RN Case Manager for retirement center

KateRN1 · Jun 30, 2011

What exactly is the position? Are you the "case manager" RN who goes out and does visits? Or are you the "case manager" RN who processes the paperwork of the nurses who do the visits?

If the former, are you comfortable with teaching all kinds of patients about all kinds of disease processes? Are you comfortable working alone with little immediate help and guidance? Are you able to take responsibility for all of your actions? Can you follow-up and keep track of all the needs for your patients?

If the latter and you have no prior home health care experience, you have no business doing that job. Sorry to be blunt, but if you know nothing about the field, you shouldn't be managing others.

Frankly, home health requires more than "basic experience." Nurses in home health are required to be incredibly independent and resourceful, and to operate with very little immediate supervision. I would not recommend home health to anyone with less than at least 2 years of varied med-surg, LTACH, or rehab experience.

Epona · Jul 1, 2011

Thanks KateRN1. I posted here in this forum as you suggested to get some more advice. I am up in the air on this job. It would be home health, but 'in-house' at the retirement center. So no going house to house on the road sort of thing. It is AT the retirement center. The hiring manager did tell me they wanted someone with at least TWO years of home health experience. I told her I had med surg. They only called me because the DON at the facility knows me and we have a working relationship already. She put in a great word for me. I am thinking I could probably do it as it's probably not very acute (the hiring manager told me that), just LOTS of paperwork and patient education. Both of those I can handle. It's the actual clinical work I was a little concerned about. But she told me it's pretty basic medical, nursing care. For instance, she said they have had only three IV patients in the last three years....I have worked with many IV's when I was on med surg. So I am going to play it by ear... I might ask her if I can come shadow one of the RN Case Managers FIRST. Then I should know if I will sink or swim. Thanks again for all your help!!