Registered Nurse - Cancer Care Navigator

Cancer Care Navigator Registered Nurse

The Registered Nurse (RN) - Cancer Care Navigator delivers fundamental knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical skills. Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care based on age-specific components. Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. Follows procedures per established policies and guidelines. Influences care outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team. The Registered Nurse (RN) - Cancer Care Navigator is focused on individual growth and development in practice with increased levels of self-direction. This nurse brings principles and theory with limited application of critical thinking skills. Provides patient management, care coordination, and disposition planning for cancer patients. The Cancer Care Navigator assists Veterans, family members, and caregivers with receiving the most appropriate options and services to meet their complex health care needs. Coordinates care with multiple providers across all levels and sites of care. Coordination also includes assuring services interface within the Veterans Affairs (VA) and community programs to provide continuity of care to patients. Provides oversight of the patient's journey through the diagnostic and treatment continuum, ensuring that all steps in the process are scheduled, timely and completed, while tracking the overall treatment plan. They will follow select patients from the earliest suspicion of cancer through the continuum of cancer care including diagnosis, treatment, survivorship/surveillance, or palliation/end of life. The Cancer Care Navigator will interface with outside referral agencies and ensure that their business and clinical practices are compliant with regulatory standards. Anticipates and implements preventive patient care measures. Possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age-specific needs, providing care as considered necessary. Provides guidance and education to patients and caregivers and collaborates with other professionals at all levels. Addresses psychosocial, as well as nursing and medical needs of patients and their families/caregivers, through participation with the interdisciplinary care team. Ensures the plan of care and educational requirements are individualized and tailored specifically to support each individual patient's needs. Reports status of service needs and contributes to problem resolution and modification of processes as necessary. Evaluates care and outcomes to ensure timely and appropriate provision of services. Advocates for holistic care through patient/family education and provider interaction and implements an educational plan to meet the patient care needs.