Nurse Navigator II (Day Shift) Center for Surgical Optimization

Christiana Care Health Services, Inc.; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 58,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Magnet Excellence

Competitive compensation

Benefits from day one

Paid time off

403(b) retirement

Job summary

ChristianaCare is seeking an experienced Nurse Navigator to join the Center for Surgical Optimization (CSO). In this role you will coordinate preoperative care, optimize patient readiness, and educate patients and families in collaboration with surgeons, PCPs, and anesthesia teams.

You will guide patients through the perioperative process, reduce delays, and enhance outcomes while upholding ChristianaCare values in daily practice.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing required.
• Delaware RN licensure required.
• BLS/CPR certification required.

Responsibilities

• Completes preoperative health assessment screening and perioperative history for surgery patients.
• Communicates findings with CSO team and attending physicians; revises plan of care as needed.
• Educates patients and families; addresses learning needs and barriers to optimize preparation for surgery.

Skills

Patient advocacy

Preoperative coordination

Education and teaching

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Delaware RN licensure

BLS/CPR Certification

Job description

Job Details

Full-Time | 40 Hours Weekly Location: Wilmington Monday-Friday | Day Shift (7:00 AM - 4:30 PM) No Weekends | No Holidays | Salaried Position Occasional coverage at the Newark Campus may be required to support operational needs.

Why ChristianaCare?

• Magnet® Excellence
• Competitive Compensation
• Competitive salary and comprehensive rewards package
• Outstanding Benefits Medical, dental, and vision coverage effective on your first day
• Generous paid time off
• Retirement Planning 403(b) retirement savings plan
• Additional programs to support long-term financial wellness
• Professional Growth Commitment to career development, continuing education, and professional advancement

With more than 1,100 beds across two Magnet® recognized hospitals, ChristianaCare is home to the only Level I Trauma Center between Philadelphia and Baltimore and is consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of America's Best Hospitals. Here, you'll be part of an innovative, collaborative team dedicated to transforming healthcare and improving lives.

About the Role

ChristianaCare is seeking an experienced Nurse Navigator to join our Center for Surgical Optimization (CSO) team. In this highly collaborative role, you will serve as the central point of coordination for surgical patients, ensuring they are medically optimized, educated, and fully prepared for surgery. Working closely with surgeons, primary care providers, specialists, anesthesiology teams, and multidisciplinary care partners, you will guide patients through every phase of the preoperative process while helping improve outcomes, reduce delays, and enhance the overall patient experience.

Key responsibilities

• Completes and documents a preoperative health assessment screening and perioperative history and assessment for patients scheduled for surgery according to established criteria when not completed prior to appointment.
• Reviews clinical documentation and communicates findings with providers of the CSO Team and attending physician/anesthesia team and revises plan of care as needed based on findings.
• Demonstrates skills and knowledge necessary to provide care to adolescent, adult and geriatric populations, including knowledge of growth and development, the ability to obtain and interpret information to identify patient needs and to provide the appropriate care needed.
• Assesses patient/family learning needs/barriers and carries out teaching measures and makes all appropriate referrals utilizing available resources.
• Monitors patients’ progress towards optimization, communicates with surgeons, PCPs, specialists, and CSO providers.
• Demonstrates ability to prioritize workflow to complete tasks.
• Establishes methods that support reciprocal communication between physician offices, lab services, specialty services, and the CSO team.
• Assesses patient post discharge care needs, initiates plan of care, and initiates inclusion of the necessary interdisciplinary team members.
• Communicates with patients on follow-up items working towards optimization prior to surgery.
• Performs POCT, labs and EKG as needed for patients.
• Demonstrates understanding and application of CCHS values and behaviors in daily work.
• Serves as a patient advocate when barriers impede progress and/or collaboration between practitioners involved in care that is fragmented.
• Performs patient education in person, video or through telephone using teach back principals; collaborates with patient and family to establish realistic goals and activities to enhance patient self‑management and participation in plan of care through discharge.
• Uses theoretical and educational frameworks and expert clinical knowledge base to promote, develop and provide patient and family education.
• Assumes responsibility for personal growth and is willing to share knowledge with co‑workers, management, physicians and other healthcare providers.
• Utilizes effective verbal and written communication skills with patients, families, co‑workers, management, physicians and other members of the healthcare team.

Education and experience requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Three or more years of clinical experience in Perianesthesia care.
• Approved professional certification preferred
• Basic Life Support/CPR Certification
• Delaware RN licensure required.

Hourly Pay Range: $42.11 - $67.37 This pay rate/range represents ChristianaCare’s good faith and reasonable estimate of compensation at the time of posting. The actual salary within this range offered to a successful candidate will depend on individual factors including without limitation skills, relevant experience, and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements.

Christiana Care Health System is an equal opportunity employer, firmly committed to prohibiting discrimination, whose staff is reflective of its community, and considers qualified applicants for open positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, disability, pregnancy, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Post End Date Oct 9, 2026 EEO Posting Statement ChristianaCare offers a competitive suite of employee benefits to maximize the wellness of you and your family, including health insurance, paid time off, retirement, an employee assistance program.

To learn more about our benefits for eligible positions visit https://careers.christianacare.org/benefits-compensation/

Christiana Hospital, Newark, Delaware. This 1,007-bed, 1.3-million-square-foot modern facility provides a level of care only available in large-scale teaching hospitals. Christiana Hospital includes Delaware's only Level-I Trauma center (as verified by the American College of Surgeons), which is prepared to handle the most extreme medical emergencies. In fact, it is the only Level-I Trauma center on the East Coast corridor between Baltimore and Philadelphia. Christiana Hospital has also been nationally recognized in U.S. News & World Report's Best Regional Hospitals rankings as #1 in Delaware and #3 in the Philadelphia metro area, plus High Performing in 9 Adult Procedures/Conditions Christiana Care Health System Website