Health Assistant

Job Title: Health Assistant

Job location: Field-based – Project Intervention Areas

Reports to: Project Manager

The Health Assistant / Nurse Assistant will be an integral member of MedGlobal’s mobile health brigade teams under, providing essential clinical and operational support to ensure the safe, organized, and efficient delivery of primary healthcare services to communities across the project’s ten prioritized municipalities.

The Health Assistant will work alongside doctors, nurses, and other members of the mobile health brigade team to support patient registration and preparation, vital-signs intake, health education, dispensing of prescribed medications and laboratory test requests, and follow-up of referral and counter-referral processes.

The position will be field-based and deployed across the project intervention areas, including Puerto Santander, Uribia, San Juan del Cesar, Puerto Asís, San Miguel, El Rosario, El Bagre, Zaragoza, Remedios, and Segovia.

The Health Assistant will contribute to the continuity and quality of patient care while ensuring appropriate documentation, respectful communication with patients and communities, and compliance with MedGlobal clinical, safeguarding, and operational procedures.

• Support the registration and reception of patients attending mobile health brigade activities.

• Verify and record patient identification and relevant information in accordance with established procedures.

• Prepare patients for medical and nursing consultations.

• Organize patient flow and support orderly access to consultation and service areas.

• Ensure that patient records and registration information are completed accurately and confidentially.

• Identify patients requiring priority attention and promptly communicate relevant concerns to the nurse or physician.

• Measure and accurately record patients’ vital signs, including blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, temperature, oxygen saturation, and other parameters as instructed.

• Report abnormal or concerning findings promptly to the supervising nurse or physician.

• Support basic clinical preparation and procedures within the scope of the position and applicable professional regulations.

• Prepare consultation areas, examination materials, and basic clinical supplies.

• Maintain cleanliness and appropriate organization of patient care areas.

• Support infection prevention and control measures during brigade activities.

• Support the delivery of health education and health promotion sessions during mobile health brigades.

• Provide patients and community members with clear and culturally appropriate information

regarding preventive health practices, treatment adherence, and use of health services.

• Reinforce health education messages provided by doctors and nurses.

• Support community activities related to prevention, health promotion, and access to healthcare.

• Communicate respectfully and appropriately with patients, families, community representatives, and other stakeholders.

• Support the dispensing and delivery of prescribed medications in accordance with the instructions of authorized medical personnel and MedGlobal procedures.

• Provide patients with appropriate information regarding prescribed medications and instructions within the scope of the position.

• Support the delivery and coordination of laboratory test requests or referrals as instructed by the clinical team.

• Maintain accurate records of medications, prescriptions, laboratory requests, and other relevant patient information.

• Identify and report discrepancies, shortages, or issues related to medications or clinical supplies.

• Ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained throughout the process.

• Support the clinical team in documenting and tracking patient referrals.

• Follow up on referral and counter-referral information as instructed by the Health Officer / Chief Nurse.

• Assist patients in understanding referral instructions and the next steps in their care pathway.

• Support communication between mobile health brigade teams, patients, and relevant health facilities when required.

• Maintain accurate records of referral and counter-referral follow-up.

• Report difficulties, delays, or barriers to accessing referred services to the supervising nurse or relevant clinical staff.

• Work collaboratively with doctors, nurses, Project Coordinators, and other brigade team members.

• Support the preparation and organization of clinical supplies, equipment, and materials before and during field activities.

• Assist with the set-up and closure of mobile health service areas.

• Support efficient patient flow and coordination during brigade activities.

• Ensure that clinical materials and equipment are handled appropriately.

• Support inventory checks and report shortages or damaged equipment to the supervising nurse.

• Participate in field deployments across the ten prioritized municipalities according to project schedules.

• Maintain accurate, complete, and confidential patient and activity records within the scope of the position.

• Support the collection and recording of relevant health service data.

• Contribute to documentation required and other related project activities.

• Support data collection related to referrals, counter-referrals, prescriptions, laboratory tests, and health education activities.

• Promptly report relevant clinical, operational, or safeguarding concerns to the appropriate supervisor.

• Ensure that all documentation is completed according to MedGlobal procedures.

• Support the collection and recording of information relevant to epidemiological surveillance activities.

• Identify and promptly communicate potential cases or health events requiring further assessment or reporting.

• Support the clinical team in maintaining accurate records required for surveillance and reporting.

• Follow applicable infection prevention, disease notification, and health surveillance procedures within the scope of the role.

• Treat all patients and community members with dignity, respect, and confidentiality.

• Comply with MedGlobal’s Code of Conduct, safeguarding, Child Protection, PSEA, and other relevant organizational policies.

• Report safeguarding, protection, abuse, exploitation, harassment, or other concerns through established MedGlobal reporting mechanisms.

• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with patients, colleagues, and community members.

• Respect cultural practices and ensure that services are delivered in a non-discriminatory and culturally sensitive manner.

• Perform other duties related to the position as assigned by the Health Officer / Chief Nurse or Project Manager.

Should have the following skills, education, and experience:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Technical degree or recognized qualification as a Nursing Assistant, Health Assistant, Nursing Technician, or equivalent, in accordance with applicable Colombian regulations.

• Valid authorization, registration, or professional credentials required to perform the duties of the position in Colombia.

• At least 1 year of relevant professional experience as a Nursing Assistant, Health Assistant, Nursing Technician, or in a comparable healthcare support role.

• Previous experience supporting primary healthcare, community health, mobile health brigades, clinics, or field-based healthcare services is highly desirable.

• Experience with patient registration, vital signs measurement, clinical preparation, health education, or similar healthcare support activities.

• Ability to maintain accurate and confidential patient records.

• Basic knowledge of infection prevention and control practices.

• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a patient-centered approach.

• Ability to work in rural, remote, and potentially challenging field environments.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Intermediate English proficiency (minimum B1 level) is required.

• Fluent Spanish, both written and spoken.

• Willingness and ability to travel and remain in field locations according to project deployment schedules.

• Previous experience working with humanitarian organizations, NGOs, or international health programs.

• Experience working with Indigenous, ethnic, rural, or vulnerable communities.

• Experience supporting referral and counter-referral systems.

• Experience with epidemiological surveillance or health information systems.

• Experience supporting mobile medical teams or community-based health interventions.

• Training in first aid, infection prevention and control, or community health.

• Knowledge of local health service networks in the project intervention areas.

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MedGlobal is a global humanitarian non-profit organization providing medical and health education services to people in need, including refugees and displaced persons, in disaster and underserved regions. The organization is composed of medical and public health professionals from diverse backgrounds.

MedGlobal Code of Conduct reflects the profession’s core set of beliefs and values of care, respect, trust, and integrity. These beliefs and values are fundamental to MedGlobal employees, volunteers, interns, consultants, and contractors to guide their practice and conduct. The Code is organized into categories, as follows:

• Always act with fairness, honesty, integrity, and openness; respect the opinions of others and treat all with equality and dignity without regard to gender, race, color, creed, ancestry, place of origin, political beliefs, religion, marital status, disability, age, or sexual orientation.

• Provide a positive and valued experience for those receiving services within and outside MedGlobal.

Child abuse in all forms is unacceptable to MedGlobal, which recognizes its responsibility to protect children from harm in all areas of its work. MedGlobal is committed to ensuring a child-safe environment and is applying a zero-tolerance approach towards any kind of child abuse and exploitation.

MedGlobal provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and expressly prohibits and will not tolerate any form of discrimination, abuse, harassment (sexual or otherwise), based upon race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, citizenship status, disability, or military status. MedGlobal employees and related personnel must under no circumstances take part in any form of discrimination, harassment, or abuse (physical, sexual or verbal), intimidation or exploitation, or in any other way infringe the rights of others inside or outside the organization.