Self-Care a Necessity for Care Managers
Coordinating care for vulnerable patients is rewarding and meaningful work, but it can also be incredibly stressful. Increased caseloads, expanding responsibilities, and greater complexity of patient needs are some of the major stressors affecting care managers, according to a 2016 article in Professional Case Management.
Excessive and extended stress can lead to burnout, a state of exhaustion that impacts a person’s emotional, mental and physical wellbeing, as well as their behavior and productivity. A care manager experiencing burnout might feel empty, hopeless, and cynical – as if nothing they do is making a difference.