title: Nurse case managers' perceptions of advocacy: a phenomenological inquiry.
abstract: Case managers are at the forefront of managed care as they seek creative ways to advocate for the best interests of patients, while adhering to the increasingly stringent utilization guidelines and cost constraints of managed care. Nurse care managers are in the ideal position to act as effective advocates because they have the skills needed to "work the system" both within and outside the hospital to ensure that the patient's needs are met.
authors.affiliation: Adventist HealthCare, Education Institute, Rockville, MD, USA. shellwig@blast.net
authors.forename: Sharon Donahue
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Hellwig
authors.forename: Marylou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yam
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DiGiulio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019090:Case Management; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009738:Nursing Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000941:ethics; D012938:Social Perception