Outpatient Nurse Team Leader

Outpatient Nurse Team Leader

Mercy Ships is an international charity that brings hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor through state-of-the-art hospital ships. Since 1978, our volunteer crew—made up of medical professionals and skilled workers from over 60 nations—has delivered free surgeries and medical care to over 2.8 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, transforming lives one patient and one port at a time. Join our global team of over 3,000 volunteers and help us change lives daily.

About this role

The Outpatient Nurse Team Leader is responsible for providing clinical, administrative and supervisory support to the Outpatient Team and ensuring high quality total patient care is given to those who have received surgery with Mercy Ships. The Team Leader is in charge of the outpatient department on a daily basis and collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to plan patient care. Serving alongside professionals from all over the world, the Team Leader builds a strong team of nurses and local Day Crew translators in order to deliver excellent and compassionate patient care.

What you will contribute

• Oversee and provide guidance and training to all outpatient nurses, day crew, patients and care givers and ensure appropriate standards of clinical care and skills are maintained

• Provide routine post-operative wound care and other clinical care for outpatients following discharge from the hospital ward

• Coordinate appropriate consults from surgeons or hospital physicians for treatment of medical issues that arise, including routine post-operative checkups

• Facilitate communication between outpatients and the wards and ancillary medical departments on the ship as needed

• Maintain a current manual and update critical pathways for the nursing care of patients undergoing specialty procedures performed onboard

For This Role, You Will Need

• Mercy Ships Alumni required

• Registered Nurse with active license in home country; a minimum three years’ experience needed after licensure

• Relevant (>6 months) wound care experience required (post-surgical incisions/wounds, complex dressing changes)

• Recent acute surgical/medical/emergency room/wound care unit/outpatient department experience of at least two years full-time or three years part-time in the past 5 years AND at the point of application can show working 30 hours or more per week in any of these clinical areas within the past 12 months

• Current Basic Life Support certification is required; ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) and PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) optional

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English

• Proficiency with computers and Microsoft Office Suite

• Leadership or management experience preferred

• Completion of Mercy Ships On Boarding program

The experience of a lifetime is calling.

More than 1,200 volunteers from over 60 nations serve with Mercy Ships each year.

At Mercy Ships, we are proud to be recognized around the world for the life-changing surgeries and training we deliver. We could not achieve this without our dedicated community of talented volunteers.

Imagine finishing your shift and stepping onto deck as the sun sets—knowing that today you’ve helped transform the lives of those who need it most.