Ward Nurse ICU 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

Coordinate the clinical care of patients in intensive care, which will be from multiple surgical specialties. Lead nurses and day crew working in ICU, developing a strong team which is focused on delivering excellent care to patients.

What you will contribute

Clinical Duties

• Be available to assist with new ICU admissions or transfers, coordinating on-call coverage whenever a patient is in the ICU. Lead daily rounds on patients in the ICU. Coordinate the patient’s plan of care with the ICU Nurse, Anesthesia & ICU. Supervisor, Ward Specialty Team Leader, and Surgeon. Keep patient orders / medical records updated after rounds.

• Provide clinical support and teaching to improve patient care and outcomes, serving as a resource for best practice for intensive care nursing practices.

• Take part in on-call duties/schedule outside normal business hours, primarily for ICU on-call, but might also be asked to participate in Ward Supervisor on-call.

• Coordinate with the Emergency Medical Team (EMT) leader related to drills, code blue scenarios and patient admission to ICU after an emergency event.

• May participate in Mercy Ships training programs, functioning as an educator/ preceptor for local healthcare providers and students.

• Work as a Ward Nurse & Charge Nurse when patients are not in ICU.

Administrative Duties

• Participate in surgical scheduling for specified patients, as appropriate.

• Attend Patient Review Boards and Hospital Review Boards for specified patients, giving insight into patient situations as required. This includes reporting and tracking all patient admission and complication data from ICU in the Hospital Patient Database.

• Maintain current ICU education manuals, develop/update clinical pathways and policies/procedures for the nursing care of patients admitted to ICU.

• Advise on procurement of supplies and equipment for the ICU and coordinate with the supply team to ensure appropriate re-stocking of the ICU.

• Ensure ICU equipment is operating properly and work with Biomed for needed repairs/concerns.

• Coordinate any updates to the fleet Crash/Code Carts with other stakeholders and ensure Ward/ICU carts are being checked & stocked regularly.

Leadership Duties

• Orient all incoming ICU nurses to the ICU area, equipment and patient care processes.

Ensure new staff are welcomed to the team and function as a mentor and teacher.

• Provide team and spiritual leadership to ICU staff, encouraging healthy team dynamics, morale and relationships.

• Provide feedback for performance evaluations of ICU/PICU Nurses in a timely manner, providing effective feedback to encourage growth within the team.

Other Duties

• Attend and participate in all ship-wide meetings, devotions and Hospital functions as needed. When unable to attend, due only to work-related duties, be responsible for obtaining the necessary information.

• Due to the ever-changing staffing levels and field service rotations, all staff may be re- assigned to temporarily fill roles in other departments in a time of need

• Other duties as assigned

For This Role, You Will Need

• Supportive of Mercy Ships mission and vision, and committed to its core valuesUnderstand and apply servant leadership, work collaboratively with integrity and demonstrate accountabilityAble to live in and contribute to community life, requiring stable and healthy interpersonal skills

• Experience with and knowledge of patient care procedures and standards, and equipment specific to intensive careAbility to work in high stress environment and respond appropriately in emergencies /crisis situationsFluent in written and spoken English language with strong interpersonal communication skills

• Willingness to teach and share clinical knowledge with othersCompetent with Microsoft Office, specifically Word, Excel and Outlook

• Excellent organizational skills, with an ability to respond to requests, solve problems, and obtain information in a timely manner

• Flexibility and sensitivity to language & cultural diversity in order to work effectively with others in a cross-cultural environment

• May be asked to serve as a ship driver if the following criteria are met: experience driving a manual transmission vehicle, possession of a full clean driver’s license, and obtain an International Driver’s Permit (purchase in home country)

• It should be noted our ward beds are lower than average and are non-adjustable, which may prove a problem to anyone with a chronic back problem

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. Apply now to start a journey that will reshape the lives of those you serve — and your own.