Need Help - Offered Workers' Comp Field Nurse Case Manager Position

[MiahMSN, MSN, RN]

Hi - I've been a medsurg/tele nurse for 2 1/2 years and a NICU nurse for almost 1 year and I'm burnt out on both bedside and working nights (I think more so nights than anything, and it's taken a toll on my health, relationships, etc.). So I started looking into Case Management positions and workers comp really appealed to me. Interviewed and received my first offer from Aetna this morning. I'm wrapping up final interviews with ICM (Integrated Care Management) this week and think I have a fairly good chance of getting an offer from them as well. The thing about it is I'm taking a pay cut - Aetna offered me about $10,000 less annually than what I make at the hospital doing my 3 shifts a week (not including when I sometimes work per diem at my old job, which in that case would be about $15,000 less annually). The position is hourly and I was told there can be some overtime, but I don't want to have to rely on overtime to be compensated for what I think I'm worth and the income that I've been accustomed to.

It also seems like Case Management, particularly in workers comp can be pretty stressful and a lot is required of you from the insurance company. My question is to all the workers comp case managers out there - do you love the work? Was it a hard transition from acute care? Do you find it rewarding? What are the challenges? Lastly, can it be lucrative salary wise the longer you work in it and once you have your CCM? Just need some real world input that would help me make a better informed decision. Thanks in advance!

[Nextcase]

I did worker's compensation cm for 5 years. I am now in another speciality. In some ways it was better because the adjuster has a lot of control over the decision to pay for something. I had an adjuster agree to pay for a surgey the medical reviewer denied. In others it is very stressful and you have to guard against becoming suspicious of every claiment because of the few that work the system. As far as salary goes with aetna you need to negotiate. The people that do the screening process for them will give you a low ball offer, you need to counter a bit above what you want and in the end come down to what you actually want. Example 5 nurse show up for training, talk over dinner all got rediculous low offers IMO. 2 of us negotiated to much higher pay. Good Luck and pm me if you take the job!

[AZGirl27]

Did you take the job? I am looking at leaving bedside nursing after 3 years for the same reasons as you. I have two interviews for CM next week and I am nervous about the thought of losing my clinical skills but I know I dont want to work bedside anymore. I know there are other options such as outpt centers but I love the hours that case management had to offer.