anest

Working as doctor anaesthetist in the field

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) anaesthetists often work in conflict settings to provide care to communities that do not have access to functioning health care systems. Surgical cases (paediatrics and adults) include general, trauma, obstetrics, orthopaedic, burns and reconstruction. The role of an MSF anaesthetist is incredibly varied; in the course of a day, you might find yourself training local staff in a refugee camp hospital or managing anaesthesia for complex obstetric surgeries. 

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Responsibilities

  • Carry out preoperative consultations evaluating the potential risks, providing the patient with appropriate information and deciding the type of anaesthetics to be used, to ensure the best conditions prior to surgery
  • Carry out all anaesthesia-related activities during surgery to ensure safe, adequate anaesthesia, such as preparing the drugs, material and equipment beforehand, administering and maintaining the anaesthetics following the rules of hygiene and asepsis in force, and monitoring patients throughout the intervention.
  • Ensure the transfer of patients to the recovery room, full recovery of patients’ consciousness and determining the analgesic protocol
  • In collaboration with the surgeon, advise on postoperative care both in the Intensive Care Unit and on the wards, including fluid management, oxygen monitoring, airway care and chest physiotherapy, with a special focus on the patient’s pain relief during the recovery process
  • Implement and supervise hygiene rules, procedures, quality of care tools and MSF protocols, to ensure the safety and protection of both patients and staff
  • Supervise the operating theatre (OT) pharmacy (drug orders, inventories, expired drugs, etc.) and ensure maintenance of the OT register, recording of consumption, disposal of empty narcotics phials and maintenance of adequate stock
  • Ensure good functioning and maintenance of OT equipment
  •  Manage, train and supervise the anaesthesia team through activities such as recruitment, defining job descriptions, capacity-building, briefing/debriefing , trainings and evaluation of staff
  • Collaborate with other departments in the project and participate in emergency activities or exploratory missions
  • Ensure proper fulfilment of administrative procedures and documents (filling in of patient files, forms, statistics, database, etc.), and prepare regular reports on results, proceedings, and problematic situations and cases.

Requirements

  • Medical doctorr with an anaesthesia specialist qualification
  • Recent clinical experience (at least six months within the last 24 months)
  • Anaesthesia experience in paediatrics, obstetrics and trauma
  • Experience of spinal anaesthesia, intubation, postoperative care and intensive care
  • IT skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
  • Fluency in English and/or French; any other languages are an asset (Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian)
  • Available for a minimum of six weeks

General skills

  • Commitment to MSF’s work and values
  • Strong team player Willingness to work in all kinds of contexts worldwide, including unstable areas
  • Adaptable and able to work in a multicultural team
  • Flexible and able to manage stress
  • Self-driven with a solution-oriented approach
  • Ability to train others

Assets

  • Experience working in developing countries
  • People management experience
  • Experience of both adult and paediatric anaesthesia
Diversité

Depending on our activities and needs, your responsibilities may be adapted and evolve. You will not face these challenges alone; other MSF team members (both international and locally hired staff) will support you.

We encourage applications from people of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, backgrounds, religions, beliefs, abilities and all other characteristics of diversity.

MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo reference and criminal record checks.

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