Medicine Nurse Navigator-Pulmonary

About the role

The Nurse Navigator will be pivotal in driving the success and change of patients who are at risk of "falling through the cracks" within the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. Utilizing a collaboration between public-private funding, this position works directly with the Division (staff, faculty, fellows) on a specific project to reduce readmissions for a specific disease group, while serving on the front lines of communicable change within the organization on best practices for identification of patients and providing resources. This is a cross-functional role that may involve multiple campuses within FPI/UMMS.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates patient care activity on the phone and in the office and clinic, providing necessary support to the physician within established guidelines
• Patient and Family Education: Explains diagnosis, treatment options, and procedures clearly and concisely; clarifies what to expect at each stage of the care journey; provides written materials and resources tailored to health literacy level
• Barrier Identification and Removal: Identifies obstacles to care (transportation, financial strain, insurance issues, language barriers, childcare, housing instability) and connects patients with social workers, financial counselors, interpreters, or community resources
• Care Coordination: Serves as the central point of contact between patients, physicians, specialists, and ancillary services; schedules and sequences appointments, tests, and procedures to minimize delays; ensures smooth handoffs between different phases of care (diagnosis → treatment → survivorship)
• Data Tracking and Quality Metrics: Documents navigation activities and outcomes for program evaluation
• Becomes familiar with issues important in the care of patients in order to participate in patient education and to serve as a patient/doctor education resource
• Patient care activities within scope of nursing practice include but are not limited to: patient assessment, medication management, collaboration with healthcare providers, patient education, procedural management, and a variety of medically related tasks
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in nursing
• Current Maryland licensure or eligibility to obtain Maryland licensure
• Excellent customer service and communication skills
• Two to three years clinical experience
• Must be able to work independently and take initiative
• Must have outstanding verbal and written communication skills as well as interpersonal skills
• Must be able to interact with a diverse patient base and be an empathic listener

Skills

• CPR certification is preferred