NURSE NAVIGATOR - BREAST CENTER

Job Summary

The Breast Nurse Navigator acts as a liaison between medical staff and patients, their families, and caregivers.  They provide customized continuous care, such as supporting patients through appointments, testing and educating them on procedures, side effects, and medications.  The Nurse Navigator works collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to ensure timely and effective access to care by facilitating referrals and expediting appointments.  The Nurse Navigator serves as a resource to patients, providers and departments within the independence Health system as well as external agencies.  Thay are competent in clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills for managing complex and high-risk patients, while simultaneously assuming the patients advocate role to ensure culturally competent care.   

Essential Job Functions           

• Provides highly personalized, supportive care to breast patients and their families.
• Facilitates provider recommendations and ensures patient understanding of the necessity of such care.
• Serves as the point-of-contact from biopsy calls to treatment and the recovery period while maintaining the privacy and security of all confidential and protected health information.
• Assist patients and their families in dealing with the psychological and emotional stresses of breast cancer and treatment, as well as referrals to supportive services and financial assistance.
• Systematically and continually performs the functions of assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the care of patients- including physical, psychosocial, social, and spiritual assessments.
• Provides education on diagnoses, treatment options, pre-and post-surgical care, and future health management and preventative strategies
• Drafts quarterly report cards and presents to Breast Cancer Steering Committee and other groups to demonstrate outcomes and performance improvement activities
• Collaborates with the Tumor Registry to utilize data as information in presenting, planning, coordinating care and services
• Accountable for participating in data analysis related to utilization, participation and quality concerning the breast program and within scope of job function.
• Develops patient education programs and tools on breast health and serves as resource for community educational events, such as health fairs, screenings, symposiums, and lectures, as well as staff education
• Actively involved in obtaining and maintaining the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) accreditation including an ongoing review of policies and procedures and writing new policies where appropriate to enhance professional practice.
• Documents patient care by charting in patient records
• Functions as a preceptor for new Nurse Navigators
• Other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications 

• Graduate of an accredited Nursing Program required.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing or related field (Health Administration, Business, Public Health, Management)

• Two (2) years direct medical/surgical experience.
• Strong leadership ability, independent thinking and decision-making ability; analytical problem-solving skills, sound judgment; excellent oral and written communication skills, must be able to function in a team environment.
• Strong time management and organizational skills; ability to work independently and in a team setting; is able to multi-task and prioritize assignments and demonstrate excellent problem-solving skills and creativity.
• Working knowledge: PC and Related Software (Microsoft Office)

Preferred Qualifications

• Two (2) years of oncology experience in a hospital, office or ambulatory setting.

• Nursing Specialty Certification CBCN (Certified Breast Care Nurse), ONC (Oncology Certified Nurse) or ONN-CG℠ (Oncology Nurse Navigator–Certified Generalist℠)
• Experience as nurse educator or RN case manager

License, Certification & Clearances

• Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania required.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program required.
• Act 34-PA Criminal Record Check from the PA State Police system.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities but may serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc..) Mon-Friday, weekends and holidays off. May adjust schedules to meet the needs of the patients.
• Travel may be expected locally between health system locations.

Equal Employment Opportunity 

Independence Health and its affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. It is their policy to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other classification protected by law. Independence Health and its affiliated companies will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Disclaimer 

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Moreover, duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

 Work Environment

Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines

Physical Demands

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.