A proactive approach to case management
Nurses try to anticipate needs down the road
Colleen Meicke, RN, CCM, a CIGNA case manager based in Tucson, AZ, takes a proactive approach to caring for her patients, looking at what their needs are likely to be down the road.
She works with physicians and other providers, the family, and community agencies to make sure the patient’s needs are met.
Here’s an example of how the proactive approach works:
A primary care pediatrician, with whom Meicke had consulted, expressed her concern about a young child with a debilitating disease. Although the child still was functioning independently, the physician was concerned that the family wouldn’t have the services it needed as the disease progressed.
"The mother saw her child as he was today and didn’t want to think about what was coming. He needed to be seen by cardiology and nephrology," she says.
Meicke contacted the family and made sure the child was being followed by appropriate specialists. She arranged for durable medical equipment to be available when the need arose.
"We got him a hospital bed early on. This improved his quality of life because he was difficult for his family to lift and the bed allowed him to be more comfortable and safer," she says.
When the child’s condition worsened and he needed a wheelchair, it was available quickly because Meicke had the arrangements in place.
At Meicke’s suggestion, the family got involved with the local muscular dystrophy association. Through that organization, the child was able to go to a special summer camp for muscular dystrophy patients.
She helped the family find the resources and plans to renovate the bathroom to make it wheelchair-accessible. The sink was lowered so the child could reach it, and the shower was adjusted so the child could be rolled in and shower in his wheelchair.
"It was a very rewarding experience for me and for them as well," Meicke says.
Colleen Meicke, RN, CCM, a CIGNA case manager based in Tucson, AZ, takes a proactive approach to caring for her patients, looking at what their needs are likely to be down the road.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content