CLINICAL NURSE NAVIGATOR-CANCER CENTER

LOCATION: John H Stroger Hospital - Chicago, IL

DEPARTMENT:  Cancer Center

SHIFT: Days 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Salary is commensurate with years of experience indicated at time of application submittal.  Experience not disclosed or documented at the time of application will not be considered for initial step placement.

Job Summary               Non - Union

Under the administrative direction of the Director of Operations, CCH Cancer Programming & Initiative and clinical oversight with the Nursing Leadership, the Clinical Nurse Navigator is the first point of contact with the CCH Cancer Center. This position provides a concierge level customer service to ensure patients receive pertinent information and understand the complete care continuum process. This position evaluates, assesses, and documents patients' concerns, symptoms, and pertinent medical history. Assess patients based on the patient's own evaluation and responses to questions. Refers and schedules patients to doctors and specialty service in accordance with clinical conditions. Prioritizes level of urgency and determines essential needs and available resources. When appropriate provides callers with advice on self-management and circumstances to watch for. Performs outbound follow-up calls to determine illness improvement and/or additional healthcare needs and referrals.

This position is exempt from Career Service under the CCH Personnel Rules.

Typical Duties

   Navigation duties

• Triages and schedules clinic appointments for patients requiring specialty evaluation at Cook County Health (CCH) facilities.
• Obtains internal and external referrals prior to scheduling clinic/procedure visits, when appropriate.
• Requests and obtains medical records to facilitate decision making during clinic visits.
• Schedules, reschedules and cancels oncology appointments assigned service lines as needed.
• Calls patients to remind and confirm them their scheduled appointment
• Works with Medical Assistants and Cancer Patient liaisons to verify insurance as current prior to the initial appointment as well as again prior to surgery/procedure.
• Communicates with all oncology patients to set up appointments, provides patients with information about the appointment, advanced testing, informs patients of timelines, and answers any insurance-related questions about their appointment.  Contacts insurance carriers, as needed.
• Assists with connecting patients to various supportive services as necessary to ensure the patients ability to attend appointments.

   Care Coordination

• Assists with authorization for dietary and home health.
• Works with internal and external departments to coordinate and facilitate multidisciplinary care planning.
• Orders appropriate labs, tests and further clinical appointments as needed.
• Ensures patients adhere to appointments and all testing and assists in rescheduling, if necessary.  Makes it a point to follow-up on no call no shows to reschedule and limit delay in care.
• Acts as a liaison between the patient, navigators, the financial pre-authorization team, and the patient liaison team.
• Follows up on all orders for patients to make sure all appointments are scheduled in a timely manner and that all appropriate documentation is in the chart.
• Makes rounds with assigned staff to assess and ensure efficient clinic throughput and patient progression toward their scheduled appointments to minimize cancelations and missed appointments
• Coordinates social work and insurance as appropriate to obtain any necessary approvals medications, physical and occupational therapy, and supplies as appropriate.
• Shares patient medical records with referring provider to assure transparency in healthcare treatment plan.
• Performs other duties as assigned.  

   Patient Care Duties

• Wound care including but not limited to skin toxicities from radiation treatments, Immunotherapy rash, chemotherapy rash, severe mucositis, trach stoma care, colostomy, surgical incisions, and infected central line sites
• Makes rounds on patients/ families post therapy/procedure to ensure that appropriate follow up care is provided and that established protocols are followed.
• Provides patient education regarding disease-specific cancer care and testing to patients and families

Minimum Qualifications

• Licensed Registered Professional Nurse in the State of Illinois or must obtain license prior to starting employment, is required (Must provide proof at time of interview if already obtained).
• A minimum of three (3) years of Registered Nurse (RN) clinical experience with at least one (1) year of Oncology nursing experience is required.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office is required.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, required (Must provide proof at time of interview)

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited college or university, preferred.
• Master's degree from an accredited college or university, preferred.
• Prior experience as a clinical navigator or in care coordination, preferred.
• Prior experience with leading performance improvement initiatives (e.g., LEAN six sigma), preferred.
• Experience with telephone counseling or triage, preferred.
• Experience tracking clinical metrics and generating report, preferred.
• ONS Certified, preferred.
• Bilingual, preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics

• Proficient use of the electronic medical record, necessary to accomplish all aspects of this job
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills necessary to interact with a variety of people from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds as well as hospital employees across all levels of the organization
• Strong customer service and empathy skills
• Demonstrate analytical and organizational, problem-solving, critical thinking, and conflict management/resolution skills
• Demonstrate attention to detail, accuracy and precision
• Ability to prioritize, plan, and organize projects and tasks
• Ability to maintain a professional demeanor and composure when challenged
• Ability to function autonomously and work within a self-directed environment, with an ability to also work with and lead teams in a multidisciplinary environment
• Ability to lead performance improvement initiatives and present to relevant committees on outcomes of their work with patients including improving quality of care.
• Ability to demonstrate willingness to cross train to help clinical and administrative staff in the clinics
• Ability to maintain knowledge of all surgery policies and procedures and adhere to them. Ability to assure compliance with policies and procedures, standards of performance and productivity, quality standards, environmental and infection control and other regulatory requirements.
• Ability to track clinical metrics and provide reports

Physical and Environmental Demands
This position is functioning within a healthcare environment. The incumbent is responsible for adherence to all hospital and department specific safety requirements. This includes but is not limited to the following policies and procedures: complying with Personal Protective Equipment requirements, hand washing and sanitizing practices, complying with department specific engineering and work practice controls and any other work area safety precautions as specified by hospital wide policy and departmental procedures.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being
performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as
an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the personnel so classified.
For purposes of the American with Disabilities Act, “Typical Duties” are essential job functions.

 VETERAN PREFERENCE

 PLEASE READ

When applying for employment with the Cook County Health & Hospitals System, preference is given to honorably discharged Veterans who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States for not less than 6 months of continuous service

To take advantage of this preference a Veteran must:     

·      Meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

·      Identify self as a Veteran on the employment application by answering yes to the question by answering yes to the question, “Are you a Military Veteran?”

·     Attach a copy of their DD 214, DD 215 or NGB 22 (Notice of Separation at time of application filing.  Please note:  If you have multiple DD214s, 215s, or NGB 22S, please submit the one with the latest date.  Coast Guard must submit a certified copy of the military separation from either the Department of Transportation (Before 9/11) or the Department of Homeland Security (After 9/11). Discharge papers must list an Honorable Discharge Status.  Discharge papers not listing an Honorable Discharge Status are not acceptable

 OR

A copy of a valid State ID Card or Driver’s License which identifies the holder of the ID as a Veteran, may also be attached to the application at time of filing.

If items are not attached, you will not be eligible for Veteran Preference

VETERANS MUST PROVIDE ORIGINAL APPLICABLE DISCHARGE PAPERS OR APPLICABLE STATE ID CARD OR DRIVER’S LICENSE AT TIME OF INTERVIEW.