What is case management like in the LTC facility setting?

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

What is case management like in the LTC facility setting? Has anyone worked in this role recently. Obviously each facility will have their own requirements, but as a whole I am trying to figure out what this involves. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[amoLucia]

I've worked many LTC faciliities and I've never seen a case manager position in any of them. There's discharge planning as part of the interdisciplinary team process and the Social Services person usually has been the one to set up services and nsg deals with some other issues right at the time of discharge. Now whether pts are compliant with and the services and referrals set up is their responsibility and as we all know, once home, they do as they choose.

The Social Worker also is the one to deal with other issues for in-house residents.

So, are you talking LTC that is affiliated with a medical center?? Otherwise, it might be a duplication of services within the average LTC facility. Sorry I couldn't be more assistive. Maybe others out there might be in such a position at more sophisticated facilities.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

I agree with the above poster, I have not met any Nurse CMs that work in a LTC. I think it may be rare for a LTC setting to hire a Nurse instead of a Social Worker to perform the job of discharge planner because the turnover of patients from admission to discharge is low and not medically complicated within that setting. Non-medically complicated LTCs have Social Workers provide efficient discharge planning along with PT/OT, the primary nurse, the admission coordinator, and the rest of the IDT.

On the other hand, settings that are medically complicated and similar to LTCs are LTACs and SNFs connected to an acute care setting. These settings use Nurse CMs and/or Social Workers to centrally coordinate the discharge plan. Will you be working in a LTAC or SNF attached to a hospital? If so, my understanding is that you will perform a similar job as Nurse CMs who work within the inpatient acute care setting. Good Luck.