Role of CCM in the ER?

[Tina, RN]

I recently saw an ad for a CCM job in the ER of a local hospital. I was wondering, what does a CCM do in the ER? I have never done CM work in the acute care setting, but ER patients don't stick around long. They either go home, or up to a room on one of the floors if admitted. Then, the CM assigned to that floor would handle the case, no?

So, does anyone here work in an ER?? What kinds of things do you do for the patients, being as they are only in the ER for a few hours or so?

[d'cm]

Typically the ER CM is put there primarily to function as a "gatekeeper". i.e. the case manager is to review all intended admissions for medical necessity, and if they don't : persuade the physician not to admit. Personally I have never seen it work but I'm sure others have. It is not a job for a newbie.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I did it for two years while going to school. I was an experienced (4 years at the time) ER nurse and had been a nurse for 8 years total. We did act as the gatekeeper for admits. We also dealt with protocols for chronic pain pts and did a lot of intervening with difficult pts.

Loved the job.

[Tina, RN]

OK, I gotcha. Thanks for the info!