Nurse Navigator (Palliative Care)

UPMC Palliative Care is looking for a casual Nurse Navigator to join their dedicated team!

The Nurse Navigator will function as a key member of the palliative care team, providing expert care to streamline access to palliative care and enhance care coordination with focus on the patient experience.  Functions as an advocate for the patient and their loved ones and acts as a liaison for services and resources with emphasis on inpatient to outpatient transitions, access to outpatient palliative options, and the telepalliative program.

This is a casual status role working daylight hours both remotely, and at the Palliative Care department in Oakland.

Responsibilities:
•    Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team in guiding the patient and their loved ones in regard to palliative care options. Provides emotional support specialized patient care and educational needs. Assumes the role of care coordinator and patient advocate throughout the process.
•    Coordinates transitions to outpatient care for patients following inpatient palliative consultation including connection with patients via phone, ensuring appointment scheduling is completed, and providing resources or support as needed.
•    Supports the telepalliative outpatient program and other palliative clinics as needed through clinical support by triaging patient calls, assisting with medication refills, prior authorizations, and other aspects to ensure streamlined and efficient patient experiences.
•    Participates in outpatient focused work groups and meetings to improve patient workflows and experience.
•    Uses all components of the nursing process, to provide comprehensive nursing care, support and education to patients and their families during serious illness.
•    Provides expert knowledge related to palliative care to health care professionals and patients/families.
•    Possesses the ability to obtain and interpret information considering various needs. Provides patient care while cognizant of age, developmental status, culture, ethnicity, and sexual orientation to individual patients and members of the community.
•    Participates in the evaluation of patient care and programs through quality improvement activities. Identifies and coordinates performance improvement activities, including monitoring, evaluation, and development of appropriate outcomes; participates in processes to implement change.
•    Integrates current research findings and technology into practice, performance improvement, and education as appropriate.
•    Assesses and addresses the educational & resource needs of individual patients, their loved ones, and members of the community as a whole, in regard to health issues with an emphasis on palliative care. Participates in the evaluation and development of patient education materials and provides individualized teaching based on needs of the patients and the community.
•    Demonstrates UPMC’s commitment to service excellence by understanding the needs of patients, their families, physicians and co-workers and doing what is required the first time, every time by being responsible, sensitive, accurate, timely, coordinated and thorough.