Complete Guide To Nurse Case Management
How To Become A Nurse Case Manager
Discover the career avenue of case management! This is a great career choice for those who enjoy the autonomy, critical thinking skills, and patient advocacy that working at the bedside brings. Case managers make a difference in patients' lives and play a big part in coordinating their care. This role has a lot of diversity to suit the needs of many different nursing backgrounds. Read more to find out if being a case manager is right for you!
What Is The Role Of A Case Manager?
A case manager is a nurse in the hospital that helps assist patients and their families throughout the duration of their hospital stay and thereafter. Think of a case manager as a liaison on the patient's behalf between the hospital and insurance companies. It is the nurse's intent to orchestrate between the hospital and patient insurance to meet the goals for the patient before, during, and after their time in the hospital.
For example, a patient in the hospital will need home health after they are discharged. The nurse case manager would be the one to initiate setting that up for the patient as soon as possible. The case manager would also set up appointment dates that work best for the patient. It is also important that the case manager keeps in mind the best cost-effective course of action for the patient.
As a nurse case manager, it is incredibly important to be organized, have the ability to multi-task, be reliable, have critical thinking skills, and think outside the box (many patients will have unique situations. Knowing community resources and services and how to apply them for patient care will work wonders!), and effective communication.
Why Do Hospitals Need Case Managers?
Nurse case managers help bridge the gap between hospital-provided care, insurance, and patient means to care. Advocating for the best treatment possible while staying within affordability for the patient. There is a lot of coordination that has to happen for a patient to get well again and be able to go home, case managers help facilitate this to happen!
Can Registered Nurses Work as Case Managers?
Absolutely! A wide variety of nurses with different backgrounds and experiences work as case managers. Hospitals prefer nurses with bedside experience to work as case managers since they have first-hand knowledge of patient-centered care.
Are These Remote Jobs Or In-House?
These types of jobs can be both! Case management jobs can be fully remote, 50/50 remote and on-site, or completely in-house. It depends on the company/hospital hiring for these types of positions and what they require. Many case manager jobs through insurance companies are remote due to the nature of the work. If you are interested in learning more about remote work for nurses, click on this article How To Land A Remote Nurse Job for a complete comprehensive guide to landing your first remote job as a nurse!
How Do I Become A Case Manager?
Firstly, you must go through an accredited nursing degree program (ASN or BSN) and pass the NCLEX test. After passing the test and becoming a licensed registered nurse you can become a case manager. However, many companies and hospitals strongly prefer candidates with some sort of bedside experience first (at least a year or two). After gaining some experience you can apply to different job openings.
To make yourself more competitive as a case manager, you can also get special certifications specific to case management. ACM and CMGT-BC are two case management certifications. Prior to gaining these certifications, there are clinical hour requirements. Such as two years of clinical experience, at least 2,000 hours of clinical case management experience, and 30 hours of case management education all within three years of each other. These certifications allow for the ability to grow within the position.
How Much Does A Case Manager Make?
The national average pay for a case manager is $84,768. This varies depending on which state and/or region of the US you live in. Certifications and experience usually allow for more growth and higher pay within this job.
Conclusion
Being a nurse has its advantages. One has the flexibility to create their own path to fit their lifestyle needs. If you're into a fast paced environment, thinking critically (and creatively), and an organized person case management work might be right for you!
FAQ’s
Can Registered Nurses Be Case Managers?
Yes! Becoming a case manager is a frequent route for nurses as the position almost always requires some level of experience as a registered nurse.
Is It Hard To Become A Case Manager?
Depending on the state/location you are living in, it can be difficult to find a case manager position. However, with more and more jobs becoming remote it is more accessible for nurses to find case management positions through hospitals and insurance companies.
How Much Do Case Managers Make?
The national average for case managers is $84,768. This number varies highly on region, education, experience, job demand, and the company hiring.
Can I Work Remotely As A Case Manager?
Absolutely! One of the many perks of becoming a case manager is the potential to work remotely as a nurse! Many insurance companies are hiring remote nurses to work as case managers.
