DorlandHealth

We pose a series of questions to Kathy Craig, MS, RN, CCM, president of Craig Research Continuum, to learn about the growing set of tools surrounding caseload issues, including the latest on acuity methodology. Ms. Craig, who serves on NCMN (Canada) Board, PCM Editorial Board, and CMSA’s Caseload Work Group, can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Q: As someone involved on the frontlines of tackling the caseload quandary, what are the most important issues that need to be addressed and steps that need to be taken?

A: What frontline case managers ask me to solve is bringing equity to case management caseloads quickly, fairly and dependably. Supervisors and business leaders ask for a method that is objective, reportable as data, and reproducible in a way that confirms validity.

Managing Before, During and After the Crisis

In Part I of this series, the discussion centered on workplace restructuring and how that affects the managers and staff who remain with the organization through the changes. The focus now shifts to managers and staff that are terminated by the organization.

Losing employment is always a major event in a person’s life but even more so in difficult economic times. The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, a psychological measurement that studies “life change units,” rates job loss as one of the top 10 most stressful life events. Loss of self-esteem, concerns about the job market, and loss of financial security and benefits are only some of the factors involved in job loss.