What does a registered nurse case manager do?
A registered nurse is responsible for providing medical services to patients, assisting doctors in hospitals, clinics, and other health centers. Registered nurses' duties include monitoring the condition of admitted patients, operating medical equipment, responding to patients' inquiries, assisting on physical exams and medications, keeping medical records, and observing strict hygienic standards. A registered nurse must display strong communication and organizational skills, as well as the ability to multi-task, attend to patients' needs, and adjust to different conditions.
Registered nurse case manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real registered nurse case manager resumes:
- Lead CNA med certification class and train staff in CPR certification.
- Direct and manage overall functions of both rehab and sub-acute units.
- Manage a 36 bed memory care unit along with a 15 LTC.
- Manage ICU\ PICU, relate to budget, staffing assignments, and evaluations.
- Coordinate and manage all DME and skil therapy services, establish upon admission.
- Manage post-op peritoneal catheters with prescribe flushes and dressing changes until mature and ready for use.
- Assess ICU patients at local hospital
- Care plan meetings, morning meetings, all aspects of a sub-acute setting.
- Complete the pulmonary care, GI care, critical care, telemetry, and alcohol withdrawal courses.
- Perform registered nursing functions in; telemetry, cardiac, medical/surgical, post anesthesia, same day surgery.
- Set up of medication therapy support, transitional care needs SNF, home health, hospice, long term care.
- Case management and direct care of patients in different settings including SNF, assist livings, patients home, and hospital.
- Conduct detailed assessments of patients and completing require CMS documentation.
- Assess new patients and follow CMS hospice criteria guidelines to help determine hospice eligibility.
- Perform initial triage and assessment of patients and identify need for immediate medical attention.
Registered nurse case manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 24% of Registered Nurse Case Managers are proficient in Patients, Home Health, and Discharge Planning. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Compassion, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Registered Nurse Case Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 24%
Case manager for patients with medical conditions that required collaboration with provider for treatment orders and appointments.
- Home Health, 20%
Supported patient transitions through effective communication and interventions by arranging non-complex home health set-up with patient/family members preferred agencies.
- Discharge Planning, 6%
Participated in development case management program to assist quality inpatient care across the care continuum, and facilitate discharge planning.
- Rehabilitation, 4%
Coordinated and collaborated with physicians, insurers, and interdisciplinary team to manage positive outcomes for short term rehabilitation patient.
- Care Coordination, 3%
Secured top-quality care via advocacy, assessment, planning, facilitation, and improving care coordination through communication and collaboration.
- Quality Care, 3%
Investigated patient care alternatives to provide cost effective quality care individualized to specific patient needs.
Common skills that a registered nurse case manager uses to do their job include "patients," "home health," and "discharge planning." You can find details on the most important registered nurse case manager responsibilities below.
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a registered nurse case manager to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "registered nurses must be able to communicate effectively with patients in order to understand their concerns and evaluate their health conditions." Additionally, a registered nurse case manager resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "keep in regular communication with members of the idt ensuring that patient and family needs are met throughout the hospice experience. "
Compassion. Another essential skill to perform registered nurse case manager duties is compassion. Registered nurse case managers responsibilities require that "registered nurses should be caring and empathetic when working with patients." Registered nurse case managers also use compassion in their role according to a real resume snippet: "delivered compassionate and high quality care to home health and hospice care patients of varying backgrounds and cultures. "
Detail oriented. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of registered nurse case managers is detail oriented. This skill is critical to many everyday registered nurse case manager duties, as "registered nurses must be precise because they must ensure that patients get the correct treatments and medicines at the right time." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "participated in idt every 2 weeks, give detailed but concise reports on each patient. "
Emotional stability. For certain registered nurse case manager responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "emotional stability." The day-to-day duties of a registered nurse case manager rely on this skill, as "registered nurses need emotional resilience and the ability to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stressors." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what registered nurse case managers do: "work in cooperation with the family/caregiver and idt to meet the emotional needs of the patient/family/caregiver. "
Organizational skills. Another crucial skill for a registered nurse case manager to carry out their responsibilities is "organizational skills." A big part of what registered nurse case managers relies on this skill, since "nurses often work with multiple patients who have a variety of health needs." How this skill relates to registered nurse case manager duties can be seen in an example from a registered nurse case manager resume snippet: "required excellent organizational and communication skills. "
Physical stamina. Lastly, "physical stamina" is an important element of what a registered nurse case manager does. Registered nurse case manager responsibilities require this skill because "nurses should be comfortable performing physical tasks, such as lifting patients." This resume example highlights how registered nurse case manager duties rely on this skill: "perform home health physical assessments and evaluate patient learning capabilities. "
The three companies that hire the most registered nurse case managers are:
- Interim HealthCare742 registered nurse case managers jobs
- AccentCare283 registered nurse case managers jobs
- UnitedHealth Group260 registered nurse case managers jobs
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Compare different registered nurse case managers
Registered nurse case manager vs. Staff nurse
Staff nurses are registered nurses who are usually assigned to work in a care home, a company, or in a clinical setting. They advise the physical assessments of patients, employees, and residents. They also handle the checking of vital signs, providing basic medical procedures, giving first aid, and, if possible, providing over the counter medication. Staff nurses provide medical attention to the people in their place of assignment. They help pave the path to their patients' full recovery. Staff nurses are expected to be patient and have good interpersonal skills.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, registered nurse case manager responsibilities require skills like "home health," "care coordination," "utilization review," and "community resources." Meanwhile a typical staff nurse has skills in areas such as "bls," "cpr," "acls," and "acute care." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Staff nurses tend to make the most money working in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $58,739. In contrast, registered nurse case managers make the biggest average salary, $72,809, in the pharmaceutical industry.The education levels that staff nurses earn slightly differ from registered nurse case managers. In particular, staff nurses are 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a registered nurse case manager. Additionally, they're 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Registered nurse case manager vs. Psychiatric registered nurse
A registered psychiatric nurse works alongside mental health experts to develop and administer psychiatric treatment plans according to the patients' needs. Among their responsibilities include gathering and organizing patient information, studying the patients' medical histories, conducting interviews and assessments, providing counseling, administering medicine, and restraining unsettled patients. There are also instances when they must conduct inspections to remove potentially harmful objects and provide psychoeducation to the patients' families. Above all, a registered psychiatric nurse must closely monitor the behavior of patients, record their daily progress, and report to the psychiatrists regularly.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, registered nurse case manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "care coordination," "utilization review," "utilization management," and "medical necessity." Meanwhile, a psychiatric registered nurse has duties that require skills in areas such as "patient safety," "substance abuse," "triage," and "im." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Psychiatric registered nurses may earn a higher salary than registered nurse case managers, but psychiatric registered nurses earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $79,959. On the other hand, registered nurse case managers receive higher pay in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $72,809.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Psychiatric registered nurses tend to reach similar levels of education than registered nurse case managers. In fact, they're 2.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for registered nurse case managers in the next 3-5 years?
Kathrine Skurski
Nursing instructor, Morton College
Additionally, handheld and Bluetooth-enabled devices will become more prevalent in the next few years. Many nurses already carry a phone in their pocket to answer call-lights or page a provider. However, the newest phones or devices will now record and upload assessments or diagnostic tests into the medical record. This generates efficiency in inpatient care. Bluetooth-enabled EKG machines and stethoscopes are becoming commonplace devices in many medical offices. It is only a matter of time before larger organizations purchase these technologies for bedside care.
Registered nurse case manager vs. Contractor-registered nurse
A contractor-registered nurse is responsible for taking care of patients in a medical facility or a similar setting under a contractual arrangement. Their responsibilities are no different from regular registered nurses. They also administer medicines, assist patients and their families, manage schedules, monitor patient conditions, update charts, maintain accurate records, and work full-time. Furthermore, they must coordinate with physicians and other health experts in creating and executing care plans for patients, all while maintaining an active communication line.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, registered nurse case managers are more likely to have skills like "care coordination," "quality care," "utilization review," and "community resources." But a contractor-registered nurse is more likely to have skills like "bls," "icu," "acls," and "acute care."
Contractor-registered nurses earn the best pay in the health care industry, where they command an average salary of $145,371. Registered nurse case managers earn the highest pay from the pharmaceutical industry, with an average salary of $72,809.contractor-registered nurses typically earn similar educational levels compared to registered nurse case managers. Specifically, they're 2.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Registered nurse case manager vs. Telemetry registered nurse
A telemetry registered nurse is a healthcare professional who specializes in caring for patients with heart disease or other medical issues that require continuous telemetry monitoring. Telemetry registered nurses are required to read and monitor the output of electrocardiograms (EKGs), which translate the heart's electrical impulses into a readable rhythm. They must respond to patients who are experiencing cardiac pain and perform various diagnostic tests. Telemetry registered nurses must also assist doctors with different procedures and treatments for cardiac issues.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between registered nurse case managers and telemetry registered nurses, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a registered nurse case manager might have more use for skills like "care coordination," "utilization review," "community resources," and "utilization management." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of telemetry registered nurses require skills like "bls," "acls," "acute care," and "electrocardiogram. "
The health care industry tends to pay the highest salaries for telemetry registered nurses, with average annual pay of $78,819. Comparatively, the highest registered nurse case manager annual salary comes from the pharmaceutical industry.telemetry registered nurses reach similar levels of education compared to registered nurse case managers, in general. The difference is that they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of registered nurse case manager
Updated January 8, 2025
