Introduction
The interview for this assignment is A., a case manager working in the sphere of primary care. She is a Registered Nurse (RN) with significant experience in primary and acute care. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and has been working as a case manager for three years. The primary job responsibilities of the interviewee are to check the patient’s insurance coverage and document their care preferences, activities, risks, and needs. Furthermore, as a care manager, she also assists patients in finding the best management plan and bringing awareness about this process to the patient and his or her family and caregivers. The case manager in primary care often has to identify patients who may be “at risk of hospitalization” (Stokes et al., 2015, p. e0132340). Thus, the duty of the interviewee is to recognize various health-related issues of patients and help them to avoid possible admission to the hospital.
Questions
For what does a future case manager need to be prepared to apply for a job in the field of primary care?
A: In primary care, patients may not state all of their existing problems, leaving the case manager unsure about the possible issues of their clients. Therefore, case managers should be able to communicate with their clients and ask the right questions to assess their well-being and detect any possible issues. Patients often do not understand the purpose of meeting a case manager multiple times. Nurses should be ready to educate their clients and provide all information that could help patients cooperate.
Why do patients misunderstand their duties?
A: In my opinion, the sphere of case management may not be clear to patients because they do not understand how their needs relate to the plans that we can offer to them. That is why education is a part of the job.
What is the role of collaboration in your profession?
A: Case managers have to work with other medical professionals to successfully care for all patients. Collaboration is crucial in this case.
What can be included in one’s care plan?
A: The individual plan of care should be based on the personal information of the patient. It has such information as the type of illness or injury, medical history, and risk factors. The latter is very important for finding the best plan.
How often do you work with patients with chronic illnesses?
A: I work with them almost every day. Currently, many of the patients have different complex problems with their health. These patients realize the necessity to work with me and my colleagues.
How can patients influence the process of your work?
A: Patients often become the decision-makers if they know about their medical history and can assess their current state. Many patients also voice their opinions, beliefs, and values which also have to be considered.
What skills are essential for becoming a case manager?
A: One’s ability to communicate is crucial, as a case manager interacts with patients and their relatives. Family members and clients often misunderstand the costs of plans and their specifications. One should be able to explain everything in simple terms.
What specifications can case managers choose?
A: There are many conditions with which nurses can work exclusively. For instance, case managers can choose to work with cancer patients, individuals with mental illnesses, or chronic conditions.
Where can case managers work?
A: Currently, case managers are needed in every medical facility, including hospitals, nursing homes, or private practices.
What issues can you encounter while performing your job?
A: The misunderstanding of the information that I give to my patients is one of them. Sometimes, a well-designed care plan is too expensive for a patient, but the limitations of my occupation do not allow me to overcome this issue.
Summary
This interview allowed me to learn more about case managers and their purpose in healthcare. In primary care settings, these workers play a significant part in preventing the hospitalization of patients (Schmidt et al., 2016). Furthermore, I understood that being an educator is an integral part of their profession. Case managers should find a balance between finding the best plan for the patient and advocating for accessible care. Patients with chronic diseases and complications often become clients of case managers and require more attention and support (Hudon, Chouinard, Diadiou, Lambert, & Bouliane, 2015). All in all, nurses working as case managers have many duties and need to have well-developed communicational and analytical skills.
Practice Experience Log
References
Hudon, C., Chouinard, M. C., Diadiou, F., Lambert, M., & Bouliane, D. (2015). Case management in primary care for frequent users of health care services with chronic diseases: A qualitative study of patient and family experience. The Annals of Family Medicine, 13(6), 523-528.
Schmidt, K., Worrack, S., Von Korff, M., Davydow, D., Brunkhorst, F., Ehlert, U.,… Freytag, A. (2016). Effect of a primary care management intervention on mental health-related quality of life among survivors of sepsis: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA, 315(24), 2703-2711.
Stokes, J., Panagioti, M., Alam, R., Checkland, K., Cheraghi-Sohi, S., & Bower, P. (2015). Effectiveness of case management for ‘at risk’ patients in primary care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One, 10(7), e0132340.