How Long to Become
4-6 Years
Average Annual Salary
Job Outlook (2024-2034)
23% Growth for all Medical & Health Services Managers
What Does a Nurse Case Manager Do?
Nurse case managers develop a plan for care in collaboration with all involved in the patient's well-being, including the patient themselves, clinicians, other providers, and insurers. Nurse case manager duties generally include:
Primary Responsibilities
- Developing a care plan for the patient.
- Considering the best value for the patient.
- Coordinating the plan's execution with all relevant stakeholders.
- Monitoring progress on the plan.
- Communicating results and updates to all interested parties.
Skills Learned
- Communication
- Empathy
- Collaboration
- Resilience
Where Do Nurse Case Managers Work?
Nurse case managers work in hospitals, residential care settings, including hospice and palliative care, and for other healthcare providers. They may also work for insurance companies and healthcare payers.
Nurse case managers might find work in these common settings:
Hospitals Nurse case managers identify patients in need of case management, coordinate care with other clinicians, and create a discharge plan and arrange for follow-up care after the patient is released. Some managers also help determine cost efficient use of hospital resources, such as bed occupancy.
Residential Care Nursing managers identify patient needs before or during the intake process, collaborate with the healthcare team, and monitor the patient's health and adjust plans as needed.
Insurance Providers Nurse case managers review complex or ongoing cases, identify patients in need of care plans, and coordinate healthcare plans between providers and patients.
Why Become a Nurse Case Manager?
The nurse case manager role allows nurses to become more familiar with individual patients and their needs while providing holistic care. Nurse case managers must excel in collaboration and communication with other healthcare professionals and patients.
Advantages To Becoming a Nurse Case Manager
Disadvantages To Becoming a Nurse Case Manager
How To Become a Nurse Case Manager
Becoming a nurse case manager requires at least a registered nurse (RN) license. Switching to case management is more common later in the RN career. The managerial role requires experience with different disease processes in order to understand such components as surgical notes and recovery periods. While certification is not legally required, it is helpful for job placement and career advancement.
How Much Do Nurse Case Managers Make?
The median nurse case manager salary is $82,741, lower than the average annual RN salary of $93,600. Total pay for nurse case managers, including base salary and bonuses, ranges from $67,000-$102,000, according to Payscale as of November 2025.
Nurse case manager job growth coincides with the 23% projected growth for all medical and health services managerial jobs between 2024 and 2034. As the U.S. population ages and becomes more likely to develop chronic health conditions, the demand for nurse case managers may increase.
What Is the Difference Between a Nurse Case Manager and a Nurse Care Manager?
While both nurse case managers and nurse care managers work one-on-one with patients to plan care, case managers also consider resource allocation and the most cost-effective options for treatment.
Nurse Case Manager
Nurse Care Manager
Resources for Nurse Case Managers
Frequently Asked Questions About Nurse Case Managers
Reviewed by:
