JOB SUMMARY 

The IPC nurse for the MVD outbreak response will ensure strict implementation of infection prevention and control protocols and measures to stop the spread of the virus within healthcare settings and the community, while providing supportive care. The role aims to protect patients, healthcare workers, and the community from nosocomial transmission. The IPC nurse will engage in direct patient care support, staff training, risk assessment and rigorous monitoring. The IPC nurse's role is critical in breaking the chains of transmission significantly improving survival rates and contain outbreaks.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Core IPC Duties

• Protocol Implementation: Ensuring strict adherence to national and international IPC guidelines specific to MVD.

• Case Management Support: prompt isolation of suspected MVD cases, facilitate safe patient flow, appropriate patient placement within the treatment unit and ensuring provision of supportive care with safe clinical practices ensuring strict IPC measures.

• Risk Assessment: Performing ongoing risk assessments based on transmission routes, workflow, and specific patient care situations to inform IPC advice.

• Surveillance and Monitoring: Conducting active surveillance for healthcare-associated infections within the unit and monitoring compliance with all IPC practices.

IPC Implementation

• Enforce standards, contact, and droplet precautions in all clinical and support areas.

• Supervise correct donning and doffing of PPE, serving as observer where required.

• Ensure adherence to zoning, one-way movement, and staff flow protocols.

Clinical IPC Support

• Support safe clinical practices including IV insertion, specimen collection, waste handling, and environmental cleaning.

• Assisting in the provision of quality health care while ensuring strict IPC measures are followed.

• Ensuring appropriate systems for screening, triage, and isolation of suspected MVD cases to prevent nosocomial infections (infections acquired in a healthcare setting).

• Adhering to established protocols for managing confirmed MVD patients, which may include supportive care and symptomatic treatment, working with a multidisciplinary team.

• Consistently and strictly following rigorous IPC measures, including appropriate and full use of PPE during all patient interactions, and ensuring correct donning and doffing procedures.
• Monitor and reduce risk during high-risk procedures (e.g., suctioning, emergency care).
• Serving as a role model and subject matter expert for the correct selection, use, doffing (removal), and disposal of appropriate PPE (including gloves, gowns, masks, goggles, face shields, and boots).
• Responsible for ensuring and monitoring the availability of essential IPC supplies and PPE and coordinating with logistics to address any shortfalls. 

• Decontamination: Overseeing and ensuring proper procedures for the cleaning and disinfection of patient care equipment, the environment, and laundry/textiles.

• Waste Management: Ensuring safe and correct handling and disposal of biohazardous/infectious waste and contaminated materials which is critical in a Marburg context.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Management

Environmental and Waste Management

Mortuary Support: Collaborating with relevant teams to ensure safe and dignified burial (SDB) practices that prevent post-mortem transmission. 

Training and Mentorship

• Conduct on-the-job IPC training and coaching for clinicians, cleaners, ambulance staff, and burial teams on MVD transmission routes, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and decontamination processes.

• Support refresher training on VHF IPC, hand hygiene, and occupational safety.

• Promoting Compliance with hygiene protocols, such as proper hand hygiene and PPE use by serving as a role model for peers and other staff for safe IPC practices and monitoring compliance. 

Provide ongoing, evidence-based IPC mentoring for all healthcare workers in the MTU or facility level.

Surveillance and Incident Reporting

• Monitor and report IPC breaches, exposures, needle-stick injuries, and near misses.

• Supporting ongoing surveillance, active case finding, and contact tracing efforts within the health facility and community to identify potential cases early.

• Participate in health worker monitoring and post-exposure follow-up.

• Maintain IPC checklists, cleaning schedules, and compliance records.

• Maintaining accurate logs and documenting IPC activities, training, and incidents.

• Promptly informing designated staff and the wider IPC team of potential exposures or breaches in protocol.

• Contributing to daily situational reports (Sitreps) and maintaining accurate documentation of IPC activities and challenges.

• Working closely with the broader IPC Team to manage the outbreak response effectively.

• Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed in this document are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and not necessarily all inclusive.

Documentation and Coordination