How to become a Case Management Nurse

Case management refers to the service meant to design and develop a comprehensive plan that focuses on cost containment and meeting the special and specific needs of patients suffering from long-term diseases or injuries. This ensures proper care, specific diagnosis plan and better medical facilities for specific patients. A few examples of cases may involve patients suffering from AIDS or those who are not able to perform day-to-day workings because of an injury. The service also involves implementation of plan, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and review of results.

The Need of the Service

The basic reason why the service came into being is that the needs and requirements of the patients were not fully addressed by the existing institutions. The service provides all the solutions per the individual’s condition and requirements.

Allocation Based on Suitability

The demand of each patient is unique and the plans for coping with the same are devised accordingly. There might be a situation where the patient need the service for life while another for a short time. The situation might be there since the time of birth while there might also be a case when it originated over a course of time or in an instant in case of a severe injury.

The Background

Case managers come in from diverse range of backgrounds including

• Nursing
• Social Work
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational Therapy

Job Responsibilities

The range of job responsibilities of case managers are immense and involve

• Gathering necessary information related to patient, his medical condition and family members.
• Identification of Rehabilitation goals
• Understanding the requirements of the patient
• Planning to reduce the impact of condition of individual on safety, level of independence, family life, social life and job prospects to name a few.
• Supporting the families in communicating with external bodies, raising of necessary funds and introducing them to the support groups.
• Drawing of a cost effective plan for meeting the desired goals
• Maintaining records
• Constant review of the situation

In order to be a nursing case manager, you must be a registered nurse with either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or a Master of Science in nursing.

How to become a Case Management Nurse?

The process is a simple one and involves five simple steps

• Learn about the job duties
• Complete nursing education (online or offline)
• Obtain RN license by passing NCLEX-RN exam
• Complete a case management certification program
• Obtain a certification for Case Management nurse


Requirements to be a Certified Case Manager

• A valid RN license
• Two year working experience as RN
• 2000+ hours of practice as case management nurse over a period of last three years

The salary varies from $55000 to $ 75000 per year.

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