Nurse Navigator

Department

CSL SHS: Clinical Operations Management. The University of Chicago is one of the nation’s leading institutions of higher education and research. Student Wellness (SW) is part of the division of Campus and Student Life and serves the student body by providing primary care, wellness, counseling, and psychiatric services to support holistic care of the student.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Clinical Operations Manager, the Nurse Navigator (NN) in the Student Wellness Center provides focused assistance to students with complex medical needs. The NN ensures seamless patient care for students who require assistance coordinating medical care, navigating transitions of care, coordinating complex referrals, and closely following students who have recently been hospitalized. The NN works with providers, campus partners, and other stakeholders to meet student care needs, provides direct patient care when required and facilitates comprehensive coordination of care.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the central point of contact for all patients with identified chronic or medically complex conditions such as asthma, COPD, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, HIV, heart and vascular disease, cancer, MSK, transplant, and psychiatric or behavioral diagnoses.
• Assist patients who require primary care follow‑up after discharge from the emergency room or inpatient hospitalization, navigating medical, nursing, ancillary, and supportive services.
• Partner with providers and the administrative team to facilitate, coordinate, and ensure patient access to clinical and support services.
• Work directly with students to identify and anticipate clinical needs.
• Conduct follow‑up phone calls at the request of the provider, coordinate follow‑up activities, answer questions, and review and ensure understanding of the plan of care.
• Provide education to patients, families, and significant others; act as an information resource to students, health care professionals, and campus partners.
• Ensure timely and accurate collection of patient data, including health‑care access challenges and treatment history, to support quality, compliance, and optimal care planning.
• Monitor patient compliance with treatment plans and provide coaching and guidance as necessary.
• Assist patients with referrals to outside resources and care coordination as needed.
• Oversee the USHIP referral program.
• Participate in the orientation, training, and evaluation of new staff.
• Provide direct nursing care as needed and when appropriate.
• Follow established departmental policies, procedures, objectives, continuous quality improvement goals, and safety, environmental, and infection control standards.
• Function as backup to the Clinical Operations Manager in their absence, overseeing clinical staff and managing floor operations.
• Demonstrate solid knowledge of clinical information and techniques to assess, diagnose, and treat injuries, diseases, and related health conditions.
• Apply logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Understand drug properties, interactions, treatment alternatives, and preventive health‑care measures.
• Perform miscellaneous and other job‑related duties as assigned.

Education

Minimum requirement: college or university degree in a related field. Preferred: Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

Experience

• 2–5 years of experience in a related job discipline.
• Advanced knowledge and skill of RN, LPN, and MA clinical practice duties.
• Experience working in an ambulatory care setting (higher‑education experience is a plus).
• 3–5 years as a Registered Nurse in the above responsibilities.
• Advanced training or experience with college‑age or young adult populations.
• Experience in Care Management or Patient Navigation.

Certifications

• Current Registered Nurse license in Illinois.

Preferred Competencies

• Demonstrate organizational and interpersonal/communication skills.
• Work independently and collaboratively with others.
• Assists in high‑level problem‑solving for complex situations.
• Organize and prioritize workload effectively.
• Function autonomously and as part of a team.
• Work in a fast‑paced environment with composure and professionalism.
• Strong customer‑service orientation and commitment to excellence and accuracy.
• Attention to detail with excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet deadlines.

Working Conditions

• University clinical care setting and other campus settings.
• Fast‑paced healthcare environment with frequent interruptions and competing priorities.
• Manage multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.
• Requires sustained cognitive effort, critical thinking, problem‑solving, and decision making.
• Exposure to emotionally complex or high‑stress patient situations requiring resilience and professionalism.
• Prolonged periods of computer use and interaction with electronic health records (EHR) and other digital platforms.
• Regular use of communication and information technologies essential to support care coordination and documentation.
• Flexible shifts within the open clinic hours.
• Occupational risk for exposure to infectious material and communicable diseases.

Benefits

Eligible employees can access a wide range of benefits programs and resources, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, disability status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773‑702‑5800 or submit a request via the Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history; a conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. The University considers conviction information on a case‑by‑case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago’s Annual Security & Fire Safety Report provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at Paper copies are available upon request from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.