Purpose for the program: Describe the development of the role of OB Navigator at a Community Hospital

Proposed change:  Current issues in labor and delivery were affecting the patient, staff and physician experience. We created the role of OB Nurse Navigator to improve coordination of care for the OB patients before, during and after delivery.  The goal was to improve physician satisfaction and improve HCAHP scores. 

Implementation, outcomes and evaluation:   Implementation includes position approval, choosing the right person as the nurse navigator and developing tools to measure outcomes.  After one year, the navigator has improved staff, patient and physician satisfaction. 

Implications for nursing practice: The role of nurse navigator can be developed for any size hospital in most settings.  Navigators have been shown to help patients through the maze of decisions and improve satisfaction.  The role of Navigator in the OB setting is relatively new but has numerous benefits. 

Keywords: Navigator, Care Coordination, Role Development,