Job Description

Registered Nurse Navigator - ED Patient Experience

Job Summary

The Registered Nurse Navigator - ED Patient Experience serves as a dedicated patient advocate within the Emergency Department, focused on enhancing the overall patient and family experience during their ED visit. This role combines direct patient engagement, service recovery, care coordination, and patient experience analytics to improve satisfaction, support operational excellence, and ensure timely, patient-centered care.

The RN Navigator proactively rounds on patients throughout the Emergency Department, including both treatment rooms and waiting areas, addressing concerns in real time, facilitating communication, and identifying opportunities to improve the patient experience. This position partners closely with clinical and operational teams to support efficient patient flow, enhance communication, and drive continuous improvement initiatives based on patient feedback and experience data.

Key Responsibilities

Patient Experience & Rounding

• Conduct proactive rounding on patients and families in treatment rooms and waiting areas throughout the Emergency Department.
• Assess patient and family needs, answer questions, provide updates, and address concerns to ensure a positive patient experience.
• Perform service recovery interventions and escalate concerns when appropriate.
• Foster meaningful patient interactions that build trust, reduce anxiety, and improve patient satisfaction.

Care Coordination & Navigation

• Coordinate the care needs of assigned patients and facilitate care delivery across the patient care continuum.
• Collaborate with physicians, nurses, social workers, ancillary departments, and other healthcare professionals to ensure timely testing, treatment, and disposition planning.
• Assist patients and families in understanding their care plans, treatment expectations, and next steps in the care journey.
• Advocate for patients to ensure individual needs and preferences are recognized and addressed.
• Balance care needs and financial considerations to support efficient and effective patient care delivery.

Patient Experience Analytics & Process Improvement

• Analyze patient experience data, survey results, and operational metrics to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
• Utilize patient feedback to develop recommendations that enhance satisfaction, communication, and operational performance.
• Participate in departmental initiatives focused on improving quality, patient throughput, service excellence, and overall patient experience outcomes.
• Collaborate with Emergency Department leadership to implement and monitor patient experience improvement strategies.

Communication & Relationship Management

• Serve as a liaison between patients, families, clinical staff, and leadership.
• Promote clear, compassionate, and timely communication throughout the patient encounter.
• Support a culture of patient-centered care and service excellence within the Emergency Department.

Schedule

• Preferred Hours: 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM
• Schedule: 4 ten-hour shifts per week (4x10s)
• No weekend requirement
• Position designed to provide coverage during peak Emergency Department patient volume and activity

Qualifications

• Requires an Associates of Nursing (ASN).
• Bachelors of Nursing (BSN) preferred.
• Requires an active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of Indiana or an active Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) RN license.
• Requires that the RN has graduated from a nationally accredited nursing program. 3-5 years of experience preferred.
• Requires Basic Life Support certification through the AHA.
• Other advanced life support certifications may be required per unit/department specialty according to patient care policies.
• Specialty certifications may be required per unit/department specialty in accordance with the department provision of care.
• Requires knowledge of personal computers using various types of word processing and database software.
• Requires clinical work experience, medical terminology.
• Requires understanding of medical record requirements, regulations and policies.
• Indiana University Health has nearly 40,000 team members, including more than 3,600 physicians and 1,200 advanced practice providers, and we’re home to the largest nursing network in Indiana with more than 9,000 nursing team members at over 800 sites of care.
• IU Health is ranked No. 1 in Indiana by U.S. News & World Report, Riley Children's Health is ranked among the top children's hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report.
• A unique partnership with the Indiana University School of Medicine – one of the nation’s largest medical schools – gives patients access to groundbreaking research and innovative treatments, and it offers team members access to the latest science and the very best training – advancing healthcare for all.
• With 15 hospitals, including seven with Magnet designation and eight with Pathways to Excellence designation, our team members are leading the way through excellence.
• At Indiana University Health, your personal and professional growth is a top priority. You will have access to many diverse opportunities to learn and develop in meaningful ways that matter most to you, such as advanced clinical training, leadership development, promotion opportunities and cross training development.
• Indiana University Health is invested in the lives of Hoosiers, leading the transformation of healthcare to make Indiana one of the nation’s healthiest states.