Nurse (CTC)

Reports to: CTC coordinator (or healthcare supervisor depending on the organisation)

Triage

• Carries out a rapid evaluation of all patients on arrival:
  • determines if the patient is a cholera case;
  • evaluates the degree of dehydration.
• Decides treatment plan (oral or IV rehydration).
• Provides initial emergency care (e.g. inserts IV line), until the patient is stabilised.
• Carries out admission of patients (register).
• Initiates an individual patient file (parameters, observations, etc.).
• Writes the systematic prescriptions (e.g. antibiotics and zinc sulfate if indicated).
• Alerts the doctor in the event of a problem: e.g. associated pathology (e.g. fever, cough), suspicion of acute malnutrition, pregnancy.

Oral rehydration

• Receives the patient and attendant and explains the treatment procedure.
• Administers the correct volume of ORS according to the protocol.
• Monitors the administration of ORS, the patient’s stools and vomit and his/her clinical evolution during treatment.
• Alerts the doctor in the event of a problem: e.g. increased dehydration, infectious complications (e.g. fever, cough), treatment complication.
• Administers antibiotic and/or zinc sulfate if indicated and any further drug prescribed by the doctor.
• Records parameters, observations, treatments, on the individual patient file.
• Ensures the dossier is transferred (if transfer to IV rehydration).

IV rehydration

• Receives the patient and attendant and explains the treatment procedure.
• Administers IV fluid according to the protocol.
• Monitors infusions, the administration of ORS, the patient’s stools and vomit and his/her clinical evolution during treatment.
• Alerts the doctor in the event of a problem: e.g. clinical deterioration, infectious complications (e.g. fever, cough).
• Administers antibiotic and/or zinc sulfate if indicated and any further drug prescribed by the doctor.
• Records parameters, observations, treatments, on the individual patient file.

Transfer/decease of patients

Calls the stretcher bearers in the event of the transfer of a bedridden patient to another sector or the removal of a corpse to the morgue.

Patient discharge

• Records patient’s discharge, archives the individual patient file.
• For maintenance therapy at home: gives ORS for maintenance therapy at home and instructions on how to prepare ORS, the administration of treatment at home (ORS, zinc sulfate if indicated), to return to the CTC if symptoms reappear a Citation a. Depending on the work organisation, these tasks are carried out by auxiliary nurses or competent health promoters specifically trained to communicate with patients. .

Other tasks

• Supervises the work of auxiliary nurses.
• Manages the ward’s stocks: requests and takes delivery of drug and consumable product orders for a period of 24 hours.
• Checks the level in the sharps containers daily and replaces them when they are three-quarters full.
• Sorts and discards medical waste in his/her unit into the appropriate containers.
• Participates in certain team meetings.
• Attends certain in-service training courses.