The Care Navigator program has led me to grow as a health scholar by opening my eyes to the administrative side of healthcare. This opportunity gives me the privilege of working alongside the hospital case managers and patient care coordinators to assist directly with their workflow to aid underserved populations. I have also transformed into a well-rounded individual by learning about how the Case Management Team works directly with nurses and physicians to improve patient care. As an aspiring physician, I found this program to be vital in my journey because it has allowed me to refine my interpersonal and organizational skills in order to be a valuable asset to the team. 

I learned a lot about the management of a patient’s care after their stay in the hospital through my time with the Case Management Team at St. Joseph. As a Care Navigator, you will be exposed to a different side of healthcare that is not talked about often. You will be tasked with setting up follow-up care for a patient, whether it’d be post-hospital appointments, Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) placement, or delivery of Durable Medical Equipment (DME) to their home. While shifting as a Care Navigator, I had the honor of getting to shift on the Behavioral Health Unit. This is a new floor that was made available to Care Navigator Scholars and offered a new learning opportunity. On the Behavior Health unit, you will be able to not only assist the nursing staff with administrative tasks, such as making admission packets, but also learn how patients with behavioral health needs are managed differently than those without. As an aspiring health care provider, I find it interesting to know more about the peers that I will be working alongside and how I may provide the best care for my patients by utilizing all aspects of their care management. I highly suggest trying out Care Navigator if you are interested in learning more about the continuation of care after a patient visits the hospital and how social workers fit into that mold.