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I'd like to tell you about a conversation I have with my mother at least once every few months over the past 20 years ... after I left hospital nursing.
It starts like this:
"So, Suzie, how's work?" (Yes, a 52-year-old Suzie.)
"Its great mom, I really like it, I like case management."
Then I steel myself for the next question, which goes something like this:
"Don't you miss being a real nurse?"
I used to bristle at that one.
I was still a real nurse, maybe even more of a nurse than I had ever been working in post surgical ICU, only I no longer worked in the hospital.
While my mom thinks I am perfect, she really doesn't know what I do as a case manager (CM).
So one day I said:
"Mom, do you remember Humpty Dumpty? You know, Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall ..."
"Yes," she replied.
"Well, clearly, Humpty did not have a case manager," I said, "because if he did, the rhyme would have gone something like this:
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.
Humpty's ED case manager was right on the ball,
He gave the floor CM a collaborative call.
Specialists, therapists, nurses, PAs,
Put Humpty together within DGA days.
Then off to rehab Mr. Dumpty was sent,
His recovery was put at 90 percent.
The rehab CM made a plan for the egg,
To D/C with home care to rehab his leg.
His progress was tracked by his nurse every week.
The insurance CM would call them to speak,
About short goals and long goals, community sources,
Transportation and benefits, educational courses.
Humpty Dumpty met all of his goals by month 2.
The CM at home care then bid him adieu.
Humpty can now get back up on the wall.
With what the CMs did for him, he's not likely to fall.
And now all the king's horses and all the king's men,
Stand back for the CM, who'll do it again."
So, I believe mom gets it now.
She tells everyone that I am a "real" nurse ... a nurse case manager.
By Susan DeFrancesco, RN, CCM
President, 2009
Case Management Society of America
Connecticut Chapter
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