title: The presence and roles of nurse navigators in acute care hospitals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A survey of hospital-based nurse executives was conducted to determine the extent, approaches, and outcomes of nurse navigator (NN) programs.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Nurse navigators are distinct from other recognized healthcare roles. Navigators most commonly focus on a single health condition with the goal of improving the provision of specified health services for an individual patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  An 11-question Internet-based survey was e-mailed to 580 nurse executives in Texas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the respondents, only 24% implemented any type of NN program. Most of the respondents with navigators rated these programs as successful. Most of the NN programs served cancer patients. Sixty percent implemented noncancer NN programs, with most reporting quality improvement as the main outcome measure for patients with conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high-risk obstetrics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Opportunities exist in demonstrating the value of NN roles. To increase support for the role, nurse executives should develop the programs to meet the clinical, marketing, and financial objectives of the organization and targeted patient populations.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: Doctoral Candidate (Mr Pruitt), College of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, University of South Florida, Tampa; Director (Dr Sportsman), Academic Consulting Group, a service of Elsevier, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pruitt
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sportsman
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D020407:Internet; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D013781:Texas