Nurse Navigator - Ortho

Overview

At Houston Methodist, the Nurse Navigator position is responsible for serving as an expert population-specific clinician, patient/client advocate and assisting population-specific patients/families to navigate the complex healthcare system in an organized, effective and efficient manner. This position will assist with the standardization and efficiency of care for patients in the service line throughout the continuum of patient care. The Nurse Navigator position models patient-centered care and assumes leadership responsibilities with high level contributions in direct patient interaction, the department, the service line, and across the institution. Responsibilities for this position may include, but are not limited to, leading survivorship activities, participating in nursing initiatives such as Pathway to Excellence/Magnet, assessing service line needs related to practice and improvement opportunities, coordinating program education and serving as a clinical resource for both program and hospital staff.

Houston Methodist Standard

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVEDRefer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

Responsibilities

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develops strong relationships with physicians, their office staff, and healthcare providers to ensure effective communication in patient care. Serves as a liaison between ancillary departments, clinical specialists, physicians and patients to ensure efficient patient flow for service line patients. Serves as a clinical resource for complex and/or highly specialized patient care situations to patient care providers and other health care professionals within the hospital and in the community, as appropriate.

• Builds and maintains relationships with community organizations, interprofessional departments and outside medical service agencies to help coordinate support services for patients. Partners with the Business Development staff to coordinate relationships with external/referring physicians for the program, as appropriate.

• Contributes towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Coordinates all aspects of patient care and development related to the service line. Facilitates entry of patients into the program and assists with coordination of care through personalized interaction. Follows the population-specific patient throughout the postoperative phase of care, continuum of care and/or into survivorship, as applicable. Advocates for patients and caregivers in preventing/resolving clinical or ethical issues, develops supportive department/unit practices and guidelines.

• Educates the patient and caregiver on disease-specific guidelines and surgical and non-surgical treatment options to enable patient-led treatment decisions.

• Develops/updates informational/educational resources and programs related to program services and/or plan of care in partnership with the patient and caregiver; mentors others regarding specialty populations; audits plan of care.

• Teaches nursing care principles with advanced technical knowledge and provides formal education to groups outside the department as needed. Educates and/or