SCOPE / PURPOSE OF JOB / JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

ABOUT THE UNIT

The Community Outreach Research Unit collaboratively develops intervention programmes to promote early detection and improve access to breast cancer care for women seeking treatment at Ministry of Health hospitals. The Community unit together with other research units in CRMY intends to close the gap in cancer care and our current focus is on breast cancer. The reality today is that who you are and where you live could mean the difference in cancer survival. It isn’t fair. But we can change this by developing the i) most effective healthcare system changes for improving survival and ii) innovative and cost-effective tools for enabling early detection of cancer in B40 communities.

NORA, Cancer Research Malaysia’s National Patient Navigation Programme, works in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and participating hospitals to improve timely access to diagnosis and treatment. Through hospital-based Pink Ribbon Centres and linked referral networks, Nurse Navigators and Community Navigators work with clinical teams to identify and address clinical, financial, social and practical barriers to care.

SCOPE / PURPOSE OF JOB

The Nurse Navigator delivers clinical patient navigation under NORA, Cancer Research Malaysia’s National Patient Navigation Programme. The role supports breast cancer patients and their families from the first point of contact through diagnostic assessment, treatment and follow-up care. Working alongside Community Navigators and hospital multidisciplinary teams, the Nurse Navigator assesses patient needs, coordinates care, addresses barriers and monitors progress to support timely diagnosis, treatment initiation and completion of recommended care.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Providing Patient Support - Be the focal point within the clinical team for patient navigation services for breast cancerpatients. Assists patients in developing engagement plans, based on the results of the needs assessment. Provide motivation for patients, especially those who are discouraged or do not have the drive to achieve their recovery goals.
• Identify barriers - Complete comprehensive assessments of the barriers to quality cancer care that contribute to challengesand identify information, resource and emotional support needs of newly diagnosed and medically.
• Resource Identification and Utilization – Coordinating services with community navigator to assist patients with their basicneeds, ensuring that they complete their diagnosis and treatment in a timely manner. This includes addressing financial, logistic and other barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment. Include advising on entitlements and helping with completion of application forms, referring patients to state/national agencies or voluntary organizations depending on the needs of the patient. Conducting/arrange home visits for i) welfare assessment, ii) patient or caregiver education, and iii) defaulter tracking. • Coordinate NORA operations within the integrated breast clinic – Establish clinic workflows and standard operating procedures in collaboration with the hospital clinical team. Organise patient appointments, navigator roles and schedules, inpatient visits and multidisciplinary referrals, in line with NORA programme requirements.
• Monitor and maintaining patient tracking – Maintain an active day to day routine patient tracking activity and alertnavigation team member if there is delay, or default among breast cancer patients as part of clinic operations. Organize inpatients visits to identify the changing needs among patients and their caregivers along their cancer journey.
• Maintain patient documentation and NORA programme data – Keep patient navigation records and tracking data accurate,complete and up to date, while maintaining patient confidentiality. Monitor and report diagnostic and treatment milestones, delays, missed appointments, barriers and outcomes to support NORA programme monitoring and service improvement.

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS

Must Have Competencies

The ideal candidate should demonstrate the following qualifications, skills and attributes:

1. Professional registration: Registered with the Malaysian Nursing Board, with a valid Annual Practising Certificate appropriate to the role.
2. Academic qualifications: A Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. An Advanced Diplomain Oncology Nursing or Palliative Care Nursing is an added advantage.
3. Relevant experience: Preferably one to two years of nursing experience, particularly inbreast cancer care. Experience or additional training in oncology, surgical or palliative care nursing is an added advantage.
4. Patient-centred care: A compassionate, respectful and non-judgemental approach tosupporting patients, caregivers and families from diverse backgrounds.
5. Patient navigation skills: Ability to assess patient needs, identify barriers to care andcoordinate appropriate support to facilitate timely diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.
6. Teamwork and collaboration: Ability to work effectively with Nurse Navigators, CommunityNavigators, multidisciplinary clinical teams and external partners within the NORA National Patient Navigation Programme.
7. Organisation and time management: Strong organisational and administrative skills, withthe ability to prioritise competing demands and maintain timely patient follow-up.
8. Cultural responsiveness: Sensitivity to the cultural, religious, social and language needs ofthe communities served, with the ability to adapt communication and support accordingly.
9. Problem-solving and adaptability: Ability to exercise sound nursing judgement, respondcalmly to challenging situations and escalate concerns appropriately.
10. Communication skills: Effective listening, patient education and interpersonal skills,supported by clear verbal and written communication, including professional correspondence and reports.
11. Digital literacy and documentation: Proficiency in Microsoft Office and virtual meetingplatforms, with the ability to maintain accurate patient records, use programme databases and protect patient confidentiality.
12. Language proficiency: Ability to communicate effectively in Bahasa Malaysia and English.Proficiency in Mandarin, Tamil or languages spoken by local communities in Sabah and Sarawak is an added advantage.