Exploring role confusion in nurse case management.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Management
• Role Theory

Background:

• Nurse case management is crucial for patient care coordination.
• Identifying role ambiguity is essential for optimizing practice.
• Existing literature lacks specific data on role confusion in nurse case management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify areas of role confusion and ambiguity in nurse case management practice.
• To explore individual and team-based role perceptions among nurse case managers.

Main Methods:

• Pilot project involving 25 registered nurses in outpatient clinics.
• Utilized Likert-type surveys to assess role confusion from individual and team perspectives.

Main Results:

• Nurse case managers reported role confusion related to time resources, capabilities, and multiple individual roles.
• No significant role confusion was identified concerning multidisciplinary team membership.
• The Synergy Model can guide evidence-based practice in nurse case management.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest a need for targeted skill development for nurse case managers.
• Standardization of the nurse case management role is recommended.
• This study supports the recognition of nurse case management as a distinct nursing subspecialty.