Nursing Jobs | RNBuilder Nursing Blog

What is a Nurse Case Manager?

Published

on October 11, 2011

. 0 Comments

Nurse Case Manager Within the nursing field, opportunities for job promotion and advancement aren’t as common as most people think. Most nurses work on a fairly level playing field, and although you might choose to specialize, chances are you won’t actually adopt a supervisory role without a real effort to get there.

One area in which you can set yourself apart and take on more responsibilities and management roles within the nursing field is to become an RN case manager.

What is an RN Case Manager?

Nursing case managers typically take a step back from being a hands-on care provider toward more administrative work. They oversee the admissions process for patients who need recurring care, often developing and coordinating plans for long-term outcomes. Similar to social work, in that the RN case manager works with an entire lifetime of care (and often in conjunction with other health and social services), there is nevertheless a much heavier medical focus.

Within a daily capacity, an RN case manager might:

Act as a liaison and advocate for patients, families, and the health care system
Create overarching care plans
Refer and admit patients
Coordinate medications
Provide/coordinate therapy and treatments
Evaluate plans and staff members
Dispense medical advice

Case managers work in hospitals, home health care organizations, nursing homes, hospices, insurance companies, and busy medical offices. Hospice and home health care are among the top employers for this type of work, since it is necessary to coordinate a long-term care plan that involves doctors, other nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other care providers.

How to Become an RN Case Manager

First of all, all case managers must first become practicing nurses by attending a nursing school and getting the appropriate degrees and licenses. It’s typically best to have one or two years of experience before branching out into case management, though this isn’t always the case. There are some one-year programs that teach nurse case management above and beyond a two or four-year nursing degree, though these aren’t required to enter the profession, either.

The only accrediting body for case management is the American Case Management Association. Certification is voluntary, and requires the successful completion of their exam as well as meeting standards in education and work experience (2,000 hours of clinical practice and 30 hours of continuing education related to case management). There is also an annual fee to keep the certification current, and you can also opt for participation in the annual Association events.

Critical Care Nursing

Nursing Opportunities: Is it Better to Work at a For-Profit Hospital or Non-Profit Hospital?

Published

on October 3, 2011

Nursing Jobs that Aren’t in a Hospital

. 0 Comments

For-profit and non-profit hospitals With the exception of government-run and VA facilities, hospitals fall into one of two categories: for-profit and non-profit organizations. As the names suggest, for-profit hospitals are those that are run as a business, dedicated to turning a profit for the shareholders. Non-profit hospitals, on the other hand, take monies earned and put them back into the company, whether for continued maintenance or expansion. In short, within a non-profit setting, company leaders make a salary, but they do not share in the profits of the organization.

When it comes to working as a nurse within the hospital setting, there are some subtle differences in the way for-profits and non-profits are run. These differences are not universal, but if you are choosing between two types of organizations, you may want to consider a few of these trends.

For-profit hospitals are businesses first, while non-profits focus more on the person. This means that when it comes to performance reviews, productivity, and accountability, for-profits tend to enforce a more numbers-based system. This is great for nurses who share the same traits, but may be an issue for nurses who prefer to think of their workplace as a community of shared interests and goals.

Non-profit hospitals have the advantage of providing built-in workplace motivation. Although most nurses get their job satisfaction from working with individual patients and families, there is also a larger contribution to the good of society to consider. When a hospital operates under a mission like serving low-income communities, it can contribute to higher feelings of personal growth in the workplace.

For-profit hospitals are better equipped to handle financial setbacks, but this might be done at high costs. Because they almost all have long-term financial plans in place, for-profit hospitals tend to know where they can make cutbacks to avoid having to close their doors for good. However, this could be done at the cost of staffing ratios, and nurses may be asked to take on larger workloads to compensate for a bad fiscal year.

Accountability tends to be higher in for-profit hospitals, and nurses who may not be pulling their own weight in the team setting are more likely to be reprimanded for their actions. This can lead to a smoother workplace, where everyone is required to pitch in according to their job description and salary.

For many professionals coming out of nursing school, it will be virtually impossible to tell the difference between for-profit and non-profit hospitals. Both are dedicated to a high quality of care and keeping their employees happy, and only after a few months or years will these subtle differences be evident.

If you feel very passionately about one or the other, be sure and tailor your job search accordingly. Both for-profit and non-profit hospitals can provide a long-lasting and satisfying career, but knowing what to expect is a great way to ensure that you find the right professional nursing fit for you.

Related Topics:

Ethics in Nursing

Nursing and Malpractice Insurance

Published

on September 21, 2011

Forensic Nursing and Legal Nurse Consulting

. 0 Comments

Nursing and Malpractice Insurance One of the things new nurses are commonly told is that they’ll need to purchase malpractice insurance before they can start working at many hospitals and other health care organizations. In some cases, the employer (or state licensing board) requires the insurance; in others, it’s simply good business sense.

No matter how hard nurses work or how careful they are with their jobs, mistakes can and do happen—and in some cases, patients or their loved ones may choose to take action. Malpractice insurance is your layer of protection against a personal suit that could cost you your savings account or even your home.

Why Nurses Need Malpractice Insurance

In addition to workplace requirements, nurses are liable for their patients in cases in which negligence can be proven. In this situation, “negligence” can mean many different things, including making an error in dispensing medication, failing to respond to a call light, or even having an oversight in care caused by exhaustion or overworking.

While this might seem like it opens a Pandora’s Box of possibilities, only cases in which the negligence can be proven in a court of law are those that require a financial payout. That’s good news for nurses who aren’t guilty of the lawsuit against them. In the meantime, however, you might be stripped of your license, be required to pay for a lawyer, and be forced to stay away from work until everything is settled.

What Does Malpractice Insurance Cover?

Depending on your policy, you can expect different levels of coverage. Good policies will cover all your legal fees and expenses; even better ones might also compensate you for time you were forced to spend away from work, including lost wages, lodging, and even meals.

Some employers have their own coverage, which is used to cover all of their staff as a blanket of protection. In these cases, you might be tempted to forgo the personal malpractice insurance altogether. Be wary, though, since the limit might not be very high or there may be an indemnity clause that holds you responsible above a certain payout limit.

The sad truth is that nurses—good and bad ones—get sued all the time. When this happens, the damages aren’t only financial. You’ll also get reported to the Board of Nursing and potentially lose your license. While prevention is certainly your best course of action, it always helps to be prepared and have a professional safety net there to catch you.

Work-from-Home Nursing Career Opportunities

Published

on August 31, 2011

Nursing Salaries- Getting Paid What You’re Worth

. 0 Comments

Work From Home Nursing Jobs In today’s health care setting, it’s becoming more and more important for employers to offer a better work-life balance—especially while nurses remain so much in demand. In fact, in order to entice quality candidates to work for their companies, some employers are offering nurses the chance to work from home. Whether you’ve always dreamed of spending the work day in your pajamas, or if a childcare or other situation demands that you scale back the amount time you spend away from home, here are a few work-from-home nursing options to consider.

Telehealth (Triage): The most common type of nursing-from-home position is telehealth, or triage. In this career option, Registered Nurses provide answers to health questions via inbound phone calls, make outbound calls to patients with chronic conditions, and are a general source of 24-hour support. Many types of health care providers (insurance companies included) use this kind of professional to augment their health services. Not only does it save doctors from middle-of-the-night phone calls, but patients often feel like they have better control over their own health when they know they can call a nurse and get an immediate response. In many cases, a triage nurse is also able to save health care companies money by allaying patient fears for minor complaints, thereby saving a trip to the emergency room.

One of the most interesting aspects of telehealth is that it hearkens back to an age when doctors made house calls and health was a community issue. Instead of the distance between patient and health care provider, these friendly (and skilled) professionals come into a patient’s home, if only via the telephone, and become a partner in health and wellness.

Medical Transcription: Medical transcription was one of the first health care careers to offer job flexibility and at-home options. These professionals take notes and recordings made by physicians and put them into electronic medical records. Although this job can be done on site, more and more health care professionals are moving their offices back home.

Although there is a separate medical transcription degree (which is usually shorter in length than a nursing degree), nurses interested in the field may be able to find good positions. Because nurses have both the education and the hands-on experience to know how the health care field works, they tend to make excellent transcriptionists.

Case Management: When an individual is injured on the job or as part of everyday life, they often make a disability claim (either through the government or the workplace). In order to process and evaluate these claims, a case manager is assigned, much in the same way an insurance agent will come out and make inspections for a house or auto claim. Oftentimes, this extends beyond the filing of the claim to include a regimen of care that must be followed up on. Although there may be some travel involved in this type of position, it can be done largely from home.

Nurses make great case managers because they are able to work with patients, doctors, other nurses, and therapists. They can evaluate homes and situations, and make the proper recommendations for the future. In most cases, an RN license and/or a background in insurance is preferred for this type of work.

As is the case with any type of at-home work, nurses should always take care to avoid scams or jobs that seem too good to be true. Working from home as a nurse is a possibility, but the good positions are like any other in the field; they require a nursing degree, a regular interview process, and regular check-ins with a supervisor.

Related Topics:

Home Nursing Career

Nursing Opportunities through the Department of Veterans Affairs

Published

on August 19, 2011

How to Become a Travel Nurse

. 0 Comments

Veteran Affairs Nursing One of the best places to go for new jobs in nursing is at your local VA hospital or Veterans Affairs office. In addition to traditional nursing roles, professionals working for this government-based organization take on tasks related to patient safety initiatives, travel nursing, clinical nurse leadership, and polytrauma care. That’s because in addition to serving the general health needs of the average population, VA nurses are also called on to help with special cases and health initiatives.

VA Opportunities for Students

Nursing students are in an ideal position to take advantage of VA job benefits. In addition to supporting nurses currently pursing their education, VA hospitals offer clinical rotations in affiliation with nursing schools. There are also many entry-level career options for those hitting the job market for the first time.

Once program that’s worth looking into is VALOR, the VA Learning Opportunities Residency, which takes on senior-year BSN students who need to complete their clinical hours. While the actual tasks aren’t that much different from clinicals in a traditional healthcare setting, an estimated 50 percent of nurses who do their clinicals here go on to work in the VA setting. That’s because part of the training component includes the practices, policies, and regulations set out by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and they like having employees already familiar with the setting.

Another option for nursing students who have just graduated is to consider becoming part of the VA Travel Nurse Corps (TNC). Like other travel nursing opportunities, nurses in this program are relocated every few months to a new hospital where staffing needs are high. However, unlike traditional travel nursing, the nurses here are only placed in other VA hospitals. The amount of training and orientation time in each new location is almost nonexistent, since the policies and technology are the same across the board.

Why Consider a VA Nursing Career?

Although working in a VA setting isn’t for everyone, it can be a good career choice for those who want the stability and benefits of working for a government organization. In addition to the nursing student opportunities listed above, nurses can enjoy tuition reimbursement options, scholarship programs, and a large allowance of vacation and sick leave.

For more information, you can visit the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Nursing Services at http://www.va.gov/nursing/About_ONS.asp.

Related Topics:

Nursing Job Descriptions

Nursing Recruitment Bonuses: Are They Worth It?

Published

on August 8, 2011

Nursing Career During a Recession

. 0 Comments

Nursing Sign On Bonus Although most people open the job ads only to be faced by a pretty grim prospect, nurses have the advantage of being in one of the most in-demand careers on the market. In fact, in addition to the regular advertisements for open positions, you might even find employment ads that promise recruitment or employment bonuses—and often to the tune of thousands of dollars.

For new graduates and experienced professionals, the appeal of signing on for employment with a $5,000 or $10,000 check already in hand is strong. However, before you agree to work for any health care corporation, it’s important to check the fine print and understand the employment situation. After all, there’s a reason these companies are short on staff, and bonuses almost always come with contractual obligations, so you can expect to be held to the contract for the duration of your term.

Here are a few questions to answer before you make a decision:

Is the bonus split or spread out over time? In many cases, a bonus will be split in half or divided into graduated increments (for example, 10 percent up front and the remaining 30 percent every three months). This is typically done to ensure that you don’t take the bonus, work your contractual time, and leave the organization hanging. However, you want to be sure that there aren’t other stipulations that will prevent you from getting your money.

If I leave the position, do I have to pay the bonus back? Read carefully to determine how long you are obligated to stay at the organization without getting a penalty. A $3,000 bonus might look appealing…until you learn you have to stay in the job for the next five years or risk paying it back.

Is compensation lower to make up for it? Even with a generous sign-on bonus, the other aspects of the job should be comparable to market standards. Rates of pay, retirement packages, insurance and health benefits, time off, overtime…none of them should be cut back or reduced to make up for the bonus. A bonus is meant to go on top of everything else, not in place of it.

What is the employer like, bonus or not? Look into the employer as you would any organization with which you’re signing a contract. Talk to existing employees, check the level of patient care, and spend some time doing your research. The point of a sign-on nursing bonus is to recruit top talent, but top talent should also want to sign on there because it is a good place to work.

Nursing students in a position to consider a sign-on bonus are in a good position because they have choices. You can choose to work for a large hospital, a small clinic, or a high-need office in an urban center. You can work part-time, full-time, or as a travel nurse. And as is the case with any choice, it’s important to look into all the aspects and make the decision that will suit you best for the long term.

Related Topics:

Nursing Salaries: Getting Paid What You’re Worth

Study Nursing and a Second Language

Published

Multi-Lingual Nursing Students a Plus

on June 29, 2011

in Nursing Education

. 0 Comments

i_student_1 Nursing students who either speak or are willing to learn to speak another language are in a good position for professional success. One of the biggest challenges facing the health care community today is the difficulty in helping patients who don’t speak English. Unless medical professionals can communicate about care, procedures, and even symptoms, there is a good chance that a wrong diagnosis will be made or the incorrect treatment regimen will be undertaken.

Hospitals have so far done a good job bridging the communication gap by hiring translators, using translation services via phone, and by printing medical instructions in several languages. However, this doesn’t always work. Translators tend to be costly, phone services can be unreliable, and there are often complicated and rare medical procedures that need to be discussed. Having a nurse on staff who not only has the education needed to provide care, but who can also translate medical terms and procedures on site, is rapidly becoming a must-have in the medical world.

Nursing and Native Bilingual Speakers

If you speak a second language fluently, or if English is your second language, use it to your advantage starting with nursing school. When you learn complex medical terms, take the time to learn both forms of it: your native language and English. This way, you’ll become a valuable part of a health care team, since you’ll be one of the few individuals who can translate complex medical procedures for those who don’t understand English.

In fact, you can use this to your advantage during the hiring process. In many cases, hospitals and doctor’s offices will pay a large sign-on bonus for nurses who can provide this service. You might also find greater opportunities for advancement or for travel nursing to high-need areas.

Learning a Second Language in Nursing School

If you want to learn a second language while you’re at nursing school, it’s a good idea to select a language that’s predominant in your area. For example, if there is a large Hispanic or Russian population where you live, learning these languages can make you more employable at area hospitals. Although you aren’t likely to become fluent in your two to four years of nursing school, you can learn basic conversational skills that will help put your patients at ease and improve the quality of care you provide.

In most cases, you’ll need to attend a four-year university or community college in order to take foreign language classes at your school. Most private, vocational nursing education facilities don’t have the staff or capabilities to teach a foreign language.

Related Topics:

Travel Nursing and the Cost of Living Index

Nurses Without Borders

Nursing Opportunities in Public Health

Published

on June 6, 2011

Nursing Role Extends Beyond Bedside

. 0 Comments

i_adminstrator If you enjoy nursing as well as the more business-oriented side of health care, you might be suited for a nursing job in public health. Public health nursing jobs tend to offer more stable hours, greater professional autonomy, and the chance to make a real impact in your community. By working for the government to enhance education, safety, and health services for everyone, you can keep one foot in nursing and the other in health administration and advocacy.

What Types of Jobs are There in Public Health?

Many of the jobs available in public health organizations are similar to those you find in any hospital or health care setting. Nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and nurse managers all have a place here, and much of the work will include traditional nursing activities. For example, a nursing assistant will answer health questions, prepare patients to be seen, perform routine tests, and take a patient’s vital signs. Once you have been on the job for a few years, you might be promoted to provide at-home services to patients with communicable diseases or provide outreach education to schools or community centers.

You’ll also find even more opportunities for mid- to high-level management. For example, you might be a public health supervisor, a public health consultant, or even a public health outreach works. These professionals do everything from developing care plans (for individuals or families) and developing policies and procedures for public education to helping foster partnerships between area health care companies.

Where to Find Public Health Nursing Jobs

Many rural areas and larger metropolitan areas have a high need for public health nurses. These areas tend to have a large population without insurance or access to regular health care, which puts them at risk not only for disease, but for lower quality of life overall. Many of these individuals are uneducated about basic nutrition and wellness, or may not know how to connect with other resources that can make their lives better. Even vaccines for kids can be difficult, and it’s the job of the public health nurse to make sure that everyone has a chance to be healthy and happy.

In most cases, you need at least an RN license to begin working in public health at the administrative level. A few years of experience working in a busy hospital setting can also be helpful, since it will demonstrate your ability to work long hours and connect with different types of patients.

The pay for public health nurses is fairly average for nurses as a whole, with greater opportunities for advancement and promotion with higher levels of education. You can expect between $40,000 and $60,000 per year to start at the RN level.

Public health nurses will continue to be in demand as the Baby Boomer population ages. And because it is a government job, there tends to be great stability and benefits, as well.

Related Topics:

Nursing Jobs That Aren’t in a Hospital

What Does an Operating Room Nurse Do?

Published

on May 16, 2011

Is it Time to Upgrade Your Nursing Degree?

. 0 Comments

i_nurse_female If you look at the lists of top-paid nursing positions and best nursing opportunities in the United States, you’ll probably find operating room nurses somewhere near the top. This RN specialty is one that is popular among professionals who enjoy a little bit more autonomy and a little more direct patient interaction than more traditional nursing. Although you will always be working under the supervision of the operating team and surgeon in charge, this position is one that requires you to be able to make assessments and think on your feet in a high-stress situation.

Operating nurses are responsible for patient care in all phases of a procedure: the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative stages. Although the tasks will vary depending on the exact procedure, you can expect some combination of the following:

Preoperative Assessment: An operating room nurse is the individual who will have the most contact with the patient as he or she is preparing to enter surgery. The nurse may be responsible for communicating with the patient and family about what to expect, and ensuring that the patient acts in accordance with the pre-surgery guidelines. Additional tasks include monitoring the patient’s vitals, taking a medical history, verifying paperwork, and discussing the various stages of recovery and what they entail.

Operation Preparation: The best operating room nurses know the individual quirks of the surgeons they work with every day. They know exactly how the surgeon prefers the room to be set up and equipment to be positioned. The nurse is also there to continue to allay patient fears and anxieties. Because the operating room nurse has already built a rapport with the patient, he or she can be the determining factor between a happy patient and an unhappy one.

Working as Part of the Surgical Team: There are many different health care professionals in the room when a surgery occurs. A circulating nurse, scrub nurse, surgeon, and anesthetist are among them—and the operating room nurse must work as part of the team.

Advocating for Patients: In a surgical setting, there are often many different viewpoints and opinions sharing the same space. Because the operating room nurse is the most familiar with the patient and family, he or she may be called upon to clarify the patient’s plan of care.

Postoperative Care: One of the most “nurse-like” jobs of the operating room nurse is to care for the patient during the postoperative period. This includes monitoring vitals, administering medications, and checking for any signs that the patient’s condition is worsening.

Becoming an Operation Room Nurse

If you’re interested in becoming an operating room nurse, you will first need to become a registered nurse (most often with Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing). An additional six months to one year of training will be required. In order to become certified as an operating nurse, you’ll need an additional two years and 2,400 hours of experience. You can then sit for the certification exam.

Operating room nursing is a great field if you want to step away from routine care and work more in patient advocacy and communication. Competition for positions can be a little fierce, though, so you’ll want to be sure and become certified to boost your chances of employment.

Related Topics:

Nursing Job Descriptions