Ambulatory Oncology Nurse Navigator

Department Overview

The Oncology Nurse Navigator will work collaboratively with the Community Hem/Onc teams when a patient is referred to the department and throughout the cancer continuum. 

 

This position also comes with great benefits! Some highlights include:

• Comprehensive health care plans. Covered at 100% of the cost for full-time employees and 88% for dependents.
• $50K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from
• Vacation - 192 to 288 hours per year depending on length of service, prorated for part-time
  • Holidays - up to 64 holiday hours per calendar year (employees accrue .0308 holiday hours for each hour paid – included in vacation accruals)
• Sick Leave - 96 hours per year, prorated for part-time
• Substantial public transportation discounts (Tri-met and C-Tran)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Innovative Employee Assistance Program (EAP) including extensive wellness resources

Function/Duties of Position

The RN Navigator works with the Providers to ensure that all baseline clinical information, both diagnostic and therapeutic, is gathered together in a systematic fashion prior to the patients visit.  S/he works to ensure that new patients are prepared for the testing, evaluation and potential outcome of the visits ahead of time.

2 The RN Navigator collaborates with the Team Coordinators and Managed Care Coordinators to ensure that all appropriate business related information is gathered prior to the visit, authorizations have been obtained and pre-registration has taken place.

3 The RN Navigator may be called upon to assign tasks to team members after assessing patient needs, staff skills and resources.

4 The RN Navigator collaborates with other members of the team to ensure that patient flow is expedited during clinical practice sessions.

5 The RN Navigator ensures that Provider orders that result from the new patient visit are recorded and executed.  S/he also works to ensure that laboratory and other diagnostic findings are available to clinicians in a timely fashion after tests are performed.  S/he tracks the post visit flow information to ensure that plans of care are executed in a timely fashion.

6 The RN Navigator ensures that when hospitalization is required; those patients and their family members understand prior to admission, what they can expect during the pre-hospitalization, hospital stay and post discharge period.  The RN Navigator is expected to troubleshoot any problems that patients and their families may encounter in preparing for or during their hospital stay.

General Clinical/Patient Care

1 Identifies the needs of patients through observations of disease symptoms, emotional state, cultural and socioeconomic background and response to medical regimen and treatment.  Uses knowledge of the cognitive, physical, emotional and chronological maturation process.  Incorporates assessment of pain, nutritional and functional need.

2 Triages and responds or refers inquiries appropriately.  Recognizes and reports specific physical and emotional conditions/needs/concerns of the patients to appropriate members of the health care team.  Alerts Providers to unusual observations of patients to facilitate immediate attention e.g. respiratory distress.

3 Plans as appropriate for the needs of patients and uses knowledge of the cognitive, physical, emotional and chronological maturation process.  Collaborates with Providers and other members of the clinical support team in planning for the needs of the patients.

4 Provides individualized nursing care that responds to the needs of patients and demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment required by patients.

5 Responds to the emotional needs of patients by demonstrating sensitivity to the emotional state of patients and by relating to patients in an appropriate manner.  Refers to appropriate members of the health team indicated.

6 Assesses patient/family learning needs; including barriers to learning and the most effective teaching methods.  Implements patient teaching utilizing all available resources.

7 Responds appropriately in emergencies.  Is knowledgeable about the contents of the code cart and can initiate and assist CPR.  Understands the procedures for medical emergencies, code blue and their emergency/disaster situations.

Inpatient Clinical Care

1 RN Navigator will coordinate appointments and order planned admissions and communicate the plan to the inpatient staff to ensure optimal clinical outcomes.

2 RN Navigator will work with the Practice Manager and the service chief in development of protocol and pathway driven care for most common malignancies treated on the Hem/On