Overview of Online Certification Programs in Nurse Case Management
Case managers serve as advocates for their patients and nurses wishing to become a certified nurse case manager can do so several ways. Certification based primarily on work experience is available from organizations like the American Case Management Association (ACMA) with the Accredited Case Manager (ACM) credential or the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC) with the Certified Case Manager (CCM) designation. Nurses seeking certification through these organizations need a Registered Nurse (RN) license and must meet at least 1 year of professional case management experience, but each certification offers a few different levels of experience to qualify. These organizations may offer study materials, exam scheduling, and/or recertification online.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) also offers a specific nursing case management certification where RNs become board certified (RN-BC) in the field. The exam is computer-based and, if passed, students hold the certification for 5 years. To be eligible for the exam, students must have an RN license, 2 years of RN experience, 2,000 hours of case management experience, and 30 hours of continuing education in nurse case management. These 30 hours of continuing education may also be required for recertification of other credentials, like the ACM, and can be completed with online case management/care coordination programs.
Requirements for Online Nurse Case Management Certification
To prepare for nurse case management certification, students need to gain skills and experience in the case management process and applying case management to clinical situations. Some certification exams can be taken fully online and many offer online study materials; you'll also find fully online certificate programs in case management for continuing education.
General Requirements
The work experience component for earning nurse case management certification varies by organization. For example, while the ANCC requires a straightforward 2,000 hours of clinical practice in nurse case management, the CCMC offers multiple pathways to meet the experience requirement that ranges from 12 months to 24 months of full-time experience, including options where students are or are not supervised by a CCM.
Continuing education is required for initial certification from the ANCC and for recertification from the ACMA (every 4 years). Typically, students need to complete 30 to 40 hours of continuing education credits to meet these requirements. Some online case management programs may award students with a certificate of completion and up to 40 contact hours for nurses upon completion. These online programs may use online modules to cover topics in the finances of case management, care coordination of services, disease management, and more through case studies, readings, and videos.
Career Outcomes with Certification in Nurse Case Management
While nursing case management certification is not necessarily required for working as an RN or nurse case manager, certification demonstrates proficiency in the field and may help advance nurses' careers. Students with the certification may continue working as an RN and/or move into more leadership and administrative positions as nurse case managers or clinical managers over the nursing department. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) groups these kinds of managers under the larger umbrella of medical and health services managers.
According to 2019 numbers from the BLS, RNs made a median annual salary of $73,300 and had a job outlook of 12% from 2018 to 2028, which is much faster than average. The BLS also stated that as of 2019, the median salary for medical and health services managers was $100,980 and the job outlook for these professionals was 18% from 2018 to 2028. Another website, PayScale.com, reported that the median salary specifically for a nurse case manager as of May 2020 was $72,244.
Nurse case manager certification can be completed online and requires a combination of education and work experience to qualify for the certification exam. Some continuing education options for these certifications are also available fully online and cover a variety of topics in the field.
