Work & volunteer
Work
Volunteer
We welcome medical and non-medical volunteers from across the world, and they are instrumental to the future success of the hospital.
In 2019, LFHC welcomed 108 volunteers from 4 continents. Throughout most of 2020 and 2021, we've had none due to the coronavirus pandemic! Now the borders are open, we will once again accept volunteer applications, but much fewer than in previous years due to changing conditions and the evolving skills of our Lao staff.
Every volunteer has demonstrated a strong commitment to teaching our Lao staff and building LFHC’s capacity. Our volunteers have included nurses, doctors, surgeons, pharmacists, physical therapists, radiologists, radiographers, English teachers, nutritionists and biomedical and IT technicians.
Medical Volunteers:
Lao Friends Hospital for Children accepts applications for medical volunteers throughout the year. All trained and suitable qualified medical professionals and individuals interested in volunteering are welcome to send their resume to hr@fwablaos.org at any time. We prefer that if you have not volunteered here before that you come for at least 2 months on your first visit. For people returning to help we make exceptions. We would also consider making exceptions for experienced Sub Specialist Paediatricians to volunteer and teach in their field. People with experience in Global Health are also desirable as it can be confronting and challenging to accept resource limitations.
Our primary focus for medical volunteers is to support patient care through the training and mentoring of our Lao staff in paediatric medicine. Overtime our Laos staff have become more and more skilled and we now have 7 Lao Paediatricians at LFHC with several more at various stages of training in Vientiane. They had reached the point of working independently after hours and on weekends.
In 2022 we opened a High Acuity Unit and are now intubating and ventilating patients. Because of this substantial advance in our capacity to treat, our Laos staff are now again requiring 24/7 support. There are quality improvement processes ongoing that you could be a part of. We have a high need for Paediatric Intensivists who also have general paediatric skills or General Paediatricians who have the ability to support in the ICU setting. Supporting in the Inpatient department and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is also part of this.
Our Outpatient departments is also very busy with a very broad mix of patients, some very complex, and we value General Paediatricians who can commit to supporting us there. We would be very open to any volunteers who can help provide 1:1 supports to our more junior doctors during clinics as well as help with quality improvement processes. We require that all of medical volunteers are fully qualified Paediatricians or Paediatric Subspecialists.
All volunteers will be invited to participate in educational and training activities, as well as providing clinical support.”
Our Medical Teaching program includes a program called T8 (teaching 8 hours). The format of T8 is that a quarter of all the doctors are rostered to attend teaching every Friday and so in a month they will all receive that teaching block. We are planning a 2-year curriculum to commence in March. So, the curriculum will have 24 blocks. We are able to be flexible with this, for example we could change the topic for a block to match a volunteers trip, and we can also have a volunteer create and start a block and then we can continue it for the remaining weeks.
Examples of medical volunteers we are targeting currently.
Paediatric Intensivists or Paediatricians with an “interest” in intensive care. Ideally to stay for 2 months on their 1st trip to support our HAU development and provide after hours and weekend supports.
Paediatric Generalists (also Developmental Paediatricians). Again, ideally to stay 2 months on their 1st trip and support the Outpatient doctors, this is Monday to Friday.
Sub- specialists (maybe appropriate to attend for a shorter period, i.e. 1 month). Some examples that are currently priorities.
We have a large number of patients with thalassemia (around 400 registered in our thalassemia clinic) and a haematologist would be helpful.
We have a lot of nephrotic syndrome (and are planning to start a Nephology clinic) and a nephrologist would be helpful.
We manage a lot of fractures in co-operation with the surgeons. But the non-surgical aspect of orthopaedic care could be enhanced. So, either an orthopod or an experienced Emergency doctor with an interest in fracture management.
Infectious Diseases specialist to review some of our guidelines and practices.
Paediatric neurology. There is a very large “treatment gap” in Laos for epilepsy meaning the majority of children go untreated. There is also a high burden of neurocysticercosis as a cause of epilepsy.
Palliative Care. We have a high burden of chronic disease and high child mortality. A specific goal of ours is to improve the quality of care and quality of life for these children and families.
Allied Health Volunteer Opportunities
Our Developmental & Nutrition team includes Physiotherapy, Child Life, Occupational Therapy & Nutrition.
Speech Therapy.
We have a large burden of children with congenital or acquired speech and swallow issues. We very much need an experienced therapist to teach and support our team in swallow assessment and rehabilitation.
Speech pathology volunteers are required to provide following:
Training and support for the nutrition team in-
- Working with infants with feeding difficulties in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, including babies with cleft lip and/or palate.
- Assessment and management of babies and children with feeding difficulties in the inpatient department particularly children with nasogastric feeding and post encephalitis.
Training and support to the development team in the areas of-
- Feeding/eating and drinking support for children with cerebral palsy and acquired brain injury; and children with limited diet due to sensory preferences.
- Communication (especially working with the Child life therapist)
o assessment and management of children with speech and language difficulties, including use of parent training strategies.
o Use of Alternative and Augmentative Communication systems including use of sign and visual supports to assist communication development in children with a range of disabilities including Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
o Working with children with ASD including strategies to develop receptive and expressive language skills, social communication, and use of AAC (e.g. Picture Exchange communication)
o Differential diagnosis of communication disorders
Physiotherapy.
Our physiotherapist welcomes inputs from all areas. They do a lot of work with our Developmental team which includes OT and Child Life.
One specific area of need is we would benefit from training in obtaining induced sputum from younger children to help in the diagnosis of TB.
Nutrition:
Our nutrition team welcomes the opportunity for volunteer support and upskilling.
An area of interest is “undernutrition” as a whole, not just malnutrition.
Laboratory:
The laboratory staff have requested a haematology technician to help upskill them. They would require a minimum of 2 months duration for your stay.
Pharmacy:
Pharmacy volunteers would need to stay a minimum of 2 months. Areas of need could include the more “academic” aspect of the job, as well as the more mundane such as effective stock keeping.
Radiology:
We are currently well supported by RAD-AID. Feel free to enquire with them about joining their organisation. https://rad-aid.org/about-us/volunteering/
Available Positions
Job Title : Leadership and Management Nurse Volunteer
Report to : Nursing Director
Start Date : Variable, dependent on other volunteers already recruited.
Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) is a 61-bed acute pediatric hospital situated in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. It is operated by a New York based non-profit organisation, Friends Without A Border, which is dedicated to providing high-quality and compassionate healthcare to children in remote areas of Southeast Asia. In 2015 the hospital was opened on the same campus as the Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital and has been developing its services since then.
LFHC is a teaching hospital offering emergency, inpatient, outpatient and surgical services to neonates and children throughout Northern Laos. Limited on-site radiology, pathology and pharmacy together with a homecare program complement these clinical activities. A major goal of this hospital is to promote clinical learning and professional development of the local staff such that key positions in the hospital are progressively filled by a well-trained and dedicated local workforce.
Position Summary
LFHC has Lao Registered Nurses in the positions of Nursing Director and Nurse Managers spanning 7 departments. Despite being clinically experienced, they continue to benefit from the experience and advice of international nurses with a background in leadership and management. The role of the volunteer is to identify learning needs within the management team and assist in their professional growth, while helping them create educational opportunities in leadership and mentoring for members of their teams.
Specific Duties
· Support the Nursing Director and Nurse Department Managers to develop knowledge and prowess in the following areas:
o Budgeting
o Procurement
o Stock management
o Quality Improvement
o Mentoring
o Auditing
o Coordination and collaboration with other disciplines within hospital management structure
o Disciplinary and HR processes
o Staff development
o Project management
o Communication – including email, online meetings, interviews, professional-level English language
o Admin skills – including computer skills (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Moodle), electronic file organisation, cloud storage.
o Policy and guideline development
· Support the Nurse Department Managers in the review of existing nursing specific and hospital wide clinical policies and protocols.
· Support managers in their development of nurse mentors to provide both bedside and classroom teaching for nurses as required.
· Support the Nurse Department Managers in developing and implementing strategies for the provision of care in clinical areas.
Qualifications and Qualities
· Registered to practice in home country
· At least two years experience working in a nursing management role.
· Experience working as a mentor or supervisor.
· Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team.
· Innovative in providing educational opportunities for others.
· Previous experience working in low to middle-income countries.
· Flexible and able to work under pressure with ability to adapt to rapidly evolving clinical situations.
· Experience of teaching nurses with limited English.
Work Conditions and Benefits
· This role is for a minimum of two months but with an extension possible.
· Five days of leave will be given for each three months of work.
Please email a cover letter, CV and three references from past employers to nursing@fwablaos.org
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Job Title : Emergency Department Nurse Volunteer
Report to : Nursing Director
Start Date : Variable, dependent on other volunteers already recruited.
Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) is a 61-bed acute pediatric hospital situated in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. It is operated by a New York based non-profit organisation, Friends Without A Border, which is dedicated to providing high-quality and compassionate healthcare to children in remote areas of Southeast Asia. In 2015 the hospital was opened on the same campus as the Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital and has been developing its services since then.
LFHC is a teaching hospital offering emergency, inpatient, outpatient and surgical services to neonates and children throughout Northern Laos. Limited on-site radiology, pathology and pharmacy together with a homecare program complement these clinical activities. A major goal of this hospital is to promote clinical learning and professional development of the local staff such that key positions in the hospital are progressively filled by a well-trained and dedicated local workforce.
Position Summary
LFHC has a four bed ED, seeing up to 100 attendances per day at the weekend. It is staffed by 1-2 nurses on weekdays and 3 at weekends.
The ED Volunteer is primarily responsible for the education, training and development of the LFHC ED nursing team. This includes the development and delivery of education and training, implementation of education curriculums, and development of trainers amongst the Lao nursing team. The volunteer will also be instrumental in the development of clinical guidelines and protocols in conjunction with both Lao and international staff. The role includes clinical shifts, both in a mentoring capacity and role modeling when demonstrating clinical excellence alongside Lao nurses. A vital component of the position is to enable Lao staff to create their own educational materials that can then be taught in-house, independently of international volunteers. This role differs from that of other LFHC nursing staff with respect to the specific duties that follow
Specific Duties
· Support the ED Nurse Manager and Nurse Education Manager in improving and delivering education and training opportunities for the LFHC ED nursing team. Ensure all ED education programs are Lao-led and self-sufficient.
· Support the ED Nurse Manager in the review of existing nursing specific and hospital wide clinical policies and protocols, and update for the ED as appropriate.
· Support nurse mentors in providing both bedside and classroom teaching for nurses as required.
· Support the ED Nurse Manager in developing and implementing strategies for the provision of care in the ED.
· Support the ED Nurse Manager in liaising with LFHC Executive Staff to coordinate and develop clinical guidelines in the ED.
· Liaise with the Nurse Education Manager, ED Nurse Manager, Education Coordinator and Medical Education Director in the coordination of joint medical and nursing education for ED.
· Work in collaboration with the clinical team to identify new therapeutic measures to deal with more complex problems that are encountered in the department and devise new treatment pathways for them.
· Support the Nurse Education Manager and ED Nurse Manager in the regular assessment of nursing competencies, and work collaboratively with the team in mentoring nurses as appropriately needed.
· Work collaboratively with the education department in the creation of education and training materials which will be uploaded in the LFHC Moodle, an interactive online education portal.
· Lead by example in demonstrating excellent emergency care on a daily basis • The volunteer will be required to work a mixture of administrative shifts (08.00 – 17.00) and clinical shifts (07.00 – 19.30) in response to the needs of LFHC. The organization of these shifts will be negotiated with the Nursing Director.
Qualifications and Qualities
· Registered to practice in home country
· At least two years experience working in an ED environment
· Experience working as a mentor or nurse educator
· Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team.
· Innovative in providing educational opportunities for others.
· Previous experience working in low to middle-income countries.
· Flexible and able to work under pressure with ability to adapt to rapidly evolving clinical situations.
· Experience of teaching nurses with limited English.
Work Conditions and Benefits
· This role is for a minimum of two months but with an extension possible.
· Five days of leave will be given for each three months of work.
Please email a cover letter, CV and three references from past employers to nursing@fwablaos.org
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Job Title : High Acuity Unit Nurse Volunteer
Report to : Nursing Director
Start Date : Variable, dependent on other volunteers already recruited.
Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) is a 61-bed acute pediatric hospital situated in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. It is operated by a New York based non-profit organisation, Friends Without A Border, which is dedicated to providing high-quality and compassionate healthcare to children in remote areas of Southeast Asia. In 2015 the hospital was opened on the same campus as the Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital and has been developing its services since then.
LFHC is a teaching hospital offering emergency, inpatient, outpatient and surgical services to neonates and children throughout Northern Laos. Limited on-site radiology, pathology and pharmacy together with a homecare program complement these clinical activities. A major goal of this hospital is to promote clinical learning and professional development of the local staff such that key positions in the hospital are progressively filled by a well-trained and dedicated local workforce.
Position Summary
In July 2022 LFHC plans to open a High Acuity Unit (HAU) to cater for the most unwell children attending the hospital. The acuity of patients in this unit will vary from the sickest patients who have previously been treated in IPD and ED to more acutely unwell children who may need intubation, inotropes, invasive monitoring and ventilation. The plan is to open initially with two beds and increase to four as the number of nursing staff trained to work in the HAU increases.
The HAU Volunteer is primarily responsible for the education, training and development of the LFHC HAU nursing team. This includes the development and delivery of education and training, implementation of education curriculums, and development of trainers amongst the Lao nursing team. The volunteer will also be instrumental in the development of clinical guidelines and protocols in conjunction with both Lao and international staff. The role includes clinical shifts, both in a mentoring capacity and role modeling when demonstrating clinical excellence alongside Lao nurses. A vital component of the position is to enable Lao staff to create their own educational materials that can then be taught in-house, independently of international volunteers. This role differs from that of other LFHC nursing staff with respect to the specific duties that follow
Specific Duties
Support the HAU Nurse Manager and Nurse Education Manager in improving and delivering education and training opportunities for the LFHC HAU nursing team. Ensure all HAU education programs are Lao-led and self-sufficient.
Support the HAU Nurse Manager in the review of existing nursing specific and hospital wide clinical policies and protocols, and update for the HAU as appropriate.
Support nurse mentors in providing both bedside and classroom teaching for nurses as required.
Support the HAU Nurse Manager in developing and implementing strategies for the provision of care in the HAU.
Support the HAU Nurse Manager in liaising with LFHC Executive Staff to coordinate and develop clinical guidelines in the HAU.
Liaise with the Nurse Educator, HAU Nurse Manager, Education Coordinator and Medical Education Director in the coordination of joint medical and nursing education for HAU.
Work in collaboration with the clinical team to identify new therapeutic measures to deal with more complex problems that are encountered in the unit and devise new treatment pathways for them.
Support the Nurse Education Manager and HAU Nurse Manager in the regular assessment of nursing competencies, and work collaboratively with the team in mentoring nurses as appropriately needed.
Work collaboratively with the education department in the creation of education and training materials which will be uploaded in the LFHC Moodle.
Lead by example in demonstrating excellent high-acuity care on a daily basis • The volunteer will be required to work a mixture of administrative shifts (08.00 – 17.00) and clinical shifts (07.00 – 19.30) in response to the needs of LFHC. The organization of these shifts will be negotiated with the Nursing Director.
Qualifications and Qualities
Registered to practice in home country
At least two years experience working in an HDU or ICU environment
Experience of working with ventilators, inotropes, invasive monitoring and intubated patients Experience working as a mentor or nurse educator
Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team.
Innovative in providing educational opportunities for others.
Previous experience working in low to middle-income countries.
Flexible and able to work under pressure with ability to adapt to rapidly evolving clinical situations.
Experience of teaching nurses with limited English Work Conditions and Benefits.
This role is for a minimum of two months but with an extension possible.
Five days of leave will be given for each three months of work.
Please email a cover letter, resume and three references from past employers to nursing@fwablaos.org