Have you ever wondered about a typical day for a case manager? Naturally, a case manager's daily responsibilities will vary depending on her employer or the population served. However, there are several key components of case management that remain similar. Here's a closer look:
Types of Case Management
Case managers might work in either healthcare or social services. Legal case management falls into the category of practicing law and will not be discussed here. Popular employment options for case mangers include
- Family services
- Work with disabled individuals
- Nursing case management
- Mental health case management
- Case management in education
- Geriatric care
- Rehabilitation services
Responsibilities of a Case Manager
A good case manager will be a people person. Case managers must be able to communicate well and also listen to clients. A case manager is an advocate and a mediator. Case managers need to be able to assimilate large amounts of information and help clients in making life decisions. On an average day, a case manager will spend time
- Meeting with clients
- Filling out paperwork
- Meeting with care teams
- Advocating for clients
- Creating or assisting in the creation of care plans
- Making home visits
A Case Manager's Typical Day
The variety of responsibilities carried by a case manager means that there may not be such a thing as a typical day in case management. Some days will be filled with meetings. Some meetings will be with coworkers or care providers. Other meetings will take place between the case manager and clients. Team meetings often include participation by clients, and these meetings often require mediation or advocacy by the case manager on behalf of the client.
Paperwork, note compilation and data entry are also important aspects of case management. Government jobs have many specific requirements for documentation to be completed by case managers, and case managers who are licensed by the state must also meet certain specifications. Grant-funded case management often requires careful documentation as well, and careful note-taking is integral to providing the best possible service to clients.
Salaries for Case Managers
Most case managers have at least a bachelor's degree, and many also have completed master's programs. Depending on the type of case management they do, those in social services average an annual income between $53,000 and $69,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nurse case managers tend to earn more. Available jobs for case managers of any type are projected to grow at nearly double the average job-growth rate between now and 2022.
Case management requires much hard work and dedication. Case managers must be flexible and able to assimilate large amounts of information. If you enjoy helping others and finding resources to make life better for clients, you might enjoy the multifaceted work of case management. Now that you have a clearer understanding of a typical day for a case manager, you are better equipped to decide if this career is for you.