JOB PURPOSE
To provide treatment, stabilization of acutely or chronically ill, and/or injured patients across the lifespan to referral hospitals or trauma centers. The Locum Flight nurse is charged with rendering skilled pre-hospital and emergency life support care to the patients and subsequently does transfers by air or ground transport to a more superior healthcare facility.
Locum Flight Nurses are committed to safe operations, premier customer service, expert clinical practice and leadership during all medical evacuations.
Job Description
Control Room and Communication
Operate the 24-hour Control Room, receiving and responding to telephone, radio (UHF/VHF), email, and other communication channels in a timely and professional manner.
Ensure effective, efficient, and accurate communication with patients, families, hospitals, EMS providers, aviation operators, and other stakeholders to facilitate medical assistance and evacuation services.
Maintain continuous communication and information sharing with patients, families, referring facilities, and safety personnel throughout the patient care journey.
Ensure all communication equipment and office devices are operational and report any faults promptly.
Medical Assistance and Case Coordination
Receive, assess, and coordinate emergency evacuation requests, obtaining comprehensive patient demographic, clinical, and logistical information.
Follow up on admitted patients and obtain regular medical progress reports while managing medical assistance cases.
Inform relevant medical team lead of new requests and coordinate dispatch of medical teams for evacuation missions.
Provide clients with cost estimates in liaison with medical team lead and obtain required Guarantees of Payment (GOPs) and related documentation.
Documentation and Records Management
Maintain complete, accurate, and confidential patient records, correspondence, medical reports, and evacuation files in accordance with organizational policies and professional standards.
Complete, file, and communicate all required medical, operational, immigration, insurance, handover, and shift reports.
Ensure proper shift handover through comprehensive documentation and communication of ongoing cases.
Medical Evacuation Preparation
Assemble, inspect, test, and prepare all required medical equipment, medications, and supplies for evacuation missions, ensuring readiness and serviceability.
Confirm patients and accompanying persons possess all required travel and medical documentation prior to transport.
Coordinate with receiving facilities and healthcare providers to establish communication, confirm acceptance, and share flight itineraries and estimated arrival times.
Flight Nursing and Patient Care
Accompany patients on air ambulance missions, commercial medical escorts, and other medical transport operations regionally and internationally.
Conduct patient assessment, establish working diagnoses where appropriate, develop and implement treatment plans, and provide patient care in accordance with AMREF Flying Doctors SOPs.
Deliver advanced life support, stabilization, resuscitation, and other critical interventions during ground and air transport.
Continuously monitor, reassess, and manage patients throughout transport, ensuring patient safety, comfort, and continuity of care.
Communicate patient status updates and estimated times of arrival to the Control Room and relevant stakeholders during transport.
Patient Transfer and Handover
Safely transfer patients between healthcare facilities, ambulances, aircraft, and other transport platforms while ensuring appropriate immobilization and monitoring.
Facilitate patient admission, discharge, check-in/check-out procedures, wheelchair assistance, baggage handling, and immigration requirements as necessary.
Conduct formal clinical handovers to receiving healthcare providers, ensuring transfer of all relevant patient records, investigation results, and medical documentation.
Obtain all required receiving signatures and acknowledgements upon patient handover.
Equipment Management and Infection Control
Clean, disinfect, sterilize, restock, and maintain all medical equipment, medications, and supplies following missions.
Complete equipment inventories and checklists, report deficiencies, and ensure replenishment of exhausted stock.
Report any defects and malfunctioning of equipment
Emergency Response and Special Operations
Respond to mass casualty incidents, disasters, and emergency deployments as directed, including travel to remote locations with additional medical supplies.
Provide medical coverage and emergency care at special events, sporting activities, and other assigned operations.
Operational and Administrative Responsibilities
Operate under a scheduled roster.
Complete assigned medical evacuation missions through to completion.
Perform duties in confined spaces and challenging environmental conditions while maintaining professional and safety standards.
Attend scheduled departmental, clinical, and organizational meetings and trainings as required.
Qualifications
Education and Experience
Be a Kenyan Registered Nurse with the Nursing Council of Kenya and maintain validity of the practice license.
Hold a Higher National Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing.
Bachelors of Science in Nursing is an added advantage
4 years' experience as a Nurse with 2 years' experience in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Current certifications in: Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) with experience in Pre-hospital emergency patient care.
Proficiency in computer studies (word, excel, power point, CRM system, outlook, internet.
Teaching experience and / or Instructor status in a healthcare related certification, Critical Care transport experience (ground or air) is an added advantage
Knowledge, Skills and Competencies
Excellent communication skills - both verbal and written, a good command of the English Language.
Good interpersonal skills and empathy.
Excellent customer service skills.
Ability to work in and within a team
Ability to rise to challenges and stay calm under pressure.
Ability to maintain high level of integrity and confidentiality.
Ability to operate safely
Ability to solve problems and critical thinking.
Ability to gather information and keen eye for details.
Work environment
AMREF Flying Doctors works within a twenty-four-hour work environment due to nature of its operation