You need to be very familiar with all resources in your area and possibly outside of your areaYou need to know insurance policy and research them as questions come up
You have much less direct patient contact and far more responsibility.
It can be super rewarding and patients gain tremendous benefit from the assistance that they recieve.
The learning is ongoing and for life long learners this is a great opportunity for all nurses should they decide that this is the field they would like to explore.
As a manager for many years I fell in love with the opportunity to lead teach and the desire to have the best stay and outcomes for my patients that is why I chose to go into the position however the reality is all to different endless paperwork and always on call became very challanging
Nurses were historically the very first case managers.
We called it coordinated care to provide for the best outcomes.
Other disciplines have a different approach and are being asked to become case managers.
Nurses have a different viewpoint in trying to encourage the whole person into the plan of care. The education and experience of nurses can add another dimension to the social experience of case management.
Today, more people than ever; think a nurse only works, at the bedside. There are many other areas that a nurse can share the possibilities of nursing care like case management.
In the hospital setting, case management nurses are quietly working behind the scenes finding things for clients in their continuum of care of discharge planning.
Discontinuity of care, can occur when the nurse is expected to leave autonomy for a speedier discharge or plan of care.
These statements may reflect ideas that are part of multiple areas of nursing care
Julie M. Dochtermann MSN
The pros are that I utilize a lot of my nursing knowledge and learned skills. The cons are the stresses that come from lack of available resources for patients.
Cons: not enough time to help the elderly over the phone when they don’t understand.
Pros:
I wear people clothes.
No time clock
I can work from home in some positions
No direct pt care
Im left alone to work
If the patient has an issue, ex: “i pooped’”… “I’ll get your nurse”
Cons:
Salary not hourly so if i have to stay late… most days… i don’t get paid for it.
Super complicated cases that i can barely keep up with, dealing with insurance and medicare and stuff.
Pro: Interdisciplinary coordination of care is best practice for the patient. This requires a higher level of thinking with an understanding of what each other's role are.
Con: Not everyone understands the case manager's role. There can be an underlying level of disrespect from all levels within the health care industry
Case management was one of the hardest jobs I ever did. There were just no resources for patients and so much denial by insurance companies, leaving the patient with very little support. Everything that is not resolved gets pushed off onto the case manager. The case manager is paid salary and works 50-60 hours a week. Long hours, weekends, holidays and on call. Not too many pros with case management per my experience.
Pros: A Nurse Case Manager’s position , being both the Hospital Discharge Planner and Utilization Review nurse are considered a very rewarding job opportunity, the job is totally patient-centered and focused. Once you are able to successfully discharged a challenging patient to the community, you actually take pride and honor in serving the patient, family and the hospital .
Cons: I found myself losing the direct hands-on skills in taking care of the patient such as how to perform wound vac dressing changes and start an Intravenous line.
Pros- “bedside” nursing with patients and their families without being their bedside nurse, learn the financial side of nursing/hospitalizations to get better understanding of all the “why’s,” can throw your weight around with the physicians
Cons- salary position so you end up working for free many days, no chance of making OT pay, everyone works M-F so can’t switch with anyone, still have to rotate coming in on wknds and holidays.
Pros of case management are the flexability with your schedule, I can arrange to see patients in the morning be home by lunch to chart. There is also a great deal of autonomy. Cons are sometimes patients and families continue to contact you after hours and it is hard to set those boundaries. Also for me there is a great deal of driving and alone time which could be a pro or con. hope that helps
