How rewarding is it to be a case management rn?

Chi Town RN, BSN · Oct 27, 2011

I am a new grad and I am having trouble finding a job, esp without any experience. I have found a few non-clinical positions (Case management, Nurse Reviewer) that will hire new grads. My question is, will starting my career in non-clinical positions hurt my career or slow it down since I will not be practicing my hands on/patient care skills?

christdied4us310 · Dec 3, 2011

hi Chi Town RN, BSN

I, too, am looking to do case management but have no prior experience. You mentioned that you have found case management positions that will hire new grads. Can you share the names of those companies please as I am seriously contemplating leaving bedside nursing and need to quickly land a job with a company that will hire a nurse with no case management experience. Thanks in advance.

SBARNHILL77 · Jan 4, 2012

I've worked for an insurance company for 15 years and recently became a nurse. There are jobs posted for Nurse Reviewer's or Manage Care Coordinators in Columbia, SC (maybe some other states) I don't think these jobs are offsite, but in-office. You could try and keep looking on the website BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

mtngrl, ASN, RN · Jan 13, 2012

I am not exactly doing what you are talking about since I do field based care coordination for long term care services. I do like it better than clinical nursing since I was always interested in social services anyway, and I do love having all weekends and holidays off. But my caseload has DOUBLED since I started a year ago, it is very stressfull, tiring, and I work way more than 40 hours a week. I feel like I will never get everything done, and there are constant deadlines to meet. I do like what I do but wonder how many years I can keep this up. The pay is MUCH higher than any clinical nursing job I have ever had, so that's a HUGE reason I stay. I plan to stay in this field, just hope it doesn't totally wear me down.

Katie82, RN · Jan 15, 2012

Are you having trouble finding a clinical job? I am a firm believer that every new grad needs a couple of years of acute care experience, preferably in Med Surg, in order to develop a knowledge base. I have been a case manager for 10 years, and I cannot imagine doing my job without having had hospital experience. Most employers will not hire CMs without 2 or 3 years of acute care, many want MSN.

DeepFriedRN · Jan 17, 2012

It's a tough job, stressful in it's own way (case loads, meeting metrics, etc..). However, that said, on the plus side a mistake doesn't have the same degree of seriousness that you would find when working bedside-i.e no one dies. I find that many nurses that I work with work more than 8 hrs a day in order to meet the required # of cases.. But no weekends, no holidays. It's got it's good and bad. I am finding that in terms of job satifaction-I personally MISS working with pts. I don't know, just kinda feel like I'm pushing papers around a desk (virtually, lol) just like I did before becoming a nurse. Honestly, it's not my favorite job.

cclear2020 · Feb 11, 2012

If there is enough draw for you to be interested in this field, GO FOR IT! (I did bedside 1.5 years then did CM). I say write down a pro and con list of what you like about nursing and your ideal job. once I saw, that I loved paperwork, talking with patients without giving a med, social work, coordinating care, phone work and typing, being a CM was a great fit.

With any job you have to redefine how you will find rewards..

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Mar 4, 2012

I just broke into case management, but have had to talk with a few others who were new grads and went into case management. I can't say that they're "getting it" that well although they are getting by. I honestly feel as the bedside experience really helps you know what's going on and allows you to do an excellent job as opposed to just get by.