America's healthcare system is changing rapidly, but must evolve even more if
it is to meet the increased demands that we are placing upon it, especially as
the Greatest Generation and the Baby Boomers age, decline, and require more
medical care. There are not enough experienced nurses in our medical system.
Institutions have developed a number of strategies to try to address this
problem, from speeding up degree programs so that nurses can jump into
practicing medicine, to developing innovative new teaching programs designed to
produce semi-experienced nurses prior to hiring.
American Sentinel University's MSN Nursing Case Management specialty degree
program is tackling this problem with online nursing programs. The University
hopes that its nurses will become leaders in the community, and help our aging
population in its decline. It trains nurses for the increasing complexity in our
health care system, now that nurses are expected to have higher education and
skills and heavier medical loads are being placed upon them.
The MSN Nursing Case Management specialty degree program from American Sentinel
University offers nursing education with enhanced focus on finance, health
policy, and community leadership. "As nurse-managed primary care centers
continue to grow in relevance with an aging population, there is a critical need
to develop more nurses with master's degrees to serve as directors of nursing
programs and case managers in the health system," says Catherine Garner, PhD,
RN, Provost and Dean, Health Sciences and Nursing at American Sentinel
University. "An MSN degree with a case management specialty is important for
today's nursing leaders in the changing healthcare landscape."
Case management deals with maximizing the outcomes of the competing demands of
patient care, availability of services, and healthcare financing. Case managers
fill a critical role that has recently emerged because of the numerous
conditions that could hinder healthcare professionals' ability to provide the
right care for patients while controlling the cost of services. Case managers
are employed by hospitals, HMOs, health insurers, employers, or they can be
self-employed.
Case management is a newly emerged, but significant field for those wishing to
work in the healthcare system. Case management is a collaborative process of
coordinating complex, unrelated patient care services to meet the needs of the
patient while controlling the costs of services.
Impending changes to American healthcare, and the large percentage of old people
in the country are going to drive the need for case management professionals.
American Sentinel University's MSN Nursing Case Management specialty degree is
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited and builds upon the
core curriculum standards of the Case Management Society of America, but places
special emphasis on distance client management using technology.
American Sentinel University's case management program teaches nurses the
following responsibilities:
- Advocacy & Education : ensuring the patient has an advocate for needed
services and any needed education.
- Clinical Care Coordination/Facilitation : coordinating multiple aspects of
care to ensure the patient progresses.
- Continuity/Transition Management : transitioning of the patient to the
appropriate level of care needed.
- Utilization/Financial Management : managing resource utilization and
reimbursement for services.
- Performance and Outcomes Management : monitoring, and if needed, intervening
to achieve desired goals and outcomes for both the patient and the hospital.
- Psychosocial Management : assessing and addressing psychosocial needs,
including individual, familial, environmental, etc.
- Research & Practice Development : Identifying practice improvements and using
evidence based data to influence needed practice changes.