pt. load for case managers

Published

UPDATE: Changes: New Log In Requirement

Case managers - tell me, how many patients are you managing on any given week? How many visits do you do in an average week? Does your hospice have a separate admissions nurse? :paw:

Specializes in Various.
Thanks, Tewdles. I'm serving a rural area of Oklahoma.

I've already made the decision to leave this company and have accepted a position with one that is local to my area. I will have an LPN and aid as well as several other hospice RNs nearby. The office is 3 minutes from my house and was full of cheerful, friendly people when I went in to interview.

I'm hoping my initial experience with hospice is not the norm and that my new employer will respect my personal time and keep their promise to provide backup when I need it.

I am so glad you have found something else. I can't wait to hear if you like your new role better! :yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice, Home Health.
I can't decrease them because of company policy saying that we must provide 2 visits/week to facility patients to help communication and coordination of care. I think it's a bunch of bull if you ask me. We're supposed to provided the same level of care to home and facility patients, but essentially, we're giving a higher level of care to our facility patients.

This is a perfect example of "nothing is impossible for the person that doesn't have to do it." If the goal is communication and coordination of care....both can be accomplished with a telephone call. At facilities, they have nurses 24/7, so technically they ARE receiving a higher level of care if they have a bedside nurse 24/7 and a hospice nurse 2x/w. Sounds like the policy needs to be changed.............................................................................................................

Bless you!

linda

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D, Med/Surg, Pretest, Int.Rad.PICC/Mi.

Hello, I am new to this blog, gave my notice at hospital that I have been working at for 19 yrs on May 7th and will be starting my orientation with Hospice on June 21st. I have been looking in this direction for a long time, and have finally made the move......will be here often looking for advice I am sure, I have taken a position as case manager and have been reading through the posts, finding it all very interesting and various situations all around. I have been an RN for 23 yrs started out in Labor and Delivery for 8.5 yrs, Med/Surg for 3 yrs, Outpatient Pretesting Area for 9 yrs and Radiology Nursing for the past 2.5 yrs....... I am very excited about my new job any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have also had Hospice for both my parents, and nothing but a very heart warming experience.....Atlanta, RN (Linda), I would really like to talk to you to get some advice....I liked your posts...........I will be taking a pay cut, but I really need to get back to the nursing that I went to school for......many years go...............LOL.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

welcome to hospice tinnnk...

I hope you are connected with a wonderful hospice agency and find yourself "reblooming" as a nurse in this specialty.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Checked my schedule for the past week. I had 15 patients with two regular visits then add my recerts, admits, and prns. It was average 7-9 per day. No wonder I keep having 9+ hour days without lunch. That is also not taking into account the long distance drive time as we are in a rural area usually 120+ miles.

I love my patients, love what I do but would love to really only see 5-6 per day so that there is really time with each patient. The thing I hate most is when I am with a patient that has a need that requires additional time and the phone keeps ringing.. "need you to do a prn on....". I really hate that. If my patient is in tears over pending end of life issues...I hit ignore on the phone and then it rings repeatedly. They say "keep phone in car" but then get upset if you don't immediately answer the phone.

How are your prns? Do you see a large number of prns' per week? I am talking during regular working hours and not call.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

Hospicetex, I make some prn visits...generally only to patients on my case load, very rarely for patients of the other case managers. Our agency has contingent nurses who are available for those visits or to pick up routine visits for us so we can complete prns, etc. I try really hard to be proactive with my case load so that prns are uncommon vs. common.

I rarely make more than 6 visits per day with an average drive time of 20 min between patients.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion