Sepsis Nurse Navigator

Overview

The Sepsis Navigator serves as a clinical leader and subject matter expert to improve early identification and management of sepsis patients within the Emergency Department and across the continuum of care. This role drives SEP-1 bundle compliance, facilitates education, supports data abstraction and analysis, and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to ensure adherence to evidence-based sepsis practices. 

Responsibilities

1. Program Leadership and Coordination
   1. Leads Emergency Department initiatives to ensure consistent application of evidence-based guidelines for sepsis care (e.g. Surviving Sepsis Campaign and CMS SEP-1 guidelines).
   2. Partners with Quality, Education, Informatics, Nursing and Physician Leadership to implement sepsis protocols, screening tools, and clinical decision support.
   3. Facilitates sepsis-related projects, audits, and policy updates in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.
   4. Disseminates written and verbal information to key stakeholders about the sepsis program and outcomes.
2. Clinical Review and Rounding
   1. Reviews active and retrospective sepsis cases to assess appropriateness of diagnosis, order sets, timeliness of interventions, and documentation accuracy.
   2. Provides real-time feedback to providers, nurses, and ancillary teams to optimize bundle adherence and clinical outcomes.
   3. Supports rapid identification and escalation of deteriorating patients, collaborating closely with the Rapid Response Team and charge nurses.
3. Education and Staff Development
   1. Conducts ongoing education for nursing, medical, and ancillary staff related to sepsis recognition, documentation, and treatment pathways.
   2. Develops simulation and case-based learning opportunities in partnership with the Clinical Education team.
   3. Serves as a content expert for orientation, competency programs, and annual skills validation related to sepsis care.
4. Quality Improvement and Data Management
   1. Collaborates with Quality and Informatics to collect, analyze, and trend sepsis data; identifies performance gaps and develops action plans.
   2. Participates in system-level quality initiatives to align ED and inpatient sepsis-related outcomes (e.g. mortality, LOS, readmissions) and bundle compliance.
   3. Assists with SEP-1 abstraction validation and contributes to monthly dashboard reporting.
5. Interdisciplinary Collaboration
   1. Serves as a liaison between the Emergency Department, Critical Care, Hospitalist, and Nursing Leadership to facilitate smooth handoffs and “time zero” identification.
   2. Participates in the Sepsis Committee and other quality councils as assigned.
   3. Supports system alignment by sharing best practices and collaborating with the Sepsis Program Manager for Memorial Health.

Qualifications

Education: 

• BSN required; Master’s Degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, or related field preferred 
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• Licensure/Certification/Registry: 
• • Registered Nurse (RN) license in state of Illinois required. 
  • National certification in critical care, emergency nursing, or quality improvement strongly preferred 
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• Experience: 

  • Minimum 3–5 years of clinical experience in Emergency or Critical Care required. 
  • Experience in quality improvement, education, or clinical program development preferred. 
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• Other Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

  ·         Strong leadership, communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration skills.

  ·         Advanced analytical and critical-thinking abilities to evaluate data and clinical performance.

  ·         Proficiency with electronic health record data retrieval and report interpretation.

  ·         Ability to develop and deliver educational content for diverse audiences.

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