Nurse navigators are professionals who assist patients in receiving medical treatment in a timely and efficient manner. These individuals must be capable of working independently as well as with a team of doctors and other medical professionals. A person who wants to work as a nurse navigator must typically complete a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing and pass an industry licensing exam. This person is in charge of informing clients about the medical treatments they will be receiving and ensuring that they receive the best care possible after they leave the hospital. He or she also explains how their medical coverage works to them and keeps his or her knowledge current in the field.
A nurse navigator’s main responsibility is to educate patients and their families. This type of professional must have excellent verbal communication skills in order to explain the types of treatments that people with illnesses like cancer must undergo and what they can expect. In order to interact with distressed people, a nurse navigator must be sympathetic and have good listening skills. When scheduling appointments such as surgeries or follow-up visits, he or she must be organized.
Another duty of a person in this industry is to ensure that patients receive high-quality care on a consistent basis. Even after a patient is discharged from the hospital, a nurse navigator ensures that he or she is directed to the appropriate sites and medical service providers. This healthcare professional also keeps a patient’s discharge plan up to date so that all medical professionals involved in the patient’s care are aware of the services the patient has already received.
Understanding how health insurance works is also essential for success in this field. Nurse navigators must examine their patients’ medical benefits coverage to determine how much money their insurance companies are willing to pay for various medical procedures. Patients’ health benefits are also explained these professionals, as this information can be complicated.
Keeping up with the latest developments in this field is also an important aspect of the job. Navigators in nursing are usually required to be licensed to practice, so they must complete continuing education courses at colleges and industry conferences to keep their credentials current. A nurse navigator also attends company meetings in order to stay up to date on company standards for working with patients.