OR RN for 5 yrs: Do I qualify for UM?...

Specialties Case Management

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Specializes in O.R. Nursing - ENT, CTC, Vasc..

Hi -

I've been an RN in an inpatient OR for 5 years, have a BSN, and oooodles of customer service and clerical experience prior to that. I am more of a pro at customer service than I probably am at nursing! LOL

My hospital has a UM job open, and I am just curious if OR experience would help me in this position. I am sure they'll train me. But I am also sure they'd rather have someone with experience. I am technically considered a critical care nurse. I'm sure I'm capable of doing the job once I'm trained. But I really don't have a realistic view of what the position entails.

Also, will I be "cheating" patients out of compensation a lot? (honestly?)... I know insurance companies try to not have to pay. And I wouldn't try to cheat the insurance companies - I am just wondering if there is a feeling of doing good for my patients, within reason.

I can find out all of this at work, I'm sure. I just would like some outsider input without people I work with seeing me sniff around.

Thanks :)

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You will not be cheating patient's out of compensation. The hospital's receive less revenue , depending on the level of care that is necessary.

Customer service is a big part of the position. If they offer you the job, go for it.

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Specializes in Geriatric.

I have been doing UM/CM for over a year now and from my opinion you would be going backwards and downgrading yourself. UM is not really "nursing." You don't have to be a nurse to do some of the stuff we do. I think UM is so boring....but that's just my opinion and basing it from my experience. You can try though you might like looking in front of a monitor all day :)

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Specializes in O.R. Nursing - ENT, CTC, Vasc..

Thanks for the responses. I am just sort of burned out. I don't want to take call anymore because we want to move more than 30 minutes away from work, and I don't know what other area of nursing I could stand besides OR nursing. I am OK with boring things, lol.

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I have been doing UM/CM for over a year now and from my opinion you would be going backwards and downgrading yourself. UM is not really "nursing." You don't have to be a nurse to do some of the stuff we do. I think UM is so boring....but that's just my opinion and basing it from my experience. You can try though you might like looking in front of a monitor all day :)

Going backwards and downgrading is a personal perspective. I am respected and appreciated by my employer, something rarely seen in a hospital setting. I recently denied a case based on one word in the review.A word pretty much that would only jump out to a nurse.Which is one reason the position requires nurses .

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Specializes in O.R. Nursing - ENT, CTC, Vasc..

Yes. I did take that post as her personal perspective, thanks :) Sometimes MY job is boring - and I get to run around and do different things. But even that is getting monotonous. My patients are asleep most of the time. Sometimes I feel like anyone could do MY job, although I know some specific things that need a nurse's skills. The techs think we just do "data entry" when we're charting a case... sometimes it seems that way but in every chart there is something I have to critically think about. Anyway.... thanks... this feedback is great.

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I have been doing UM/CM for over a year now and from my opinion you would be going backwards and downgrading yourself. UM is not really "nursing." You don't have to be a nurse to do some of the stuff we do. I think UM is so boring....but that's just my opinion and basing it from my experience. You can try though you might like looking in front of a monitor all day :)

I would disagree with this statement. I work as a ER Case Manager, and determining status and completing reviews takes nursing knowledge and critical thinking to make sense of the entire clinical picture. Also, I have to call physicians if I want a status changed and explain why or why they don't meet medical criteria. In between all that, I also case manage the patients coming in and going out of the ER. I think you just have to find the right position that fits you personally. Good luck!

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Specializes in O.R. Nursing - ENT, CTC, Vasc..

Hmm. Maybe I can job-shadow... What you describe sounds like the job description they gave me. Thanks turningred, very helpful. :)

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
Hmm. Maybe I can job-shadow... What you describe sounds like the job description they gave me. Thanks turningred, very helpful. :)

OP, what Turningred15 and Been There, Done That said is more along the lines of what our jobs are like because we are hired as nurses to think as nurses. RNs that perform UR/UM and/or Case Management jobs but think of their positons are not nursing are on another planet. I am sure you have met them even by bedside. Usually they are the nurses that do not understand that they are to apply clinical critical thinking skills at all times to include while feeding or repositioning patients because it can be "sooo boring" and "anyone can do it, why me???!"

But I digress... OP, you have the right idea and right attitude. I do not see anything wrong with your clinical background meshing with Case Management. You will find more threads that share our experiences that you may also find helpful. Good luck! :)

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Hmm. Maybe I can job-shadow... What you describe sounds like the job description they gave me. Thanks turningred, very helpful. :)

You can post here any time you have a question, or PM me. I love my job!

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Specializes in O.R. Nursing - ENT, CTC, Vasc..

Thanks everyone :)

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Curious ... Did you apply for the UM job?

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