Total Joint Navigator

Odessa Regional; Odessa (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Odessa Regional is seeking a Total Joint Navigator to coordinate the patient experience across the Joint Replacement Program. You will serve as the main contact for patients and families, guiding them from referral through post-discharge follow-up and coordinating care with surgeons, anesthesia, therapists, nursing, and case management.

The role emphasizes preoperative education, adherence to ERAS and VTE protocols, and continuous quality improvement.

Qualifications

• Current Registered Nurse license in the State of Texas or eligibility for Texas licensure.
• Minimum 3 years of clinical nursing experience; orthopedic, perioperative, rehabilitation, or care coordination experience preferred.
• Experience caring for orthopedic or joint replacement patients preferred.
• Strong patient education, communication, organization, and care-coordination skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple disciplines and departments.
• Experience with quality improvement, clinical pathways, or healthcare data collection preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate patients through the established joint replacement pathway from referral through post-discharge follow-up.
• Serve as the primary patient and family contact throughout the joint replacement process.
• Coordinate preoperative requirements, including registration, PAT, required testing, medical clearances, and Joint Ready education.
• Provide and reinforce standardized preoperative and postoperative patient education.
• Identify barriers or incomplete requirements that could delay surgery and facilitates timely resolution with the appropriate department or provider.
• Collaborate with orthopedic surgeons, anesthesia, PAT, Perioperative Services, PT/OT, inpatient nursing, case management, radiology, and other multidisciplinary departments.
• Track patient progression through the program and promote adherence to established ERAS, VTE prevention, and joint replacement protocols.
• Coordinate discharge preparation and reinforce postoperative instructions, follow-up expectations, and available resources.
• Participate in collection and monitoring of program quality and outcome measures, including patient-reported outcomes and registry requirements as applicable.
• Assist with Joint Replacement Program performance improvement, patient satisfaction, education, and program development.
• Participate in multidisciplinary Joint Replacement Program meetings and initiatives.
• Performs other duties related to program coordination as assigned.

Education

RN license (TX)

BSN preferred

Job description

The Total Joint Navigator coordinates the patient experience throughout the Joint Replacement Program, providing continuity of care from initial referral and preoperative preparation through hospitalization, discharge, and follow-up. The Navigator serves as a central point of contact for patients and families and facilitates communication among orthopedic surgeons, anesthesia, Perioperative Services, PAT, rehabilitation services, nursing, case management, and other departments involved in the patient’s care.

• Coordinates patients through the established joint replacement pathway from referral through post-discharge follow-up.
• Serves as the primary patient and family contact throughout the joint replacement process.
• Coordinates preoperative requirements, including registration, PAT, required testing, medical clearances, and Joint Ready education.
• Provides and reinforces standardized preoperative and postoperative patient education.
• Identifies barriers or incomplete requirements that could delay surgery and facilitates timely resolution with the appropriate department or provider.
• Collaborates with orthopedic surgeons, anesthesia, PAT, Perioperative Services, PT/OT, inpatient nursing, case management, radiology, and other multidisciplinary departments.
• Tracks patient progression through the program and promotes adherence to established ERAS, VTE prevention, and joint replacement protocols.
• Coordinates discharge preparation and reinforces postoperative instructions, follow-up expectations, and available resources.
• Participates in collection and monitoring of program quality and outcome measures, including patient-reported outcomes and registry requirements as applicable.
• Assists with Joint Replacement Program performance improvement, patient satisfaction, education, and program development.
• Participates in multidisciplinary Joint Replacement Program meetings and initiatives.
• Performs other duties related to program coordination as assigned.

Qualifications

• Current Registered Nurse license in the State of Texas or eligibility for Texas licensure.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of clinical nursing experience; orthopedic, perioperative, rehabilitation, or care coordination experience preferred.
• Experience caring for orthopedic or joint replacement patients preferred.
• Strong patient education, communication, organization, and care-coordination skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple disciplines and departments.
• Experience with quality improvement, clinical pathways, or healthcare data collection preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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