Description

Under supportive supervision of the Director, Oncology Services, the Oncology Nurse Navigator provides individualized assistance to tumor site specific patients and their families in overcoming barriers to care, facilitating timely access to care, and providing education and clinical support. The cancer patients' trajectory through diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare survivorship will be seamless and coordinated in collaboration with the multidisciplinary oncology team. ; ;The Oncology Nurse Navigator is responsible for patient assessment and identification of patient specific needs. Identifying barriers, and having the knowledge to overcome these barriers, locating resources, coordinating services, providing clinical care, education, and referrers patients to needed supportive services. The Oncology Nurse Navigator advocates for the patients and builds trust, provides emotional support, helps navigate the healthcare system to ensure timely and coordinated care. Serves as a point person for the physicians. Maintains accurate and complete documentation, decreases disparities in care, and reduction of of patients. Serves as an active member of cancer committee and participates in tumor boards and community outreach.
Core Competencies
Collaborates with the multidisciplinary team to coordinate patient care.	Contributes to the development of program and hospital operational goals for the Hunt Cancer Institute that support hospital-wide long range planning through participation in working group meetings and the Oncology committee.	Contributes to ONN program development, implementation, and evaluation within care system and community.	Assesses educational needs of patients, families and caregivers, taking into consideration barriers of care. Provides and reinforces education to patients, families, and caregivers about diagnosis, treatment, side effect management, and post treatment care and survivorship.	Promotes awareness of clinical trials to patients, families, and caregivers.	Assesses patient needs upon initial encounter and periodically throughout navigation, matching unmet needs with appropriate services, referrals, and support services.	Identifies and minimizes barriers of care through appropriate referrals	Coordinates/manages patient care and acts as a liaison between physicians and patients across the continuum of care	Assesses distress and provides psychosocial support and facilitates appropriate referrals especially during periods of high stress and anxiety	Demonstrates interpersonal communication skills that enable exchange of ideas and information effective with patients, families, and colleagues of all levels	Builds therapeutic and trusting relationships with patients’ families and caregivers through effective communication and listening skills	Participates in tracking of metrics and patient outcomes, in collaboration with administration, to document and evaluate outcomes of the navigation program and report findings to the cancer committee
Department Specific Competencies
Education
Degree	Program
Bachelors	Nursing
Additional Information
Graduation from an accredited school of nursing or satisfactory completion of course of study as specified in current Laws Relating to Nursing Education Licensure-Practice with Rules and Regulations. Title 16, Section 1433 inclusive
Experience
Number of Years Experience	Type of Experience
2	Oncology nursing
Additional Information
N/A
License / Certification Requirements
Registered Nurse License
BCLS or ACLS Certification
OCN Certification or CBCN for Nurse Breast Navigators within one year of hire