amjbrick

I am a Telephonic Nurse Case Manager in Worker's Compensation for a well known Insurance Company. I like the position pretty well and have been at it for 2 years now. I am going to sit for the CCM exam this August. I received a call from Blue Cross Blue Shield of MI offering me an interview for a Case Manager position with them. After one year's time they offer a work from home position which I am very interested in. This is not available through my current employer. Does anyone know what it is like working for BCBS as a TCM? I am curious if anyone has any knowledge or experience working specifically for BCBS in this role. Any input is much appreciated! Thanks in advance.

:idea:I've been an RN since 92. When a new grad I worked first on a very busy oncology unit in a downtown city hospital. What a great opportunity it was. I only, unfortunately, lasted around 6 months. I honestly couldn't handle the stress. I'm a bit ADD to begin with, as well as OCD (great, huh?) so I never felt that I could fully do an adequate job with the resources available (there was never enough time no matter how well I was able to prioritize). I eventually went into an out patient chemo clinic (which I loved) for 8 years, then, for a change home care. I've been in home care now for around 7 years. I fantasize about returning to the hospital as I would like to learn new skills and further challenge myself. What I am wanting to know is if you all could give me some in-put on what areas within the hospital setting would be the least stressful (is there any such animal?). I do have a pre-disposition (and history) of clinical depression and anxiety. I am an excellent nurse but am trying to look out for myself so that I can remain healthy/balanced and efficient/effective!!! I am interested in peds and believe it or not ER!!!! Thanks, guys and gals! Amy

"Have you had your survey yet? How did it go? Are you ok?" Well, I made it through...it was a Joint Comission Survey and it was probably the most stressful experience of my life. I don't ever want to have to go through something like that ever again! I had no one helping me besides a "consultant" who was never available. I had to prepare from scratch and I felt that the whole thing was like a nightmare! We happened to have done well with three conditions that we have to "fix" or put a plan in place to improve them. (I still don't even have the "lingo" for all of this down). Anyways, I really don't want this job and have put my notice in....now that I got them through survey they can find another DON, Administrator, Nursing Supervisor, Intake Coordinator, Field Nurse...as I was doing all of those things for 40 bucks an hour. Plus the fact that the PT who has started the company is interested only in the money and doesn't care a bit about the patients which became more evident once we passed the survey and he basically washed his hands of his patients. He hasn't called any of them or been back to see them. I can't work with someone like that. I referred all of my patients to another agency who can fully give them the care they deserve. :balloons: I'm back to my old job as a contingent field nurse for a major HHA.

I think that I already was pre-disposed to OCD and that nursing exacerbated it! What with the checking and double checking and triple checking and scrupulous documentation and being responsible for anything and everything. I have suffered from depression since I was young and feel that, most likely, nursing has ended up being the worst career choice that I could have made. I have become a very unhappy, anxious, sad, tired, un-fulfilled and worried person. I am 47 years old now and am trying to think of ways to use my nursing degree in some form of setting where there is not so much STRESS. Many times I have been unable to work and have had to quit jobs without notice for the sake of my own mental health. I worry all of the time about the future and about whether or not I'll be able to continue as a nurse because I can't handle the stress. Then there's the problem of not being able to bring in the same amount of money if I take on a different career (working in a department store sounds good right now). I also am terrified of getting old and/or sick and not being able to care for myself because of all of the pain, suffering and abuse I've witnessed (of the elderly). I have thought about suicide when/if I get old and infirm because I don't want to be at the mercy of other people or be neglected abused or in pain. I am full of fear...

I was asked back in April to "help" a Physical Therapist "startup" his own HHA. At the time, I was only working contingent (admission (SOC) RN) for a large HHA and felt that this would be an interesting challenge. Well, now I am afraid that I have gotten myself in way above my head. We have been working w/a consultant to help us to become JCAHCO certified, but many of the resources that I am supposed to become familiar with are very difficult for me to understand. The conditions of participation, all of the Policies and Procedures, Hiring practices, inservice training, utilization review etc. I have NO experience, other than a staff RN, and this was known to the owners, but now we are due for the survey at any time and I am very afraid. I don't feel that I'm cut out for this. I have a fear of speaking to groups and didn't realize that I would be responsible for so much. My husband and family AND my employer and the consultant are all aware of how I feel and my insecurites and tell me not to worry. I am very worried. Does anyone have advice for me? Thank you so much:o