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UW Health
Madison, Wisconsin

RN Navigator, Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery

Registered NurseNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$91k-$136k

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

100% FTE Hours are typically Monday – Friday between 7:00AM – 5:00PM and may vary based on the operational needs of the department. You will work at American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, WI.

Pay

  • Pay range is based on a full-time (100%) position.

Be part of something remarkable

We are seeking a Registered Nurse (RN) Navigator, Pediatric Cardiothoracic

Surgery to:

  • Navigate care for cardiothoracic surgery patients across the continuum, from referral through postoperative follow-up.
  • Serve as a key liaison between patients, families, surgeons, and multidisciplinary care teams to ensure seamless care coordination.
  • Collaborate with clinical teams to support timely access, patient education, and care planning.
  • Participate in quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient outcomes and program performance.

At UW Health, You Will Have

  • An excellent benefits package, including health and dental insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, two-week paid parental leave and adoption assistance.
  • Options for a variety of schedules and shifts that offer flexibility and allow for work-life balance.
  • Access to great resources through the UW Health Employee Wellbeing Department that supports your emotional, financial, and physical well-being.
  • Acuity based staffing ratios for optimal safety.
  • A strong shared governance structure which assures every nurse has a voice.
  • A place where nursing excellence is recognized and celebrated in our inpatient and outpatient settings through several award programs.
  • Tuition benefits eligibility - UW Health invests in your professional growth by helping pay for coursework associated with career advancement.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN) Required
  • Master's Degree in Nursing, Social Work, Public Health, Healthcare Administration, or related field Preferred

Work Experience

  • 3 years of relevant clinical nursing experience Required
  • 1 year of relevant experience in the specific patient population being supported Preferred

Licenses & Certifications

  • Registered Nurse license in the state of Wisconsin Upon Hire Required
  • Basic Life Support/CPR Upon Hire Required
  • Applicable Oncology certification based on patient population Preferred

Our Commitment to Social Impact and Belonging

UW Health is committed to fostering a workplace that creates belonging for everyone and is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer.

Our respect for people shines through patient care interactions and our daily work practices as we work to embrace the knowledge, unique perspectives and qualities each employee and faculty member brings to work each day.

It is the policy of UW Health to provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison,

Wisconsin—also a Magnet®-designated facility—provides specialized care in a healing environment designed especially for pediatric patients and their families. American Family Children’s Hospital is a comprehensive pediatric medical and surgical center, with nationally recognized pediatric specialists in a wide range of fields. It is also home to our Level One Pediatric Trauma Center and Level

IV NICU,

which cares for the tiniest patients throughout Wisconsin and beyond.

Job Description

UW Hospital and Clinics Benefits

Key Responsibilities

The RN Navigator will manage the care continuum for cardiothoracic surgery patients from initial referral through postoperative follow-up. They act as a liaison between families, surgeons, and multidisciplinary teams to ensure seamless care coordination and patient education.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Certifications

BLS

Key Skills

Pediatric nursingCardiothoracic surgery supportMultidisciplinary collaborationPatient navigation

Surgery — Registered Nurse Career Context

Of the 40 active Surgery listings this role was benchmarked against, 25% are remote, 45% have no call, 80% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Wisconsin is 94.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$113k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $120k in an average-cost state. 60.7% of Wisconsin clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Surgery RN by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$120k in purchasing powerWisconsin index 94.1 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Surgery RN listings in Wisconsin5 active44 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 25% remote · 45% no call · 80% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedWisconsin registered nurse listings (all specialties): 30% state a sign-on bonus (median $6k) · 1% offer loan repayment160 active listings, Nov 2026
New Surgery RN listings16 in the last 30 days22 the 30 days before (−27%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Registered Nurse Jobs

21 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

21 jobs · 17 employers
10
<$100k
4
$100k-120k
4
$120k-140k
3
$140k-160k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

17 jobs
401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
24%
CME allowance
12%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Registered Nurse - Case Manager w/sign-on bonus - 5403

Vantage Search Group · Twentynine Palms, California

$125k-$156k
#2

Assistant Director of Nursing - Mental Health 616

Telecare · San Leandro, California

$125k-$155k
#3

Case Manager Registered Nurse (Remote, RN Illinois)

$67k-$143k
#4

RN Navigator- Pediatric Hem/Onc

$91k-$136k
+ 19 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.5this job 3.9
Better work-life than 40% of Surgery (RN) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 44 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends
UW Health logo

About UW Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Madison, WI
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Health and dental insurance
Paid time off
Retirement plans
Two-week paid parental leave
Adoption assistance
Tuition benefits eligibility
Employee Wellbeing Department

Living in Madison

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$430k≈ 4.8× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,837/mo≈ 24% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.3
State income tax
Up to 7.7%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Madison, WI metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.