Registered Nurse RN Patient Navigator Primary Care Behavioral Health

Banner Health•Phoenix, AZ

15d•Onsite

About The Position

The RN Navigator supports delivery and operational success of the Collaborative Care Model within primary care practices. The role coordinates care among primary care providers, behavioral health clinicians, consulting psychiatrists, patients, and community resources to provide evidence-based care for people experiencing behavioral health conditions. Responsibilities include care coordination, patient outreach, symptom monitoring, treatment-plan follow-up, and population health management for patients with depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and other behavioral health conditions. The navigator manages patient registries, facilitates timely intervention when symptoms worsen, and promotes adherence to treatment recommendations. The position provides comprehensive care coordination across the continuum of care, supports informed decision-making, and collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to facilitate screening, diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care. It assists patients, families, and caregivers in identifying and overcoming barriers to quality medical and psychosocial care. The role is facility-based, works independently within established procedures, and confers with a supervisor about unusual situations. It has no budgetary responsibility. This is a full-time, salaried position working a day shift, typically 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Hours may start earlier or later on occasion depending on patient needs. The position is based in Phoenix, Arizona, at Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field.
Current RN license in the state of practice.
BLS certification.
Five years of clinical experience.
Excellent organizational skills and clinical knowledge regarding specialty care services and care coordination.
Knowledge of legal and financial aspects of diagnostic and health services in the specialty area.
Effective communication and writing skills.
Good time-management skills.
Knowledge of word-processing and database software applications.
Ability to teach clinical and non-clinical personnel about care and diagnostic services.
Good understanding of process improvement.

Nice To Haves

Current certification in a specialty area.
Prior case management experience.
Additional related education and/or experience.
Experience in behavioral health, psychiatric nursing, integrated care, care management, case management, population health, or chronic disease management.
Experience working in primary care settings.
Familiarity with Collaborative Care principles.

Responsibilities

Assess patients’ plans of care; develop, implement, monitor, and document resource utilization and patient progress, facilitating options and services to meet health care needs.
Evaluate medical necessity and appropriateness of care to optimize outcomes; act as a liaison for referring physicians and assist with scheduling initial tests and consultations.
Support patients and families through diagnostic services, treatment, and care; coordinate disease care using an interdisciplinary, holistic approach and make appropriate referrals and consultations with physicians and providers.
Ensure patients and families understand diagnostic processes, care strategies, and recommended actions, and provide information in coordination with physicians and health care providers.
Respond to patient requests for information about disease processes, expected side effects, and community resources.
Evaluate patients’ functional abilities and limitations, determine whether intervention is needed, establish functional and measurable patient-related treatment goals, and implement plans of care to achieve those goals.
Collaborate with patients and families when setting goals, initiate discharge planning, and recommend additions to or modifications of referring orders.
Support patients and families during difficult decision-making periods, coordinate end-of-life care when needed, and provide emotional support.
Support population-level process improvement to achieve optimal clinical, financial, operational, and satisfaction outcomes.
Participate in staff development to maintain current standards of practice and ensure quality care.
Establish collaborative relationships with physicians, payers, and other health care team members; collect and communicate timely information to meet utilization and regulatory requirements.
Coordinate patient care across facilities and specialty practices, addressing evaluation, treatment, and discharge-planning needs.