One of the patient in the ICU asks to be cared for by the same nurse before admission and after discharge. What system does this describe?

• A. Team nursing
• B. Case method
• C. Nursing case management
• D. Primary nursing

Answer: (C)

The concept here is continuity of care across the entire patient journey, coordinated by a single nurse or care professional who oversees planning and communication from start to finish. Nursing case management focuses on this seamless continuum: a case manager coordinates pre-admission planning, inpatient care, discharge planning, and post-discharge follow-up, ensuring the same nurse or a consistent point of contact guides the patient through all settings. This approach reduces gaps in information, aligns goals, and helps the patient feel secure that their needs are being watched from before they even enter care through after they leave.

Primary nursing, while also emphasizing one nurse responsible for a patient, typically centers on the hospital stay rather than the full continuum from pre-admission to post-discharge. Team nursing involves a group approach rather than a single continuous point of contact, and the other options don’t specifically emphasize coordinating across different care settings. Thus, nursing case management best fits the request for care by the same nurse before admission and after discharge.