New case manager

[maco1]

Help!! I’m new to cm, I’ve been a Med- surg nurse for 14 years. I’m on week 4 of orientation and I’m lost!  I’m On a busy tele floor. I’m finding it hard to get organized! Any tips? What do write / important on your works sheets, etc.

[Pac2000]

I'm new also. Just started a week ago. I'm lost myself. Hopefully I can catch on. Is it getting better for you?

[Hannahbanana, BSN, MSN]

You can ask a colleague for a look at her cheat sheet-- and then you might have a better idea of how to develop your own. Or your system might print out a list of everyone with day of admission, marks to hit, etc. for you to work from.

Are you doing case management (defined as coordinating the provision of medical care to decrease delays and costs) or discharge planning? Different animals entirely, but often called the same thing.

[Pac2000]

Im doing both. Small community hospital

[gr8rnpjt, RN]

What you need to remember is that your job has changed. You are not caring for your patient in the hospital, you’re planning the care your patient will receive when they discharge from the hospital. You’re looking at the patients needs right now and what setting they are most appropriate to discharge to. If there are therapy evaluations, they help a lot. Can the patient go home in the condition they are in right now? Can they feed themselves, dress, bathe, toilet themselves? Can they manage their wounds? Their movement around the home? Climb stairs? After you get a good clinical picture, go in and talk to the patient? Will they have help at home? Do they feel they can safely manage themselves at home? What is the best setting? Home with home care? Skilled nursing care? You are looking across the continuum to see where is the best fit for your patient. If the hospital has a social worker, schedule a meeting with him/her. They will be an asset to you and you will gain a lot of knowledge. In the best world, case management and social workers work together.