People working in nursing now or those who are looking into roles they may enjoy in the future should consider a case management career. Case managers are healthcare professionals who work as patient advocates. They help guide, coordinate, and support patient care, helping them get what they need as they focus on their health.
If you’re a registered nurse who hasn’t considered becoming a case manager before, now is a great time to think about it. Case managers are focused on patients’ needs and help provide patients with the resources they need beyond bedside nursing. As a case manager, you focus on helping those you work with reach their optimum levels of health, so everyone, from the healthcare system to the individuals’ families, benefits.
The Role of a Nurse Case Manager
Case managers are healthcare professionals who work closely with patients and their families while putting together a care plan for the patient. The exact job responsibilities of a case manager will depend on where they work and the specific requirements of the role.
However, most case managers will be responsible for providing information about resources and services to patients and their families. They may also work as a facilitator to “get the ball rolling” and push to start a care or treatment plan.
Case Management Certifications
It’s important to note that most someone interested in case management will need the right educational background. Specific job requirements may be required for this role and can include certifications such as:
- Certified Case Manager (CCM): is offered through the Commission for Case Manager Certification. This is the gold standard certification for the role.
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC): provides certification to registered nurses wanting to switch to a case management role.
- Accredited Case Manager (ACM): is available through the American Case Management Association and open to social workers and registered nurses who are already licensed or, in the case of social workers, have a degree.
As an RN, you have options when it comes to getting certified specifically as a case manager, but you may already have enough experience to get started. And, remember, you may be able to ask your current employer for support, especially if they have case management roles to fill. If you do require additional training or certification, the abovementioned certification options are all great places to start.
Benefits of Case Management Jobs
Whether you are currently working as a registered nurse or are still a nursing student, there are many benefits to consider in a career as a case manager.
Less Demanding
To start with, case manager roles for RNs are not as physically demanding as some other nursing positions. While you may see patients from time to time in certain roles (such as if you’re a case manager in a hospital), this is largely a non-clinical job away from the bedside.
There is potentially less stress in this role since it is a role that has you organizing care and advocating for your patients rather than actively participating in their treatments. However, like many roles in nursing, it is possible to have times of stress in case management as well.
Flexible Options
One significant perk of becoming a nurse case manager comes down to how you do your job. In 2023, there are now remote work options, which means you have more flexibility in your schedule. As of 2022, around half of all case managers worked from home.
If you were hoping for more consistent, standard work hours as a nurse, case management may be a good choice for you. With remote work-from-home options, nurses have even more flexibility as case managers.
Working from home frees up extra hours of your time spent commuting. Additionally, you’ll save money in several ways, such as by cutting down costs on your transportation expenses, meals away from home, and even uniform/business attire.
Additionally, while 63% of nurses said they had to work overtime and were satisfied with how much (in 2021), only 10% of case managers reported that they had to work overtime. If you’re tired of having longer-than-expected work days or weeks, than a role in case management may be the solution.
If you’re hoping for an upgrade in your nursing pay (or just a great, guaranteed salary), case management is a solid option for pay too. You generally don’t work hourly pay or shift schedules, and it’s unlikely that you will work more than in another more traditional bedside nursing role.
Better Pay
Taking all this into consideration, case management can be better for your work-life balance, and it still pays. Making the switch to this role from your bedside nursing can be a tough decision, but the pay may help sway you. How much can you expect to earn as a case manager?
The national median salary for case managers is $92,328. On the high end, upper-level case managers in the 90th percentile make a median salary of $109,934 annually.
If you’re already a nurse, one thing you can keep in mind is that the majority of case managers earn above $80,000 annually (62%). That’s compared to nurses making the same income range (39%). So, changing your nursing career to working in case management can be an excellent way to raise your income.
Case management roles are in demand, which is something else to consider when you’re thinking about taking on this role. There are around 84,959 case manager jobs open in the United States, and the demand for people in these roles is expected to grow by 9% by 2028.
Find a Nurse Case Manager Job with SHC
Working as a nurse case manager puts you in a position to help patients and their families as they receive the care they need to improve their lives. With over 112,432 case managers employed in the U.S. and expected growth in job openings for this role, it’s one nursing job that you may want to look into if you’re hoping to make a change in your career or are looking into opportunities away from the bedside.
At Supplemental Health Care, we have case manager jobs and other RN opportunities across the country in a variety of settings. Contact our team today to get started or search our jobs today to see what is available right now.
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