Outpatient nurse navigator palliative care clinic

Outpatient nurse navigator for palliative care clinic

Posted January 2, 2026

UMass Memorial Health
Worcester, MA, United States

At UMass Memorial Health Care, Everyone is a Caregiver regardless of title. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health care system of Central and Western Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 14,000 employees, working together as one health care system. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, everyday.

Title:

Nurse Navigator, Palliative Care

Department:
Palliative Care

Status:
Exempt

Shift: Days

Union:
Non-Union

Hours:

40

Shift Length: 8 hours

Location:

UMass Memorial Medical Center – University Campus

Flexible start and end times required. Attendance weekly multi-disciplinary conferences required.

Position Summary:

• Guides palliative care patients through the healthcare system starting from initial consultation through completion of services by assisting with access, developing relationships with multidisciplinary providers and tracking interventions and outcomes.
• Promotes a positive work environment which emphasizes respect to our customers, patients, patients’ families, physicians, staff and other department.
• Serves as a clinical expert in the care of these patients.

Position

Qualifications:

License/Certification/

Education:

• Required:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Nursing
  • Current Massachusetts Registered Nurse licensure and registration.
• Preferred:
  • Experience working with a palliative care team.
  • Palliative Care Certification (or willingness to achieve certification after on-the-job training).

Experience/

Skills:

• Required:
  • Minimum of 5 years nursing experience.
  • Excellent teaching skills, consultation skills and customer service skills.
  • Demonstrates leadership experience.
  • Excellent verbal and written communications skills.

Major Responsibilities:

• Facilitates the entry of patients into the palliative care clinic and coordinates their care including family involvement. Follows the patients throughout the continuum of palliative care services across outpatient, inpatient and community-based settings to ensure excellent care coordination and communication.
• Assists patients in understanding their diagnosis, treatment options, and resources available in collaboration with the palliative care clinicians.
• Participates in existing multidisciplinary planning conferences and/or informal case reviews and care planning with referrers of multiple specialties.
• Develops relationships with all palliative care providers and serves as a liaison between the patient and the providers.
• Utilizes nursing skills to comprehensively assess the patients’ physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual distress and effectively communicate with the palliative care providers to establish a plan of care that reflects patients' values, priorities and goals.
• Provides patient and family education and counseling across the continuum of care and facilitates symptom management with the palliative care providers.
• Provides access to community resources including palliative care, home health or hospice programs by developing knowledge of and relationships with community agencies. Refers to support services such as: social services, nutrition services, psychologist, pastoral care, physical therapy, rehabilitation therapy, financial counseling, etc.
• Assists with tracking metrics and quality indicators for diagnosing and treating promptly and effectively. Works with the palliative care team and others to collect data and track outcomes.
• Develops, implements and/or participates in community programs/workshops/seminars/support services, etc. to promote palliative care and its mission.