Nurse Navigator

Surgery Partners•Wichita Falls, TX

18d

About The Position

The Nurse Navigator/Pre Admit RN serves as an educator and advocate for patients, coordinating engagement throughout the episode of care—from days before surgery through months after surgery. Working with a multidisciplinary team, the nurse coordinates care, promotes continuity, and supports a comfortable patient experience. The role manages preoperative through postoperative recovery checkpoints, facilitates early intervention, and serves as a liaison among practitioners involved in the navigation cycle. Pre-admission duties include completing patient assessments by phone before admission or the day of surgery, collecting medical history, and coordinating patient needs with the anesthesia department. The position supports the total joint and spine program’s efforts to reduce length of stay and hospital readmissions through nursing assessments, physician consultation, and coordination of patient and family care plans. The nurse coordinates patient education and contact before surgery, during surgery and hospitalization, and after discharge; monitors patients during the 90-day episode of care, including in the home setting; and tracks complications and readmissions to improve coordination and outcomes. The role also monitors clinical quality measures, recommends improvements, and contributes to the development and maintenance of patient education materials and quality measures. Pre-admission nursing work includes telephone and patient triage, verbal assessments, coordinating preoperative requirements through the nursing process, communicating arrival times and NPO instructions, responding to inquiries, and conducting follow-up calls as requested. The nurse is expected to promote patient safety, confidentiality, customer service, and the center’s policies and goals, while maintaining professional growth and flexibility in patient-care tasks. The work takes place in a normal, busy office environment with substantial telephone work. Domestic travel may be needed, up to 20% of the time.

Requirements

At least 5 years of RN experience in a hospital and/or ambulatory surgery center (ASC).
At least 2 years of clinical orthopedic and spine experience, with an understanding of post-acute care.
Active RN license as required by the state of Texas.
BLS certification.
Critical-thinking skills, decisive judgment, and the ability to work with minimal supervision.
Excellent interpersonal skills and written, oral, and presentation communication skills.
Ability to travel domestically up to 20% of the time if needed.
Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Nice To Haves

At least three years of experience in health education, including some direct education work with the public.
BSN.
ACLS certification.
Previous patient navigation or case management experience.
Knowledge of quality metrics, complications, and patient safety indicators.
Statistical training.

Responsibilities

Coordinate patient engagement and care throughout the surgical episode, from pre-surgery through months following surgery.
Serve as a liaison among patients, families, practitioners, and the multidisciplinary care team.
Conduct pre-admission patient assessments by phone or in person, collect medical history, and coordinate patient needs with the anesthesia department.
Support the total joint and spine program through nursing assessments, physician consultation, and patient and family care-plan coordination.
Coordinate patient education and direct patient contact before surgery, during hospitalization, and following discharge.
Review nursing assessments, physician input, and reports and incorporate relevant information into care plans.
Build trust and rapport with patients and families, maintain contact after discharge, and track patients in the home setting to help prevent readmissions.
Act as the central point of contact for patients and families during the 90-day episode of care.
Assist with service-line development to improve patient care.
Track patients who experience complications or readmission and coordinate care to reduce further readmissions.
Identify quality and performance measures and provide input on measures for the full episode of care.
Monitor clinical quality measures in real time and intervene where possible to improve quality or minimize complications.
Assess quality metrics and recommend improvement areas to clinical departments.
Identify patient education needs before surgery, including education on recovery planning and complication prevention.
Contribute to the design and development of patient education materials, including in-person education, presentations, guidebooks, digital materials, and videos.
Coordinate maintenance of current patient education content.
Use appropriate telephone and patient triage skills and respond to telephone inquiries.
Ensure preoperative care requirements are completed using the nursing process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Promote patient safety by assessing physical and psychological needs.
Perform outbound follow-up calls as requested and provide general health information.
Communicate patient arrival times and NPO instructions as prescribed.
Follow center policies, protocols, and safety plans; support the center’s goals and philosophies.
Provide age-appropriate care, adhere to The Joint Commission professional standards, and attend in-service training as directed.
Maintain patient confidentiality and provide high-quality customer service to patients, families, physicians, and colleagues.
Accept responsibility for professional growth and continued education.