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Utilization review nurse skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
Jordan Porter DNP, APRN, FNP-BC,
Cherie Burke Ph.D.
Utilization review nurse example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical utilization review nurse skills. We ranked the top skills for utilization review nurses based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.0% of utilization review nurse resumes contained medical necessity as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a utilization review nurse needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 utilization review nurse skills for your resume and career

1. Medical Necessity

Here's how utilization review nurses use medical necessity:
  • Reviewed medical records of hospitalized patients/members of the Health Plan to determine medical necessity and appropriateness of admissions and continued stays.
  • Performed review primarily for intensive care, long-term acute, and medical-surgical units to determine medical necessity and facilitate discharge coordination.

2. Patients

Here's how utilization review nurses use patients:
  • Review medical documentation submitted by physicians treating patients injured after motor vehicle accidents to determine if treatment is medically necessary.
  • Identify, evaluate, and initiate case management on patients based on diagnosis/ referrals to Case management/Disease Management Programs.

3. Acute Care

The branch of secondary healthcare which is responsible for giving short-term care to patients recovering from severe injuries or urgent medical problems is known as acute care. Acute care comprises multiple domains like; emergency care, urgent care, short-term stabilization, pre-hospital care, critical care, and trauma care.

Here's how utilization review nurses use acute care:
  • Reviewed clinical information submitted by acute care facilities to determine placement in a Skilled Care Facility for post hospitalization treatment.
  • Analyzed acute care medical records to determine appropriate payment reimbursement for inpatient and outpatient services.

4. Discharge Planning

Here's how utilization review nurses use discharge planning:
  • Maintained responsibility of interfacing with physicians, nurses, social services, and health equipment providers to ensure effective admission/discharge planning.
  • Participated in discharge planning process with hospital and inpatient facility staff, ensuring adequate and appropriate disposition and post discharge plans.

5. Utilization Management

Here's how utilization review nurses use utilization management:
  • Document appropriately using established Utilization Management policy.
  • Managed functions related to developing and maintaining delegation of Care Management activities such as Ambulatory Referral Management and Full Utilization Management.

6. Utilization Review

Another name for utilization review is utilization management. It is the process of ensuring that healthcare services are used in a suitable manner. Utilization review is a critical component of adding value to the health care system. Mostly, UR is carried out by healthcare insurance companies, but hospitals and other healthcare providers also perform the process. Utilization review has three types of assessment namely: concurrent, prospective, and retrospective.

Here's how utilization review nurses use utilization review:
  • Provided ongoing customer service and education, specifically instructing on plan requirements for Utilization Review and directing customers to appropriate resource.
  • Conducted clinical review for medical necessity of Workers compensation claims based on state regulatory guidelines and Utilization Review Accreditation Committee.

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7. Community Resources

Community resources are a set of resources that are used in the day to day life of people which improves their lifestyle in some way. People, sites or houses, and population assistance can come under the services offered by community resources.

Here's how utilization review nurses use community resources:
  • Establish and maintain a relationship of collaboration with physicians, hospital departments and community resources to facilitate communication regarding patient care.
  • Assured community resources are provided and support participants through process of accessing community resources and continuum of care.

8. Outpatient Services

Here's how utilization review nurses use outpatient services:
  • Conducted reviews for medical appropriateness of inpatient and outpatient services using appropriate criteria after benefit determination, if applicable.
  • Determine medical appropriateness of inpatient (elective) and outpatient services following evaluation of medical guidelines and benefit determination.

9. Clinical Knowledge

Clinical knowledge is defined as the complete body of information about diseases, pathology, treatments, drugs, mechanisms, pathogenesis, therapies, interactions, contraindications, and interpretation of lab tests and reports which is helpful in devising a diagnosis and treatment plan for a given patient.

Here's how utilization review nurses use clinical knowledge:
  • Utilize clinical knowledge to properly adjudicate Worker's Compensation medical and facility bills.
  • Utilized clinical knowledge to determine if physician review of requests were necessary

10. Home Health

Here's how utilization review nurses use home health:
  • Conducted analysis of home health utilization patterns and developed process improvements.
  • Review Medicare Home Health claims to determine patient eligibility.

11. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how utilization review nurses use patient care:
  • Monitored patient care documentation for patient progress towards treatment objectives and related this information to payers and appropriate others.
  • Gathered, requested, and communicated information regarding patient care and communicated requests from insurance/managed care companies when appropriate.

12. Appeals

Here's how utilization review nurses use appeals:
  • Reviewed and investigated member and provider requests and appeals to determine appropriate utilization of benefits and/or claim adjudication.
  • Applied medical knowledge and clinical expertise in reviewing medical claims, subscriber/provider inquiries and appeals.

13. CPT

CPT is a medical term that stands for Current Procedural Terminology. Whenever a procedure like surgery or diagnosis occurs or some other medical service is rendered to a patient, it is reported to the concerned physician, insurance company, or organization. The aforementioned practice is widely referred to as CPT.

Here's how utilization review nurses use cpt:
  • Possessed the ability to navigate quickly through the ICD9, CPT and HCPIC manuals to verify correct coding and billing practices.
  • Advised insurance carriers on recommended reimbursement for charges following automated bill audit utilizing ICD-9 and CPT codes.

14. Medical Directors

Here's how utilization review nurses use medical directors:
  • Coordinate with Medical Directors and independent physician reviewers to determine appropriate treatment per guidelines and employer's summary plan descriptions.
  • Referred appropriate cases to medical directors, supervisors and/or cosmetic surgery section for review and decision making.

15. Clinical Judgment

Here's how utilization review nurses use clinical judgment:
  • Utilize clinical judgment with clinical guidelines to determine when referring to the Medical Director for those authorizations requiring additional expertise.
  • Obtain clinical information to apply the appropriate clinical criteria/guideline, policy, procedure and clinical judgment to render coverage determination/recommendation.
top-skills

What skills help Utilization Review Nurses find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What utilization review nurse skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Jordan Porter DNP, APRN, FNP-BCJordan Porter DNP, APRN, FNP-BC LinkedIn profile

Lecturer of Nursing, University of Maine

In nursing, maximizing your salary isn't just about climbing the traditional ladder. It’s crucial to broaden your perspective and think innovatively. Advanced certifications and education are key—they don’t just boost your expertise, they open doors to higher-paying opportunities that many might not consider, like roles in healthcare technology or business. Mastering negotiation is also essential. It’s about articulating your unique value compellingly, telling your story in a way that not only highlights your skills but also demonstrates how you can meet the needs of an organization in a mutually beneficial way. But let's not overlook the non-traditional paths. For instance, travel nursing can offer not just adventure but also lucrative contracts, especially in high-demand areas. And stepping into entrepreneurial roles within healthcare can tap into new revenue streams that go beyond hourly wages. Yet, while exploring these avenues, it’s important to remember the bigger picture. A healthy work environment where you feel genuinely supported and valued is priceless. It’s about finding a balance where you are not just well-compensated but where you also belong. Leaders who invest in your growth, a culture that respects your work-life balance, and a role that allows you to maintain your professional integrity—all these factors contribute to long-term satisfaction and well-being. After all, the ultimate goal isn’t just to earn more, but to build a fulfilling career that sustains you physically, emotionally, and mentally over the long haul. In the grand scheme of things, making a bit less in exchange for a life well-lived is not a compromise; it’s a strategic choice for lasting happiness and impact.

What hard/technical skills are most important for utilization review nurses?

Cherie Burke Ph.D.

Director of the School of Nursing, Associate Professor, Loyola University New Orleans

-Strong computer skills

-Strong nursing background

-Knowledge of evidence-based resources and practices

List of utilization review nurse skills to add to your resume

Utilization review nurse skills

The most important skills for a utilization review nurse resume and required skills for a utilization review nurse to have include:

  • Medical Necessity
  • Patients
  • Acute Care
  • Discharge Planning
  • Utilization Management
  • Utilization Review
  • Community Resources
  • Outpatient Services
  • Clinical Knowledge
  • Home Health
  • Patient Care
  • Appeals
  • CPT
  • Medical Directors
  • Clinical Judgment
  • Medical Care
  • Clinical Review
  • Chart Review
  • Proactive Planning
  • HIPAA
  • Social Work
  • CMS
  • Concurrent Review
  • Health Care Services
  • Inpatient Admissions
  • Health Plan
  • ICD-9
  • Interqual Criteria
  • Medicare
  • Medicaid
  • Retrospective Reviews
  • Clinical Documentation
  • Excellent Interpersonal
  • Data Collection
  • Medical Services
  • HCPCS
  • Rehabilitation
  • DRG
  • Data Entry
  • Strong Computer
  • Medical Policy
  • SNF
  • NCQA
  • HMO
  • Physician Review
  • Medical Claims
  • Compassion
  • Clinical Criteria
  • Clinical Guidelines
  • HEDIS

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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