Case Management - any advice?

[blissfully_married]

I am considering a move into Case Management (specifically in a hospital). Any advise, warnings, etc? What traits do you see make a good case manager? What makes an aweful case manager? Any horror or heart warming stories? I would love to hear any perspective that you can provide.

Thanks!!

[Mrs Doolittle]

It would be beneficial if you knew what the CM's role was. Having Utilization Review experience would also definitely help.

If you want something low key, where you can leave exactly at 1700, then this is not for you. There is constant pressure to keep LOS down. Pts, their family and docs are notorious for changing their minds at the last second. Be prepared to do a 180, 30 minutes before the end of your day on Friday.

The traits we like to see in CMs are: organization. Your desk can be a wreck but hopefully your brain has everything in order. Must be able to multi-task to the extreme. I mean about like 5 'projects' stewing all at the same time on many days :sstrs:. You need to have a plan A, B and sometimes D and E! You need to be able to smooth talk docs into what you want. You need to be able to think outside the box and quickly :thnkg:. You may have a 35 pt load and your buddy may have 18, but if she's not done at 1630 and you are.... you roll up your sleeve and dive in. No man left behind is our dept rule.

I am blessed that our small 4 person dept is a well greased, tight unit where we get along marvelously. We are also friends and nsg school classmates etc.

We've had some personnel in the past who disappeared during the day. One just never answered her pages. Claimed her pager didn't work even after being replaced numerous times. I offered her my pager since it works every single time! Some did not react to the stress very well and locked themselves in the bathroom for 45 min and longer, several times throughout the day! One didn't actually see their pts but claimed to have done so in their charting. She was busted when she claimed the husband provided excellent home care. Well... the demographics were not updated and the pt's spouse had died several years ago. Pt had no other family and was living alone