An In-depth Guide to Case Management Travel Nursing: Salary, Job Outlook, and More

Nurses looking to combine two great career paths, nursing and case management, might find the perfect career for them as a travel nurse case manager. This nursing field provides individuals with unique opportunities that not all other nursing specialties get to experience. Becoming a travel case manager nurse will start you on the path to a meaningful career thanks to the specific education, experience, and skills required to be successful. If you're considering going into this field, understanding the case management travel nurse job outlook & salary can help prepare you to get started. That, along with working with Health Carousel Nursing & Allied Health, can help you achieve your dream of starting a career in case manager travel nursing.

Overview of Case Management Travel Nursing

Role of a Case Management Travel Nurse

A case management travel nurse is a registered nurse (RN) who provides coordinated healthcare services to patients with chronic or complex medical needs. A case manager nurse is a central point of contact for the patient, ensuring quality, continuity, and efficiency of care. The primary role of a case management travel nurse is to oversee and coordinate the care of patients to optimize their health outcomes. Their key responsibilities include:

• Assessing patient's medical conditions, needs, and risks
• Developing customized care plans and setting treatment goals
• Coordinating care services across multiple providers and settings
• Managing patient transitions between care settings (e.g., hospital to home)
• Educating patients on self-care, medications, and lifestyle changes
• Advocating for patients' needs and preferences
• Monitoring patients' progress and modifying care plans as needed
• Maintaining documentation and communication between providers

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Which Medical Facilities Frequently Hire Travel Nurses for Case Management?

Some top employers of travel case management nurses include:

• Major hospital systems
• Rehabilitation facilities
• Skilled nursing and long-term care centers
• Home health agencies
• Hospice organizations
• Prominent doctor's offices and outpatient clinics

Health Carousel Nursing & Allied Health can help you find a case manager travel nurse job in specific types of medical facilities you're interested in.

Education and Skills Required for Case Manager Travel Nursing

Before you start your case manager travel nursing career, you'll need to get your nursing license. Most case manager travel nurse positions require a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an RN license with at least 2,000 hours of case management experience, which you'll complete and then pass your NCLEX-RN exam in your state. After your formal education, gaining one to two years of RN experience in a hospital or clinical setting will elevate your nursing education. You can pursue higher education and obtain your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) too to become a case manager travel nurse.

Education alone isn't enough to succeed in this career. Some skills that will benefit a case manager travel nurse are:

• Excellent Communication Skills: Ability to build rapport with patients and family members in diverse patient populations.
• Care Coordination: Ability to manage transition for patients from multiple providers.
• Teaching Skills: Effectively able to educate patients on their care plan.
• Organization Skills: Case manager travel nurses might handle multiple patients simultaneously, so staying organized is critical.

Certifications for a Case Management Travel Nurse

Since case management nursing is a more specialized field, there are specific certifications that are required or will help increase your career growth and earning potential:

• Basic Life Saving (BLS) Certification
• ANCC Nursing Case Management Certification
• ACMA ACM-RN Certification

Any case management certification will be beneficial to your career. While not always required, having certifications in specialty areas like geriatrics, diabetes education, or mental health can also make you more competitive for case management nursing careers. When applying for travel nurse assignments, seeing what certifications they require or suggest can make your application stand out.

Case Management Travel Nurse Job Outlook & Salary

Job Outlook for Case Manager Travel Nurses

The job outlook for travel nurse case managers is solid. The demand for RNs is continuing to grow, including specialized fields like nurse case management. With the aging population growing, an increase in chronic health conditions, nurse shortages, and the focus shift to care coordination, those pursuing a career as a travel nurse case manager can have a long and successful career.

Case Management Travel Nurse Salary

The salary for a case manager travel nurse is generally higher than that of a nurse case manager who isn't working in a travel capacity. The salary for this nurse varies across the nation. Factors that influence the salary of a travel nurse case manager include:

• Experience: More experienced case managers tend to earn higher wages.
• Certification: Certified case managers typically command increased pay due to extra focus on the field.
• Education: Nurses with advanced degrees such as MSN usually earn more.
• Specialty: Specialized case managers often earn higher salaries (e.g., oncology).
• State and Region: Salaries vary by geographic location and cost of living. Higher populated areas with a higher cost of living usually pay more than those with a smaller population and lower cost of living.

Your travel nurse salary and another nurse's might not look the same. Depending on the length of your travel assignment, the pay can fluctuate, too, in conjunction with the above factors. Overall, the average annual salary for a travel case manager registered nurse is competitive.

Career Advancement Opportunities for Case Management Travel Nurses

As a travel case manager registered nurse, the opportunities for career advancement are impressive. Health Carousel Nursing & Allied Health offers a career path, not just a contract, and provides benefits like Career Coaching to offer guidance and assistance as you grow in your career.

Potential Career Paths for a Case Management Travel Nurse

For those travel nurse case managers who are interested, there are a few different career paths you can take after initially getting your nursing license:

• Senior/Lead Travel Nurse: Take on additional training and mentorship of other travel nurses.
• Case Management Supervisor: Oversee a team of case managers and coordinate program operations.
• Nurse Consultant: Serves as an expert advisor and auditor of case management services.
• Nurse Educator: Develop curriculum and teach rising nurses.

Once you transition into leadership roles, the option to travel doesn't go away. Many medical facilities will hire travel case management nurses for leadership roles.

Start a Meaningful Career as a Case Management Travel Nurse With the Assistance of Health Carousel Nursing & Allied Health

Health Carousel Nursing & Allied Health is a trusted travel nurse staffing agency committed to helping travel nurses start or grow their careers in their respective nursing fields. Partnering with an agency like ours provides numerous benefits for a case manager nurse.

Benefits you'll have when partnering with us include some of the following:

• Direct travel nurse jobs that match your preferences, education, and experience
• Career Coaching to guide you in your career
• Programs like Work Study and Clinical Ladder to further your career and education
• 24/7 support through your travel nursing career
• Streamlined hiring and licensing processes
• Comprehensive health and wellness options like medical, vision, and dental insurance
• 401(k) matching
• 24/7 Full Circle of Support

Case management travel nursing is an excellent career with a positive job outlook and competitive salary. If you're ready to start helping patients and traveling, we're prepared to help you achieve your dream career.

Check out On Demand, our powerful web app, where you can search and apply for travel nurse case manager jobs nationwide.

FAQs

What is the job outlook for the future of a travel nurse?

The job outlook for travel nurses remains positive as they continue to be in strong demand across the healthcare industry. This is partly driven by the ongoing nursing shortage, an aging population, and the flexibility that travel nurses provide to hospitals and healthcare facilities facing seasonal fluctuations or unforeseen staffing needs.

What is the pay trend for travel nurses?

The pay trend for travel nurses has seen significant variation, often influenced by geographical location, the demand for healthcare professionals, and fluctuations in staffing. The pay trend for travel nurses is estimated to stay competitive nationwide.

Can you travel as a case management nurse?

Yes, case management nurses can travel as a part of their job responsibilities. Traveling might be required to conduct home visits, attend conferences, meet with patients at various locations, or coordinate services with other agencies. There are also travel nurse jobs that a case manager nurse can choose.