Case management nurses, also known as RN case managers, play a valuable role in managing a variety of individual patient healthcare elements. Even in just one individual case, there can be a great many different important elements that need to be coordinated in order for the care plan to be effective. Competent case management nurse will see to it that all of the right pieces are in place for patient to get the care that they need.
Responsibilities
In order to carry out their role, case management nurse is generally going to have a number of resources at their disposal to assist their facilities. Though there may not be any cut-and-dry way to use their resources, the nurse’s training should enable them to make decisions on how to use said resources in the most effective manner for the benefit of the patient and their facility.
In most cases, one of the main priorities of a case management nurse will be to help optimize the fiscal responsibility of their facility. A case management nurse doesn’t need to be formally trained in finance to do their job, but a basic level of financial competence can come in very useful for their role. Financial management competence allows the case management nurse to choose healthcare solutions that are economically reasonable and efficient at the same time.
Due to the nature of their job, case management nurses will need to have a certain capacity for teamwork. In addition to working together with different physician and healthcare professionals, case management nurses will also work closely with patients and their families as well.
Their range of collaboration will oftentimes include the insurance industry, medical technology industry, and pharmaceutical industry all at once; naturally, this will entail a basic level of communication skills to ensure that all parties are on the same page.
Education and Certification Requirements
As registered nurses, is necessary for case management nurse to have a relevant degree such as a Bachelors in Science in Nursing (BSN). An alternative to the Bachelors in Science in Nursing could also be an associates degree in nursing (ADN). Though it is not necessary for case management nurse to specifically have case management certification, going the extra mile is advisable in order to demonstrate more credibility.
Job Outlook
As a variety of registered nurse, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average wage of the case management nurse would be around $72,000 a year. Like many other professions, hourly wages for registered nurses will vary depending on their level of experience.
The BLS reports that the industries with the highest levels and concentrations of employment for registered nurses are general medical and surgical hospitals, offices of physicians, home healthcare services, nursing care facilities, and outpatient care centers. The states with the highest employment levels for registered nurses are California, Texas, New York, Florida and Pennsylvania.
Related Resource: What is a Clinical Nurse Specialist?
The BLS reports that the top-paying industries for registered nurses are accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services; navigation, measuring, electro medical, and control instruments manufacturing; pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing; other transits and ground passenger transportation; and the federal executive branch (OES designation).
