BY JANET COULTER, MSN, MS, RN, CCM, FCM
Have you ever felt that your day was like riding on a roller coaster? There are the unknowns, the anticipated, the ups and downs, the twists and turns, loops with unexpected drops, and Friday afternoon surprises. It can be a thrilling, fast-paced ride with great patient outcomes, or the ride may experience mechanical problems. The highs come when you see progress, when you help someone navigate through difficult healthcare situations, and when you witness positive patient outcomes. But just like a roller coaster, there are also the lows – the challenges, setbacks and moments of frustration when things do not go as planned or when you hit unexpected obstacles. You may feel like you are in a corkscrew turn or going around in circles. It can be a high-speed ride! It takes resilience, adaptability, creativity and a strong stomach to ride out those twists and turns, but ultimately, the journey is rewarding in its own way. It is an exhilarating thrill when a successful outcome for your patient has been accomplished.
This issue of CMSA Today focuses on case management leadership and growing the workforce pipeline. Leadership is a different ride on a roller coaster! Leaders experience challenging situations along with unexpected turbulence or setbacks that test their ability to adapt quickly and keep everything energized and on track. We are all leaders striving to meet or exceed expectations. Some case managers are formal leaders striving to empower others, strengthen morale, motivate, and increase the confidence of the team. Some are informal leaders striving to maintain a desirable work culture based on collaboration, recognition of everyone’s contribution and encouragement of co-workers. Effective leaders strive to engage others and provide the tools needed so every case manager can be highly productive and perform at their best. Leaders have a significant impact on outcomes. A good leader knows that everyone is important and recognizes the dedication and hard work of everyone on the team.
I know you will enjoy reading the article by Donna Todd on case managers as leaders. Erin Cunningham’s article on “Development of a Clinical Advancement Program to Promote Career Growth” describes how a clinical advancement program can increase case managers with confidence to grow their careers. Rhonda Hartman’s article on supporting the development of new clinical leaders is very timely and informative. Dr. Colleen Morley-Grabowski’s article on moving from staff to management is highly informative for any case manager contemplating making that move. This is just a sampling of the articles in this issue.
Our roles as case managers are an especially important part of the healthcare journey. Yes, it may be a bumpy ride at times, but the rewards are thrilling – just like riding a roller coaster. Your dedication, persistence, creativity, and resilience lead to better patient outcomes. No matter what type of leader you happen to be, remember that collaboration, recognition and networking are key. Your passion for providing excellent case management can turn navigating the healthcare system’s roller coaster ride from a bumpy experience to smooth ride for your patients.
Janet Coulter, MSN, MS, RN, CCM, FCM, is a transplant case manager with a wide variety of experiences including educator, administrator, team leader, and Director of Case Management. Janet holds a Master of Science in Nursing from West Virginia University and a Master of Science in Adult Education from Marshall University. She has published many articles in CMSA Today and the Professional Case Management Journal and served as a reviewer for the Core Curriculum for Case Management Third Edition. She currently serves as President-Elect of CMSA, Chair of the CMSA Today Editorial Board, Chair of the Nominations Committee, and Vice-President of the CMSA Foundation board. Janet was the recipient of the CMSA National Award of Service Excellence and Southern Ohio Valley CMSA Case Management Leadership award and was recently inducted as a Case Management Fellow from CMSA.
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