ED Nurse Navigator

Bothwell Regional Health Center•Sedalia, MO

28d

About The Position

An Emergency Department (ED) Nurse Navigator in the waiting room acts as a dedicated patient advocate: monitoring patient flow, assessing needs, and providing education and emotional support. This nurse serves as a single point of contact, troubleshoots issues, and helps patients and families manage the waiting room experience more efficiently. Nurse navigators primarily focus on the clinical aspects of a patient's care in their respective healthcare facilities. Often, they help patients navigate their way to quality and timely care while explaining and responding to questions related to the treatment process. Navigators contribute actively to the movement of patients through the department by monitoring patient timelines and flagging a patient who is approaching their time limit for each stage or who appears to have stalled in the process, and helping to identify and troubleshoot in crisis areas.

Requirements

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is required
1-2 years of nursing experience in an emergency department or critical care setting is desired.
Current, unrestricted RN license in MO.
Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Trauma advanced certifications (TNCC, ATCN) are required.
Strong clinical skills and critical thinking abilities, with the capacity to perform under pressure.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a focus on patient-centered care.
Ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment and collaborate with other healthcare professionals.
Proficiency in using electronic health records (EHR) and other healthcare technologies.
The role involves working in a high-stress, fast-paced environment with exposure to emergency situations and critically ill patients.
Shift work, including nights, weekends, and holidays, is required.
The position requires standing for extended periods and may involve lifting, moving, or assisting patient.

Nice To Haves

Pediatric Course (ENPC) certifications is preferred.

Responsibilities

Patient Flow & Triage: Monitor the waiting room, track patient timelines, and identify patients who may have stalled in the process. This includes from the time patients have been registered, triaged, and even discharged. Assist with discharge if able through PIT process.
Needs Assessment: Perform reassessments throughout patient wait times to determine if patient condition has changed/deteriorated, and update the triage and/or charge nurse accordingly.
Patient Advocacy: Serve as a patient advocate, ensuring their needs are met, and acting as a liaison between patients, families, and the clinical care team.
Information & Education: Provide patients and families with clear, accurate information regarding their condition, possible treatment procedures, and the expectations of their stay, including a possible timeline, reinforcing that there is no guarantee that there will be “a next room available”.
Resource Connection: Connect patients with necessary resources and services, including social work, counseling, and community support, if needed/requested.
Logistical Coordination: Help manage patient care timelines to promote efficient movement through the ED. Assist with lab draws, facilitate radiology testing, etc. as ordered through triage.
Troubleshooting: Identify and address barriers to care, such as transport, increased EMS offloading, higher acuity patient census, ED bed holds, etc., and resolve issues that may be delaying a patient's progress through the ED.
Emotional Support: Provide emotional support and empowerment to patients and their families during their time in the waiting room. Offer warm blankets, ice packs, splints, etc., as needed/warranted.
Liaison: Communicate with triage/charge nurse and main ER to address patient concerns and facilitate appropriate decision-making.
Data Collection: Collect and report data on patient barriers and healthcare information to contribute to system improvement. Ensure accessibility to all healthcare documents and information. Ensure patients are aware of access to patient portal.
Rounding: Round on waiting room patients frequently, at least hourly, to ensure their needs are met and are updated as to the progress of the ER status board. Answer any questions they have to the best of the navigator’s ability, and assist in any way possible.
Documentation: Place a brief note in each patient’s chart that the navigator comes into contact with, detailing any questions asked/assistance rendered.