Nurse Navigator - Site Disease Group - Remote - Per Diem

Job Description:

The University of Miami/UHealth - UMHC/SCCC Site Disease Group has an exciting opportunity for a Per Diem Nurse Navigator. The Nurse Navigator is the initial point of contact for a patient entering the health system. The nurse navigator assures timely scheduling of the first appointment, coordination of care after completion of the first appointment, and will support the patient throughout the care continuum. The nurse navigator also serves as a liaison between patients, families, caregivers, and the multidisciplinary care team. The nurse navigator demonstrates commitment to quality patient care, implements creative and innovative ways to meet the diverse needs of the patients and ensures best practices.

Triages new patient appointments to the appropriate provider(s) and assures timely scheduling of initial appointments. Reviews outside medical records for appropriate scheduling. Assess barriers to care and refers to support services, local, and national organizations when needed. Educates on the treatment plan for patients based on diagnosis. Supports patients throughout the care continuum. Counsels individuals and patients on positive health practices. Collaborates with a multidisciplinary team of experts to outline best treatment for patients. Performs holistic evaluation of specialty population, making use of enhanced proven techniques and procedures to achieve better results. Implements the improvement of patient care, and healthcare policies and resources. Mentors other healthcare professionals by functioning as a preceptor or coordinating preceptors for visiting professionals, students, new graduates, and orienteers. Maintains professional knowledge by affiliating with professional and technical organizations, and participating in applicable continuing education programs, conferences, seminars, and workshops. Adheres to University and unit-level policies and procedures and safeguards University assets.

Department Specific Functions:

• Assess patient needs upon initial encounter and periodically throughout navigation, matching unmet needs with appropriate referrals and support services.
• Identifies potential and realized barriers to care and facilitates referrals as appropriate to mitigate barriers.
• Reviews, patients’ medical records, test results and any other documentation required for the first visit.
• Facilitates timely scheduling of appointments, diagnostic testing, and procedures to expedite the plan of care and to promote continuity of care.
• Participates in coordination of the plan of care with the multidisciplinary team, promoting timely follow-up on treatment and supportive care recommendations.
• Serves as a liaison for patients, families, caregivers, staff, and referring physicians
• Greet patients on the day of clinic and provide them with personalized schedule, education, and appropriate resources.
• Orients and educates patients, families, and caregivers to the cancer healthcare system, multidisciplinary team member roles and available resources.
• Help to explain treatment recommendations to patients and caregivers and appropriately answer questions.
• Work with referring physicians to understand their preferences for communication about patients’ test results, treatment progress and manage those communications
• Communicates with physicians as needed by phone, emails or in person for new patient referrals and scheduling priorities.
• Help eligible patient’s access appropriate clinical trials
• Track individual patients’ progress along care continuum; identify potential bottlenecks and perform appropriate interventions
• Work with oncology administrators to understand any changes in reporting metrics.
• Identify bottlenecks in the patient pathway and gaps in care; propose process improvement measures to address them
• Communicates with other staff to coordinate patient care activities.
• Participate with other members of the healthcare team to provide patients with supportive care services.
• Refers patients to local and national community support groups/services

Coordination of Educational Activities:

• Identify and document individual patient’s barriers to learning
• Educate patients and families about disease process, treatment options, potential side effects
• Assist patients with treatment decision making; develop and use decision aids as appropriate
• Provide pre and post-operative education to all groups
• Educate patients about survivorship, set expectations for the post-treatment transition, remain available to patients and families for questions during the continuum of treatment and at survivorship.
• Assist with identification of survivors and delivery of the survivorship care plan.
• Advocate for patient and support with end-of-life/palliative care decisions
• Educate patients and families about diet, exercise, smoking cessation and other wellness and cancer prevention strategies

Psychosocial Support:

• Administer psychosocial screening at patients’ at time of intake; repeat screening at regular intervals or as needed
• Make referrals to social worker, financial counselor, or support services as needed; facilitate scheduling and monitor patients to ensure follow-though
• Check in with patients via phone on day prior to surgery and/or treatment start; ensure patients know exactly what to expect before, during and after procedure
• Facilitates shared decision making with the patients, caregivers, families, and care team.
• Supports a smooth transition of patients from active treatment into survivorship, chronic cancer management, and end-of life care.
• Promotes advances care planning by assisting patients in formulating a discussion with their care team.

Multidisciplinary Clinical Support:

• Help determine which patients are eligible for clinical trial participation.
• Facilitate new patient referrals into the clinical trials program.
• Attend Tumor Board Conference and be available for coordination of care recommended post conference.
• Maintain communication with the tumor registry when needed.
• Actively solicit and record feedback from referring physicians and their staff; develop recommendations for improving clinical operations to better meet their needs
• Meet with physicians who have the potential to become referral sources for the cancer program to provide information about the cancer center and its related programs.
• Track new patients throughout the care continuum through the EPIC and ensure key follow-up time points are met.
• Ensures documentation of patient encounter and provided services.
• Collaborate with marketing and communications departments in events as needed.
• Assist in developing patient education materials.
• Develop collaborative relationships with local individuals, agencies and organizations that provide cancer education and support for cancer patients
• Collaborate with community outreach programs designed to increase public awareness of cancer, cancer prevention and the importance or regular screening

Leadership Responsibilities:

• Must be able to perform job duties as an independent professional and as a team player; organizational skills sufficient to set own priorities and facilitate work team progress.
• Contributes to the nurse navigator program and role development, implementation, and evaluation within the healthcare system and community.
• Orients new staff to their group and is cross trained to other groups
• Attends staff meetings and other meetings as needed
• Ensure compliance with mandatory in-services and employee health procedures.
• Actively supports and participates in performance improvement activities
• Ensures compliance with all facility policies and procedures and all HIPPA, ACHA, JCAHO, OSHA standards and regulations

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as necessary.

Minimum Requirements:

Education:

Graduate from an Accredited School of Nursing, BSN required

Certification and Licensing:

Valid State of Florida Registered Nurse (RN) license, BLS certification required

Experience:

Minimum 2 years of relevant work experience

The University of Miami offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, tuition remission and more.