The Breast Cancer Nurse Navigator will coordinate the breast cancer patient care journey from presentation or referral to its conclusion. To be a point of contact, information and support for complex breast cancer care by individualizing assistance and care for breast cancer patients and their families/caregivers; by eliminating barriers to timely care, facilitating flow through system, facilitating interactions with relevant hospital services, increasing breast cancer patient and provider satisfaction and supporting the inter-professional cancer care team.

Responsibilities

• Assess breast cancer patients upon initial encounter and periodically throughout navigation, matching unmet needs with appropriate services, referrals and support services e.g. providers, dietetics, social work, finance teams etc.
• Assess and identify potential and realized barriers to care (e.g. transportation, language, culture, literacy, psychosocial, employment, financial and insurance) and facilitate referrals as appropriate to mitigate barriers.
• Act as central point of contact for all breast cancer patients identified to require navigation; including interaction with clinical, nursing, ancillary services.
• Facilitates timely scheduling of appointments, diagnostic testing, and procedures to expedite the plan of care and promote continuity of care.
• Participates in coordination of the plan of care with the multidisciplinary team, promoting timely follow-up on treatment and supportive care recommendations. This includes patient reports, letters for care support and coordination with internal and external clinical teams, insurance companies, travel agencies where required and also follow-up on patients’ treatments with pharmacy as directed by the clinical teams.
• Facilitates individualized care within the context of functional status, cultural consideration, health literacy, and psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patients, family and the care giver.
• Applies basic knowledge of insurance processes (e.g. corporates, SHIF) and their impact on staging, referrals, and patient care decisions towards establishing appropriate referrals as needed.
• Uses an ethical framework regarding patient care to assist patients with breast cancer with issues related to treatment goals, advance directives, palliative care, and end of life concerns.
• Supports a smooth transition of breast cancer patients from active treatment into survivorship and end of life care.
• Provides psychosocial support to and facilitates appropriate referrals for breast cancer patients, families, and caregivers, especially during periods of high emotional stress and anxiety.
• Empowers breast cancer patients and families through education and encouragement to self-advocate and communicate their needs.
• Assesses and promotes healthy lifestyle choices and self-care strategies through education and appropriate referrals to ancillary services.
• Provides anticipatory guidance, education, and appropriate referrals to assist breast cancer patients in coping with the diagnosis of cancer and its potential or expected outcomes.
• In collaboration with other members of the healthcare team, build partnerships with local agencies and groups that may assist with cancer patient care, support, or educational needs.
• Participate in unit based continuing education, quality improvement (QI) projects, Clinical Care Program Certification (CCPC), audits, spot checks and skill checks.

Requirements

•  Registered Nurse from a recognized Nursing School or University
• Current Licensure with the Nursing Council of Kenya
• Post Graduate Diploma in Oncology will be an added advantage
• Certification in Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Minimum 4 years of clinical nursing experience in an acute care hospital three (3) of which must have been in oncology/chemotherapy unit.
• Demonstrate evidence-based knowledge of current practices in breast cancer management
• Strong organizational skills with ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team
• Excellent written and verbal and interpersonal communication skills