Nurse Navigator 1 (H) - Cardiac Surgery - Full Time

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CORE JOB SUMMARY

The Nurse Navigator 1 is the initial point of contact for a patient entering the health system and assures timely scheduling of the first appointment, and coordination of care after completion of the first appointment and supports the patient throughout the care continuum. The Nurse Navigator 1 serves as a liaison between patients, families, caregivers, and the multidisciplinary care team. The incumbent demonstrates a commitment to quality patient care, implements creative and innovative ways to meet the diverse needs of the patients and ensures best practices.

CORE JOB FUNCTIONS

• Triages new patient appointments to the appropriate provider(s) and assures timely scheduling of initial appointments.
• Reviews outside medical records for appropriate scheduling.
• Assess barriers to care and refers to support services, local, and national organizations when needed.
• Educates on the treatment plan for patients based on diagnosis.
• Supports patients throughout the care continuum.
• Counsels individuals and patients on positive health practices.
• Collaborates with a multidisciplinary team of experts to outline the best treatment for patients.
• Performs holistic evaluation of specialty population, making use of enhanced proven techniques and procedures to achieve better results.
• Implements the improvement of patient care, and healthcare policies and resources.
• Mentors other healthcare professionals by functioning as a preceptor or coordinating preceptors for visiting professionals, students, new graduates, and orienteers.
• Maintains professional knowledge by affiliating with professional and technical organizations, and participating in applicable continuing education programs, conferences, seminars, and workshops.
• Adheres to University and unit-level policies and procedures and safeguards University assets.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as necessary.

Key Responsibilities

Cardiac-Specific Clinical Coordination

• Coordinate and oversee pre-clinic cardiac surgery assessments, including review of diagnostic testing such as echocardiograms, cardiac catheterizations, CT scans, stress testing, pulmonary function tests, and laboratory results.
• Assess patient readiness for cardiac surgery by reviewing comorbidities, cardiac risk factors, medications (including anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy), and prior cardiac interventions.
• Collaborate closely with cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, advanced practice providers, anesthesia, perfusion, and nursing teams to ensure comprehensive surgical planning.
• Facilitate timely scheduling of cardiac surgical consultations, procedures, and follow-up appointments.
• Provide patient education regarding cardiac surgical procedures, expected course of care, pre-operative preparation, hospital stay, and post-operative recovery.

Patient Navigation & Support

• Serve as a consistent clinical point of contact for cardiac surgery patients and families, addressing clinical questions, symptoms, and concerns throughout the care continuum in shared partnership of Outpatient APRN.
• Provide emotional support, education, and guidance to patients and caregivers navigating complex cardiac conditions and surgical decisions.
• May assist in the coordination of post-operative care needs, including follow-up appointments, cardiac rehabilitation referrals, home health services, and transitions of care.

Care Coordination & Communication

• Act as a liaison across multiple departments and external entities, including cardiology, imaging, referring providers, hospitals, rehabilitation services, and insurance carriers.
• Communicate clinical information with insurance companies to obtain authorizations for cardiac procedures, diagnostic testing, and post-operative services.
• Obtain and review outside medical records, cardiac imaging, and operative reports to ensure continuity and completeness of care.
• Document all patient interactions, assessments, and care coordination activities accurately in the electronic medical record (Epic).

Clinic & Operational Support

• Support cardiac surgery clinic operations, including patient intake, chart preparation, and clinic flow optimization.
• Provide clinical coverage as needed, including rooming patients, obtaining vital signs, medication reconciliation, and symptom assessment.
• Assist with placement of orders, follow-up on pending diagnostic studies, and coordination of testing in preparation for surgery.
• Serve as a clinical resource to scheduling, patient access, and non-clinical teams to support efficient cardiac surgery workflows.

Leadership & Quality Improvement

• Function as a clinical lead within the cardiac surgery team, identifying opportunities to streamline processes and enhance patient flow and experience.
• Build collaborative relationships with clinical and non-clinical stakeholders to improve intra- and interdepartmental coordination.
• Serve as a professional role model, promoting best practices, teamwork, and a positive clinical environment.
• Participate in ongoing evaluation of workflows and initiatives to improve cardiac surgery patient outcomes and care delivery.

CORE QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field required - BSN

Experience:

Minimum 2 years of relevant experience required

Certification and Licensing:

Valid State of Florida RN license required

Refer to department description for applicable certification requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Learning Agility: Ability to learn new procedures, technologies, and protocols, and adapt to changing priorities and work demands.
• Teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively with others and contribute to a team environment.
• Technical Proficiency: Skilled in using office software, technology, and relevant computer applications.
• Communication: Strong and clear written and verbal communication skills for interacting with colleagues and stakeholders.

This is a core job profile description and is not reflective of all duties that may be assigned to a specific position in each individual department. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and primary responsibilities of this core job profile. Specific duties and tasks may vary based upon departmental needs. Other duties may be assigned to the above consistent with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the job.

The University of Miami offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, tuition remission and more.

UHealth-University of Miami Health System, South Florida's only university-based health system, provides leading-edge patient care powered by the ground breaking research and medical education at the Miller School of Medicine. As an academic medical center, we are proud to serve South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean. Our physicians represent more than 100 specialties and sub-specialties, and have more than one million patient encounters each year. Our tradition of excellence has earned worldwide recognition for outstanding teaching, research and patient care. We're the challenge you've been looking for.

The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law.

Job Status

Full time

Employee Type

Staff