College of Health Sciences and Education
Program Director: George Godlewski, PhD
The Patient Navigation program is designed to prepare individuals to become patient navigators/patient advocates/community health assistants (these are a few of the terms that healthcare institutions use to refer to patient navigators). These individuals successfully guide patients through the healthcare system and treatment plan as a liaison, patient guide and advocate. Patient navigators possess skills essential to the safe and effective movement of patients across the care continuum, self-management and enhanced patient-practitioner communication.
The Patient Navigation certificate is an 18 credit focus of study designed to augment current health care knowledge and provide specialized study in the area of patient advocacy, patient care process and health care navigation. The certificate is an 18 month plan of study.
Students completing the Patient Navigation certificate will:
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills appropriate for entry-level employment as a Patient Navigator.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
- Demonstrate a commitment to applying professional behaviors and adhering to ethical principles.
Statement of Program Assessment for Patient Navigation Certificate:
Program courses are evaluated each semester via University faculty evaluations.
The curriculum is evaluated by assessment measures related to the goals stated above.
Individual student performance is monitored via assessment each semester of student attainment of the required GPA and course completion rates.
Admission:
Students seeking a patient navigation certificate must complete an application for admission, and submit an official college transcript with a minimum 2.0 GPA. A high school diploma or GED is acceptable if students have not attended college. Please refer to the Undergraduate Admissions section of the catalog for further information about admission of students to part-time undergraduate programs.
Retention:
Cumulative GPA of 2.0 each semester. Students will be placed on program probation if the overall GPA falls below 2.0. A student can only be on program probation one time.
Patient Navigation Fieldwork:
To be eligible for Patient Navigation Fieldwork, a student must have completed all pre-requisite courses; as well as clearances as required by the fieldwork sites and/or the university. These include, but may not be limited to: HIPAA education;drug screening; proof of health insurance; proof of vaccinations/immunizations; criminal record/child abuse checks; federal fingerprinting; CPR certification/re-certification (if applicable); completion of orientation by health care system (if required);and liability insurance. Liability insurance is billed directly by the university, and included in the student’s fees included with the tuition statement. Information regarding this fee is listed below under Program Fees.
Cost for fieldwork requirements is the responsibility of the student.
Fieldwork can only be done during the day, Monday-Friday. Therefore, students must have at least one weekday available during the semester in which they are enrolled in HP 325. Fieldwork consists of 15 days in a variety of placements in order to gain a well-rounded experience to understand the role of a patient navigator. Fieldwork may be experienced in a variety of formats over the course of the semester: one day per week for 14 weeks; 2 days for 7.5 weeks, etc. Every effort will be made to accommodate the student’s preferred days.
Travel to and from assigned fieldwork sites is the responsibility of the student.
Program Fees:
For students pursuing a Certificate in Patient Navigation, a fee for liability insurance will be billed in the semester in which the student is enrolled in HP 325 . For more information regarding this fee, see the section of the undergraduate catalog entitled Financial Information .
