The duties of a nurse case manager include relaying health care information between patients, health care institutions and doctors; compiling data for reporting; and helping resource managers in making decisions that affect health care institutions. Nurse case managers provide advocacy support, appropriate treatment plans, and referral services to patients and patients’ relatives, and organize the patient’s case from the time of his admission up to the time the patient is discharged.
A nurse case manager has the responsibility of liaising with hospital physicians and nurses in coordinating the patient’s health care, especially when dealing with chronic conditions such as HIV/AIDS or cancer, which require the patient to receive prolonged health care service. He helps in the assessment of the available resources and evaluation of treatment options. He also negotiates with relevant authorities to ensure that the patient receives quality and cost-effective treatment.