Case management jobs are common in the health care industry and social services sector. A nursing case manager typically works in a hospital or medical facility, while a social services case manager may work in a correctional facility, in child protection units, nursing homes or mental institutions. Case management jobs are also available in law firms to track legal cases through the judicial system.
The duties of a case manager in a hospital or other type of inpatient or outpatient medical facility are varied, but typically focus on patient care and the proper use of resources available. Case management jobs in this field require a person to monitor patient care while working with a team of doctors and nurses. He or she commonly assesses the quality of care and identifies ways to improve services. The case manager is the overall care coordinator who works with the family and the patient during the hospital stay.
Case management jobs in the medical field usually include administrative duties working with each department in the facility. The case manager might be responsible for reports on the effectiveness of each department, staffing levels and personnel training. He or she may also be tasked with evaluating how cases are managed and developing a plan for improvement.
A registered nursing degree is usually required to obtain case management jobs in hospitals or health care centers. The candidate typically must have several years experience in managing people and caring for patients. Computer skills and writing skills are also common requirements for this position.
Social services case management jobs range from domestic violence facilities to nursing homes. The case manager serves as an advocate for the patient or victim to ensure he or she is treated fairly and that resources are made available. In a domestic violence shelter, for example, the case manager is also responsible for the safety and security of the clients. In these jobs, he or she must be able to act in a crisis and supervise volunteers.
Case management jobs at law firms or in courts track each case from its filing to its disposition. The manager might coordinate when specific documents must be filed by monitoring numerous deadlines. Part of the job also may include managing the volumes of documents pertaining to each case. In some law offices, software is used to manage calendars and cases, especially in large firms with many active, ongoing cases.