancer in the provided standard MoHCC electronic and paper registers.
• Record and maintain filing system for all client records as per MoHCC procedures.
• Prepare monthly report on services rendered for submission to supervisor.
• Using the relevant primary data sources, the nurse will be responsible for timeously collecting, compiling and reporting to MoHCC and FHI360 Facilitate linkage between HIV testing, diagnosis, care, support and treatment.
• Provide adherence counselling and initiate clients on ARV treatment.
• 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 tests) and provide adherence support to clients issued with results.
All the duties will be performed within an integrated system; i.e. HIV care and treatment, family planning and cervical cancer services must be offered to the client under one roof where possible. Where not possible, it is the Cervical Cancer nurse’s responsibility to ensure that the client is linked to all the other services as required.
Qualifications and Experience
Qualifications and minimum requirements:
• Diploma/Degree in Nursing Sciences, Registered General Nurse (RGN) or Primary Care Nurse (PCN).
• Postgraduate qualifications (midwifery or community nursing) are an added advantage.
• Registration with Nurses Council of Zimbabwe.
• Training, knowledge and experience in cervical cancer screening and Cervicography.
• Training, knowledge and experience in HIV care and treatment is an added advantage.
• Knowledge and experience of working within the Ministry of Health and Care public sector.
• Working under minimal supervision, self-motivation and self-driven to achieve set goals and targets.
• Computer literacy and ability to generate electronic reports daily.
