Nurse Navigator, RN – Spine, Pain & Surgical Care

Summit Surgical•Hutchinson, KS

About The Position

Summit is hiring a Nurse Navigator for its Spine and Pain clinic and surgical programs, with an additional role as Lead RN for BreakThru, its medically managed withdrawal program. This is a new, expanded role at a small, physician-owned surgical hospital, offering varied and independent work across clinic, hospital, and community settings. The Nurse Navigator supports patients from referral through treatment and recovery, helps resolve barriers to care, and contributes to patient access, outcomes, and program operations. The role includes guiding patients through Spine and Pain care; following qualifying surgical patients from pre-op through 90 days after discharge under CMS TEAM; coordinating care transitions and post-discharge outreach; and supporting quality data, documentation, and performance improvement. As BreakThru’s clinical lead and point of contact, the Lead RN completes standardized nursing assessments, collaborates with physicians and community partners, develops aftercare plans, follows up with patients at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, and supports education and program quality improvement. The position works in varied environments, including medical offices, acute care facilities, operating rooms, and recovery rooms, with potential for off-premise work and travel. The role involves regular exposure to patient conditions, unpleasant sights and odors, noise, bodily fluids, and communicable diseases, as well as interaction with patients and others who may be upset or ill. Physical demands include walking, bending, stooping, crawling, squatting, lifting up to 50 pounds and occasionally up to 75 pounds, and potentially standing for long periods. The position is full-time and does not typically require weekend shifts; the schedule may include on-call responsibilities for BreakThru.

Requirements

Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) required.
Current, active Registered Nurse (RN) license in Kansas, or eligibility for licensure by endorsement.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required.
Minimum of two years of clinical nursing experience.
Strong clinical assessment, critical thinking, and clinical decision-making skills.
Excellent interpersonal, communication, and patient education skills, including the ability to engage compassionately with patients experiencing substance use disorders and complex surgical recovery.
Knowledge of substance use disorders, withdrawal physiology, and evidence-based withdrawal management protocols.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
Proficiency with electronic health records (EHR) and clinical documentation systems.
Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities across two program areas.
Commitment to patient confidentiality, dignity, and non-judgmental, trauma-informed care.
Ability to meet physical demands, including walking, bending, stooping, crawling, squatting, lifting up to 50 pounds and at times up to 75 pounds, and standing for extended periods.
Visual acuity and manual dexterity to use computers and facility operating systems, and auditory acuity to interact effectively with patients and the public.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification.
Certified Addictions Registered Nurse (CARN) or similar certification.
Experience in medical/surgical nursing, behavioral health, substance use treatment, or care coordination.
Familiarity with, or ability to quickly learn, CMS bundled payment models, value-based care concepts, and care coordination methodologies.

Responsibilities

Guide Spine and Pain patients from referral through evaluation, treatment, and follow-up.
Identify and resolve delays involving records, imaging, authorizations, scheduling, and missed appointments.
Partner with providers and clinic staff to improve patient flow and access.
Identify and follow qualifying surgical patients from pre-op through 90 days after discharge under CMS TEAM.
Coordinate care transitions with patients, families, surgeons, case managers, and post-acute providers.
Complete post-discharge outreach to address care gaps and help prevent complications and readmissions.
Support quality data, documentation, and performance improvement, and serve as the team’s TEAM resource.
Serve as the BreakThru program’s clinical lead and point of contact.
Complete nursing assessments using standardized tools, including CIWA-Ar and COWS.
Work with physicians, pharmacists, social workers, and community partners on patient-centered care.
Develop aftercare and discharge plans and build relationships with referral partners.
Follow up with patients at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months to support recovery and track outcomes.
Educate patients, families, and staff, and support program quality improvement.