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Nurse case manager vs nurse

The differences between nurse case managers and nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a nurse case manager and a nurse. Additionally, a nurse case manager has an average salary of $68,461, which is higher than the $57,564 average annual salary of a nurse.

The top three skills for a nurse case manager include care management, discharge planning and patients. The most important skills for a nurse are patients, home health, and CPR.

Nurse case manager vs nurse overview

Nurse Case ManagerNurse
Yearly salary$68,461$57,564
Hourly rate$32.91$27.68
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs83,480696,124
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a nurse case manager do?

A nurse case manager's role focuses on providing advice and medication to patients in an outpatient clinic or hospital. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around conducting extensive assessments, discussing essential matters to patients and families, devising efficient health care plans, coordinating with health care experts to share patients' progress, determining the needed care, and performing follow-up services. There are also instances when a nurse case manager must adjust medication or treatment as needed, refer patients to programs that will support them on their financial and other needs, and implement policies and regulations.

What does a nurse do?

Nurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor. Nurses should ensure that patients follow the medical advice given to them. They also assist patients in completing administrative requirements, such as filling out forms, validating details, and endorsing payments.

Nurse case manager vs nurse salary

Nurse case managers and nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Nurse Case ManagerNurse
Average salary$68,461$57,564
Salary rangeBetween $48,000 And $97,000Between $38,000 And $86,000
Highest paying CitySan Mateo, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiCalifornia
Best paying companyCNA InsuranceConviva
Best paying industryGovernmentGovernment

Differences between nurse case manager and nurse education

There are a few differences between a nurse case manager and a nurse in terms of educational background:

Nurse Case ManagerNurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Nurse case manager vs nurse demographics

Here are the differences between nurse case managers' and nurses' demographics:

Nurse Case ManagerNurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 9.6% Female, 90.4%Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between nurse case manager and nurse duties and responsibilities

Nurse case manager example responsibilities.

  • Develop and manage plan of care for symptom management for patients/families in home, ALF, and SNF arena.
  • Maintain communication with commercial insurance payers, manage Medicare and Medicaid sources and conduct daily clinical updates to insurance companies.
  • Coordinate surgery schedules with doctor, hospital, medical equipment representative and patients.
  • General assessment and care/case management of Medicare patients including wind care, diabetes, cardiac complications, respiratory treatments.
  • Deliver independent private duty nursing to pediatric patients in need of holistic care, including oxygen-dependent, ventilator-dependent, tracheostomy patients.
  • Interview and assess patients, documenting findings and input into EMR system.
  • Show more

Nurse example responsibilities.

  • Monitor patients' status during surgery (circulate in operating room) and manage patients in PACU.
  • Manage high-acuity cardiac/pulmonary and psychiatric patients
  • Monitor patients for cardiac rhythm changes and implement medication according to ACLS guidelines.
  • Educate patients and families on diseases processes, medications, wind care, and iv infusion.
  • Provide care for patients on medical/surgical, transplant, cardiac, orthopedic, postpartum, neonatal ICU, and psychiatric units
  • Demonstrate competence in CPR and other medical emergency situations.
  • Show more

Nurse case manager vs nurse skills

Common nurse case manager skills
  • Care Management, 25%
  • Discharge Planning, 17%
  • Patients, 11%
  • Home Health, 8%
  • Rehabilitation, 3%
  • Medical Care, 3%
Common nurse skills
  • Patients, 21%
  • Home Health, 7%
  • CPR, 6%
  • BLS, 6%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Acls, 4%

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