As one of the nation's Top 15 Health Systems, recognized by Premier and Modern Healthcare, Valley Health is a place where excellence, compassion, and purpose come together. This distinction reflects our commitment to exceptional patient care, clinical quality, and the caregivers who make it all possible.

Department

VH Valve and Cardiothoracic PBB - 209599

Worker Sub Type

Regular

Work Shift

First Shift (United States of America)

Pay Range

$26.90 - $43.17

Job Description

The Registered Nurse – Advanced Valve provides dedicated clinical nursing support and navigation across both the outpatient Cardiac Surgery and Advanced Valve programs. This role serves as a clinical resource for patients, families, physicians, APPs, and the multidisciplinary cardiovascular team and supports patients throughout evaluation, treatment, postoperative recovery, and follow-up. Responsibilities include facilitating safe and timely nursing care plans, patient education, readiness assessments, clinical telephone triage, escalation of clinical concerns, post-discharge follow-up, and transitions of care. This role partners closely with the Valve Program Coordinator and support staff, who manage routine record acquisition, scheduling, workup tracking, and conference logistics.

 

Responsibilities and Duties

• Patient Care and Clinical Coordination
  • Coordinate clinical care for Cardiac Surgery and Advanced Valve patients from evaluation through treatment and follow-up.
  • Perform clinical telephone triage and respond appropriately to patient questions, symptoms, and concerns.
  • Identify urgent or concerning clinical issues and escalate appropriately to the surgeon, APP, or other provider.
  • Provide pre-procedure and post-procedure patient education.
  • Reinforce provider recommendations, medication instructions, testing requirements, and follow-up plans.
  • Assist patients and families in navigating the Cardiac Surgery and Advanced Valve care process.
  • Serve as a consistent clinical point of contact for patients throughout their care.
• Referral and New Patient Coordination
  • Provide clinical review only when a referral meets defined escalation criteria; assess urgency within RN protocols and escalate to the APP or physician as needed.
  • Review outside records or imaging reports only when nursing assessment or clinical escalation is required; confirm appropriate provider review for decision-making.
  • Communicate clinical concerns and nursing plan updates; partner with the coordinator regarding scheduling, records, and workup status.
• Preoperative Coordination
  • Assist with preparation of patients for surgical procedures, transcatheter procedures, and other cardiovascular interventions.
  • Ensure patients understand the next steps in their treatment plan.
  • Review medication holds and coordinate with the APP and START Clinic.
• Advanced Valve Program Responsibilities
  • Provide RN clinical navigation for patients being evaluated for advanced valve therapies; partner with the Valve Program Coordinator for operational workflow.
  • Facilitate clinical communication and escalation among Cardiac Surgery, Interventional Cardiology, imaging, cardiology, and other participating specialties.
  • Provide patient education regarding the evaluation process, treatment options, procedures, and postoperative follow-up.
• Postoperative and Follow-Up Care
  • Conduct post-discharge telephone calls within 24–48 hours and complete a clinical assessment as appropriate under established protocols. Remind Cardiac Surgery patients of laboratory and EKG requirements before their postoperative appointments.
  • Reinforce postoperative instructions, activity recommendations, wound care, medications, and follow-up appointments.
  • Identify postoperative concerns and communicate them promptly to the clinic APP or surgeon.
  • Identify transportation or access barriers and refer patients to the appropriate coordinator, social worker, or support resource.
• Program Support
  • Identify barriers, delays, and opportunities for improvement in the patient care process. 
  • Participate in the development and implementation of standardized clinical workflows and protocols. 
  • Support quality improvement and program development initiatives. 
  • Maintain accurate and timely documentation in the electronic medical record. 
  • Contribute nursing-specific data and clinical observations to quality and outcome review; operational metric tracking remains with the Valve Program Coordinator or designated analyst. 
  • Participate in multidisciplinary meetings, huddles, and case discussions as appropriate. 
  • Promote continuity of care across the Cardiac Surgery and Advanced Valve programs. 
• Patient Education
  • Cardiac surgery evaluation and preparation
  • Valve disease and treatment options
  • Surgical and transcatheter procedures
  • Pre-procedure testing education
  • Medication management as directed by the provider
  • Wound and incision care

Benefits

At Valley Health, we believe everyone is a caregiver, and our goal is to create an environment where our caregivers thrive physically, financially, and emotionally. In addition to a competitive salary, our most popular benefits for full-time employees include:

• A Zero-Deductible Health Plan
• Dental and vision insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Tuition Assistance
• Retirement Savings Match
• A Robust Employee Assistance Program to help with many aspects of emotional wellbeing
• Membership to Healthy U: An Incentive-Based Wellness Program

Valley Health also offers a health savings account & flexible spending account for childcare, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, and professional development. In addition, several perks come with working for the largest employer in the region, such as discounts to on-campus dining, and more.

To see the full scale of what we offer, visit valleyhealthbenefits.com.