Course: Introduction to Workers’ Compensation Case Management for Nurses: Step 1

A practical entry point into a rewarding non-bedside nursing career.

Course Overview

This introductory course is designed for nurses ready to pivot from traditional bedside roles into the specialized field of Workers’ Compensation Case Management (WCCM). You’ll gain a clear understanding of the industry, the role of the nurse case manager, and how to successfully transition into this career path—while still making a meaningful impact on patient outcomes.

This program is Step One of our three-part career pathway at Stepping Stone Nurse Academy:

1. Step One – Introduction to WCCM: Industry basics, stakeholders, case manager responsibilities, and career transition strategies.
2. Step Two – Mentorship Program: Advanced case management techniques, documentation, and strategies for complex cases.
3. Step Three – Internship Program: Real-world casework, ride-alongs, treatment plan coordination, and hands-on experience.

Why Choose Workers’ Compensation Case Management?

For nurses seeking a non-bedside role that still leverages clinical expertise, WCCM offers:
✅ Balanced Work-Life Schedule – Many roles are remote or hybrid, with regular business hours.
✅ Reduced Physical Strain – No lifting, 12-hour shifts, or bedside fatigue.
✅ Meaningful Patient Impact – Guide injured workers through recovery, ensuring they receive timely, appropriate care.
✅ Competitive Pay & Growth Opportunities – Comparable or higher salaries than bedside roles, with advancement potential.
✅ Variety of Work Environments – Insurance carriers, TPAs, healthcare systems, or self-insured employers.

Course Benefits

This course is built for nurses who want to apply their medical knowledge in a more sustainable, yet impactful, role. You’ll receive:

• A step-by-step roadmap into the field.
• Real-world case studies for practical learning.
• Guidance on certification and career progression.
• Job search strategies and networking connections.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Explain the basics of the Workers’ Compensation industry.
2. Identify the key stakeholders (“Who’s Who”) in Workers’ Compensation.
3. Describe the role and responsibilities of a Nurse Case Manager in WCCM.
4. Discuss the impact of a work-related injury on the injured worker, their family, employer, and payer.
5. Outline the Return-to-Work process.
6. Locate and utilize key resources for WCCM practice.

Course Structure

The program consists of 5 sections within this introductory series, each building your foundational knowledge and preparing you for advanced mentorship and internship experiences.

About the Instructors:

Anne Llewellyn MS, BHSA, RN, CRRN, CMGT-BC, BCPA, FCM, is a registered nurse with over forty-six years of experience in critical care, risk management, case management, patient advocacy, healthcare publications and training and development. Anne was the President of the Case Management Society of America 2003-4. She was awarded the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 for her service to the case management industry.

She is a founding member of the Case Management Fellowship Program that was rolled out in 2021.

As a catastrophic nurse case manager, she has worked in various settings for large case management companies and as an independent nurse case managers in the area of workers compensation. Anne writes a weekly Blog, Nurses Advocates to share stories and experiences to help people be better prepared to self-advocate when they enter the complex healthcare system. She also writes a weekly column for Workers Compenstion.com focused on Nurse Case Managers in the workers compensation industry.

Lori Schellenberg RN CCM comes from over 20 years as a Certified Case Manager, in Worker’s Compensation. She learned about Worker’s Compensation first from the Employers side, as an Occupational Health Nurse, developing an Occupational Program for a very large manufacturing facility. There she learned about safety, return to work, and the insurance process. This led her to transition to Worker’s Compensation Case Management.  In that role she worked for several case management companies, managing cases, developing programs and marketing those programs. She set case management standards and helped launch quality initiatives. She developed orientation and training programs for new case managers and mentored them. Lastly, she worked on the provider side, developing and implementing a Worker’s Compensation Program for an Orthopedic Surgeon.

Lori is the Founder of Stepping Stone Advocacy Services.