Nurse Navigator

Breast Nurse Navigator

The Breast Nurse Navigator is responsible for guiding and directing breast patients through the multidisciplinary areas of breast care and treatment. The Nurse Navigator facilitates the care of breast patients with multi-disciplinary care team by coordinating high quality patient care across all care delivery sites according to established workflows. This position serves as the single point of contact for referring physicians, patients, other navigators, and caregivers to provide resources and assistance with accessing clinical and supportive care services offered within the healthcare system and community. Assist with access issues, developing relationships with service providers, and tracking interventions and outcomes. Navigate patients from treatment options using expertise and knowledge to coordinate between specialists and other care team professionals, as well as plan and execute projects relevant to the breast patient, and community. Under the direct supervision of the Practice Administrator, the nurse navigator is responsible for assigned scheduled hours on a full-time basis and is subject to call back and overtime as required by the hospital.

Essential Job Functions:

• Receives referrals and follow-ups and ensures appropriate scheduling per clinic patient throughput and established workflows.
• Responsible for overall coordination of breast health services throughout the continuum in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team
• Initiates communication with patients upon learning they have a need or breast health concern.
• Guides patient through the health care system.
• Functions as key member of the multidisciplinary team and contributes to development of work processes.
• Serves as the main point of contact for patients, families, and referring physicians.
• Facilitates interaction and communication with the health care staff and providers.
• Ensures appropriate patient appointments as needed.
• Arranges patient testing and appointments.
• Maintains and review patient records.
• Appropriately documents medical information using the appropriate forms and/or electronic applications.
• Tracks interventions and outcomes.
• Builds relationships with patient and families; Maintains contact and keeps other care team members apprised of patient status.
• Provides disease/procedure specific education to both patients and families.
• Identifies and documents individual patient's education barriers.
• Acts as an advocate, interpreter, educator, counselor and caregiver for breast patients and families.
• Identifies obstacles and refers to team members for solutions for issues affecting compliance with treatment plan.
• Evaluates patient psychological needs and connects patient with appropriate resources.
• Assist patient/family to develop questions prior to office visits for discussion with provider.
• Review the team's findings and recommendations with patient/family after appointments to ensure understanding.
• Follow up on appropriate clinical tasks.
• Works with interdisciplinary care teams for patient care
• Assist quality team with metric data collection and reports. Participates in the development of assessment tools, care management guidelines, pathways and algorithms for cross continuum care of patients with breast care concerns at all points in the care continuum.
• Notifies providers of complex patient care issues or concerns.
• Data collection and organization. Tracking and navigation of breast patients
• Assist with building, implement, and maintaining protocols
• Ensure patient understanding of treatment decisions; confirm procedure/surgery date
• Arranges for patient testing
• Assist with access to emotional and practical support if necessary
• Education of caregivers
• Direct to community resources as needed – refer to Social worker
• Coordination of referrals among subspecialists
• Education of caregivers
• Demonstrates knowledge of the Tennessee State Nurse practice Act and follows the statutes and regulations therein.
• Demonstrates appropriate delegation of tasks and duties in the direction and coordination of health care team members, patient care, and department activities in accordance with the Tennessee State Nurse Practice Act
• Performs related responsibilities as required or directed.
• Assists in the implementation of performance improvement programs for the care management of patients. Monitors progress in achieving demonstrable care management, clinical, and administrative outcomes

Job Specifications:

• Skill and proficiency in the principles, concepts and techniques of the nursing profession with special emphasis on breast or general surgery nursing. Graduate of CCNE or NLNAC accredited school of nursing.

Licensure, Registration, Certification:

• Current license as a registered nurse in the State of Tennessee
• BLS certification required
• Membership in Nurse Navigator organization desired within 1 year of employment, preferred

Experience:

• 3 years nursing experience, preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrates competent clinical judgment and leadership ability
• Demonstrates ability for problem solving and decision making
• Demonstrates ability to establish rapport with personnel, patients, families, physicians, and colleagues.
• Knowledge of pathophysiology of specific disease process
• Knowledge of cardiology and cardiovascular treatment modalities and rationales including procedures, surgery, symptom management, and A Fib care
• Highly effective organizational, verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work autonomously
• Analytical skills to gather and summarize information or planning and development
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, think independently, take initiative, meet deadlines
• Knowledge of WTH policies and procedures as acquired by 3 month probationary period

Interpersonal Requirements:

• Good communication skills on all levels in order to interact effectively with patients, family members, physicians, co-workers, administrative and other hospital departments, and occasionally with community agencies
• Contributes to a positive work environment and the overall team effort of the department
• Consistently smiles and is pleasant to patients, visitors, and co-workers. Cheerfully adheres to and promotes the Quality Plus and departmental service excellence expectations standards.

Direction/Supervision Requirements:

• Presents with a smile the ability to instruct and monitor patient care procedures of ancillary personnel, nursing department and nursing students with no demonstrated hostility.

Physical Demands:

• Standard office requirements with frequent periods of standing and walking
• Ability to perform moderated to heavy lifting; transporting and positioning patients

Environmental Conditions:

• Standard office conditions
• Possible exposure to contagious disease
• Possible exposure to body fluids i.e. lab draws, bandages

Other Job Requirements:

• Performs other duties as specified
• Understands and adheres to West Tennessee Healthcare's compliance standards as they appear in the Compliance Policy, Code of Conduct, and Conflict of Interest Policy.
• Assumes responsibility or insuring continued professional growth
• The employee is expected to adhere o all WTH policies and procedures.

Protected Healthcare Information:

Minimum Necessary Requirement: This position has access to protected health information as defined in the Professional- Clinical category in WTH Management Guidebook Policy 7625. Employee will maintain confidentiality of protected health information and only access the minimum amount of protected health information necessary to perform job responsibilities.

Nondiscrimination Notice Statement:

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, disability, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.