Location: West Orange, NJ (onsite)
Center for Spinal Cord Injury
Salary range:  $85,000 - $89,000

SCI Navigators work in collaboration with members of the rehabilitation care team to provide patient-centered support and resources to newly injured SCI (spinal cord injury) patients (i.e., “clients”) and their family members (i.e., “caregivers”) — ensuring they receive the necessary support, resources, and education to promote their functional independence, health and well-being while living at home/in the community.

Responsibilities include
  • Serve as an advocate and the primary point of contact for clients and caregivers, providing patient-centered support and guidance throughout their rehabilitative healthcare experience, to enable them to achieve optimal levels of independence post-discharge.
  • Conduct comprehensive needs assessments to understand the barriers experienced by clients and caregivers to inform the development of individualized goals and navigation plans.
  • Coordinate appointments, referrals, and follow-up communications to ensure continuity of care.  When necessary, accompany clients and caregivers to appointments, providing support and ensuring effective communication.
  • Help translate medical information to ensure that clients and caregivers understand the medical information, functional status, treatment plans, medication, and therapy instructions.
  • Educate clients and caregivers about adjusting to life with paralysis (e.g., secondary health conditions) and available resources, empowering them to make informed decisions.
  • Collaborate with interdisciplinary rehabilitation providers, specialists, community partners, and external agencies, including University Hospital and Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.
  • Counsel clients and caregivers on adjustment to injury and psychosocial aspects associated with disability across the lifespan.
  • Monitor/track clients’ and caregivers’ progress, outcomes, and evolving needs.; use REDCap database to document encounters.
  • Conduct home visits and assessments to enhance safety, improve accessibility, increase independence, and reduce caregiver burden.
  • Advocate for clients and caregivers to ensure access to appropriate care and resources, such as transportation services, meal programs, and peer/caregiver support groups.
  • Engage in community outreach to build relationships with partner agencies.
  • Contribute to SCI Navigator program planning, evaluation, and development; assist the team with reviewing and refining translated documents.
Qualifications
  • Graduate degree in nursing, social work, physical/occupational therapy, or related discipline.
  • At least two years of experience working with individuals with SCI in rehabilitation, hospital, family support, case management, and/or community services.
  • Fluency in both English and Spanish.
  • Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
  • Solid understanding of discharge planning, healthcare systems, health insurance processes, and community resources.
  • Ability to work primarily onsite, with valid driver's license and access to a vehicle for travel across office, clinical, and home-based community settings.
  • Proficiency in MS office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.).
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both written and verbal), with the ability to build rapport with patients and their families.
  • Ability to work both independently and interdependently.
Apply

Forward your résumé (MS Word or PDF), salary requirements, and cover letter to [email protected]. Please indicate the position(s) for which you are applying in the subject line.

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