Nurse Navigator - Oncology (Complex GI) - San Antonio - Full-time / Part-time

The Adult Oncology NurseNavigator functions as a member ofthe multidisciplinary team and serves as anadvocate and educator for cancer patients, from diagnosis through end of activetreatment. The Adult Oncology Nurse Navigator's primary function is toensure the patient remains compliant to the treatment plan.
Navigators achieve this goal by buildingrelationships with patients and physicians, coordinating the plan of care,assisting with appointments, transportation needs, education, resourceprovision and/or representation within the multidisciplinary careenvironment. The Navigator also assumesresponsibility and accountability for the management of resources to achieveefficient, high-quality outcomes for cancer patients, including support withinterdisciplinary and cross-facililty coverage and collaboration.
The Navigator will serve as a liaison between the patientand family, all physicians involved in that patient's care, internal andexternal healthcare providers, support network members, and the widerhealthcare community.
This role willrequire collaboration with local physician liaisons and leadership to conductinternal and external outreach and marketing.
Duties include but are not limited to: * Serve aspatient advocate from diagnosis to end of active treatment * After notification via physician and/or NavQuesoftware, initiate contact with patient at time of diagnosis to introducenavigation program and Navigator role * Be accessible to patients and family membersthroughout the cancer care continuum, and be responsive, knowledgeable, andempathetic regarding all care needs * Respond to patient challenges/barriers to careuntil resolution is achieved * Assesspatients' medical, social, psychosocial, and other care needs * On an individual basis, use appropriate tools toidentify patient needs and barriers to care and provide access to potentialresolutions * Identify health disparities and assist inremoval of these disparities * Provideappropriate teaching, outreach, and support to patients and families.
Ensure the patient is empowered to managehis/her own healthcare needs * Provide clarification on the healthcare systemthroughout the care pathway * Support providers to assist patients inunderstanding their diagnosis, treatment options, and the resources available,including education, clinical research studies, and technologic advances * Provide education/connection to resources onsubjects that fall beyond the scope of individual modalities (access tosupportive care, financial support, return to work) * Streamlineprocesses for patients by assisting with appointment scheduling and paperworkpreparation * Ensure the organization of appointments andexplain the sequence of treatments * Ensure smooth transitions between caremodalities, facilities, and providers.
Introduce patients to appropriate caregivers, as needed.
* Facilitate patient movement through theappropriate clinical pathway and collaborate with physicians to ensure patientcompliance * Coachand assist patients to remove barriers related to insurance coverage,transportation, child care, finances, language, etc.
so they can focus on theirtreatment plan, not these barriers * Connectpatients to hospital and community resources Education: Minimum Required: Associate Degree Preferred: Bachelor's Degree Experience: Minimum Required: 1-3 years overall nursing experience Certification or License: Minimum Required Certification in Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) Current licensure as a registered nurse Preferred: Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) certification achieved or in progress