The brother of a patient who is seriously mentally ill asks why the patient has been assigned a case manager. The nurse's reply should cite the major advantage of the use of case management as:

Question

a. "The case manager can modify traditional psychotherapy for homeless patients so that it is more flexible.".
b. "Case managers coordinate services and help with accessing them, making sure the patient gets what he needs.".
c. "The case manager can focus on social skills training and esteem building out in the real world where he lives.".
d. "Having a case manager has been shown to reduce hospitalizations, which prevents disruption and saves money.".

Answer 1

B
The case manager helps the patient gain entrance into the system of care, can coordinate multiple referrals that so often confuse the seriously mentally ill person and his family, and can help overcome obstacles to access and treatment participation. Case managers do not usually possess the credentials needed to provide psychotherapy or function as therapists. Case management promotes efficient use of services in general, but only ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT (ACT) programming has been shown to reduce hospitalization (which the brother might see as a disadvantage). Case managers operate in the community, but this is not the primary advantage of their services.