GENERAL SUMMARY:The Nurse Navigator - Total Joint Replacement is responsible for coordinating the preoperative process for patients scheduled to undergo total joint replacement surgery. Working collaboratively with patients, providers, surgery schedulers, anesthesia personnel, and the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), the Nurse Navigator facilitates timely review of medical records, completion of required preoperative testing, and confirmation that patients meet established requirements for outpatient surgery. The Nurse Navigator serves as a primary point of contact for patients throughout the preoperative process, providing education, guidance, and timely communication to support patient readiness, safety, and a positive surgical experience. This position follows established Epic electronic health record (EHR) workflows, organizational policies, provider protocols, and all applicable ASC guidelines for outpatient surgery.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:Duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.
- It is the expectation of all NWOS employees to demonstrate and uphold all 19 NWOS Fundamentals.
- Coordinate the preoperative process for patients scheduled for total joint replacement surgery, tracking requirements and following up to support timely surgical readiness.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for patients regarding preoperative preparation, required documentation, testing, medical clearances, and provider-directed instructions.
- Review patient medical records in Epic to verify completion of required evaluations, laboratory results, diagnostic testing, consultations, and other preoperative requirements.
- Identify missing documentation, abnormal results, medical concerns, and potential barriers to surgical readiness; communicate and escalate concerns to the appropriate provider or clinical team.
- Coordinate follow-up on outstanding preoperative requirements and facilitate the clearance process within the scope of nursing practice and established protocols. Final medical and anesthesia clearance decisions remain with the appropriately authorized clinician.
- Collaborate with surgeons, anesthesia personnel, surgery schedulers, the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), and other healthcare team members to communicate patient readiness, outstanding requirements, and issues that may affect the scheduled procedure.
- Confirm that required documentation and applicable outpatient surgery eligibility requirements are addressed in accordance with established provider protocols, organizational policies, and ASC guidelines.
- Provide patient education, reinforce provider-directed instructions, address questions within the scope of nursing practice, and coordinate appropriate follow-up when additional assistance is needed.
- Respond to patient telephone calls and electronic communications through approved channels, providing timely, professional, and compassionate communication to support a positive patient experience.
- Accurately document patient communications, clearance status, outstanding requirements, and relevant clinical coordination in Epic.
- Support compliance with applicable regulatory, accreditation, infection prevention, patient safety, and documentation requirements related to outpatient total joint replacement surgery.
- Maintain awareness of current organizational and ASC requirements for outpatient total joint replacement and communicate questions or discrepancies to the appropriate supervisor.
QUALIFICATIONS:Education, Experience & Training: To perform this job successfully, an individual must meet the minimum qualifications listed below. These qualifications are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required to perform this job.
Required:- Graduated from an accredited college of nursing
- Current unrestricted RN/LPN license in the State of Washington
- Valid BLS Certification within 30 days of hire
Preferred:- One to two years of nursing experience, preferably in orthopedics, surgical services, perioperative care, or care coordination.
- Experience with total joint replacement pathways and outpatient surgical procedures.
- Experience using Epic or a comparable electronic health record system.
- Familiarity with preoperative clearance processes, anesthesia requirements, and ASC eligibility criteria.
KNOWLEDGE SKILLS & ABILITIES:- Knowledge of nursing principles, practices, procedures, and professional standards.
- Knowledge of orthopedic conditions and total joint replacement procedures.
- Understanding of preoperative assessment, medical record review, and surgical clearance workflows.
- Familiarity with outpatient surgery requirements and ASC policies and procedures.
- Proficiency in Epic or the ability to learn and consistently follow established Epic workflows.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple patients, track outstanding requirements, and prioritize competing demands.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to provide clear patient education and reinforce provider-directed instructions.
- Ability to recognize incomplete documentation, abnormal results, and potential barriers to surgical readiness and escalate concerns appropriately.
- Ability to coordinate effectively with patients, surgery schedulers, anesthesia personnel, providers, and other healthcare professionals to support timely completion of preoperative requirements.
- Ability to apply established protocols and recognize when additional clinical review is needed to determine patient readiness for outpatient surgery.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA and organizational privacy policies.
- Ability to work independently within established protocols while recognizing when clinical concerns require escalation.
- Demonstrated critical thinking, problem-solving, accountability, and sound clinical judgment.
- Ability to learn new processes, adapt to changing priorities, and maintain accurate documentation in a fast-paced environment.
- Commitment to patient safety, quality care, teamwork, and excellent customer service.
BENEFITS:- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Basic Life & ADD Insurance
- Long Term Disability Insurance
- Voluntary Short Term Disability Insurance
- Voluntary Life & ADD Insurance
- Health Savings Account
- Employee Assistance Program
- Voluntary AFLAC Options
- 401k Employer Match
- 401k Profit Sharing
- PTO
- 7 paid holidays
Wage Range:
LPN Pay scale: $31.96 - $51.67
RN Pay scale: $34.00 - $56.60
Related: LPN, Triage, Clinic
