More than half of Americans have at least one chronic illness, such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer. Nurses’ role in chronic disease management is key to helping patients maintain their health, improve their quality of life and reducing healthcare costs.
For individuals with a chronic illness like diabetes, managing the condition often requires medication, therapies, special diets, and more. This can feel like a full-time job. Nurses play a crucial role in chronic disease management by helping patients maintain their health.
Six in 10 American adults have at least one chronic illness, and many of them have two or more, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says. These serious conditions can include:
- Alzheimer’s
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney or lung disease
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Stroke
With a degree through Marian University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, you can enter a nursing career more quickly and begin making a difference in the lives of patients. Consider what chronic disease management entails, the demand for chronic disease nurses and the role they play, as well as the interventions they implement in patient care.
Understanding Nursing Care for Chronically Ill Patients
With the high number of Americans with one or more chronic illnesses and an aging population, the demand for nursing care for chronically ill patients is significant. Nurses play a key role in helping patients manage medications, appointments, diet and other treatments to improve both longevity and quality of life.
If you have a desire to help people improve their well-being and are considering earning a nursing degree, Marian University’s ABSN program delivers a curriculum that allows qualified applicants to earn a nursing degree in as few as 16 months.
The first steps in understanding nursing care for chronically ill patients are defining it and exploring the growing need.
What is Chronic Disease Management?
Chronic disease management involves managing the symptoms of long-term conditions. HealthCare.gov defines it as “an integrated care approach to managing illness which includes screenings, check-ups, monitoring and coordinating treatments and patient education.”
The Growing Need for Chronic Disease Nurses
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic diseases are the leading cause of illness, disability, and death in the U.S. Most are caused by factors like smoking, physical inactivity, poor diet, and excessive alcohol consumption.
As the number of older individuals in the population grows, so does the need for chronic disease nurses. One study predicts that the number of people in the U.S. aged 50 or older is expected to increase by 61% to 22 million by 2050. Of that population, the number of people with at least one chronic illness is estimated to jump 99% during that period.
This predicted rise in demand for care combined with the nationwide nursing shortage points to nursing as a high-demand career. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the total number of nursing jobs will grow by 6% by 2032.
Explore the 10 benefits of having a BSN for nurses.
What Is the Role of a Chronic Care Management Nurse?
Nursing care for chronically ill patients differs from other types of nursing, such as primary care, mainly in that it supports patients over the long term.
Chronic care management and nurses’ participation in the process can help patients in the following ways:
- Reduce missed appointments
- Increase access to care, especially in rural areas
- Improve health outcomes
- Facilitate communication between the physician and patient
- Increase accuracy in monitoring conditions
- Support treatment plan compliance
Chronic disease nurses typically coordinate care with other healthcare professionals, support patients in meeting their health goals and engage the patient and their caregivers or loved ones.
You could take your career a step further and become a clinical nurse specialist (CNS). These advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) often provide services to patients with chronic conditions. According to the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, they “lead collaboration within and across healthcare settings and serve as bridges between disciplines. Their advanced expertise enables them to effectively manage complex cases, reducing costs and improving patient outcomes.”
A CNS must be a licensed registered nurse, hold a master’s degree or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and be certified. The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Certification (AGCNS-BC).
Essential Nursing Interventions for Chronic Illness
Nurses do more than simply help patients manage their conditions; they support interventions that can prevent more intensive treatments and higher care costs later. Healthcare expenditures in the U.S. have reached $4.5 trillion, and 90% of that is for people with chronic conditions. Interventions can help reduce these costs and improve quality of life.
Nurses play a crucial role in helping patients handle the complexities of managing their long-term diseases. Nursing activities can include:
- Assessments
- Care coordination
- Education
- Medication management
- Monitoring and support
- Nutritional counseling
- Personalized care plans
- Preventive care
- Wound care
When meeting with a patient, nurses take vital signs and health histories. They listen to the patient’s needs, how they are managing their conditions, and any health-related changes. Nurses identify follow-up needs, such as whether a patient should have blood drawn, schedule an eye exam, or come in for additional visits. They help patients manage their well-being by providing basic information about their disease(s) and teaching them how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and monitor their own health.
In addition, they coordinate with other healthcare teams to ensure a comprehensive approach to the patient’s unique needs.
How to Become a Chronic Care Nurse
The first step to becoming a chronic care nurse is obtaining a nursing degree from an accredited institution, such as an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). After completing their education, aspiring nurses must pass the NCLEX-RN exam to become licensed registered nurses (RNs).
Upon entering this practice area, you can pursue additional education and certifications, like that of Chronic Care Professional (CCP), to continue excelling while delivering vital care.
Ready to Pursue a Future in Nursing?
With more information on the nurse’s role in chronic disease management, you can make a better-informed decision on if this practice area is right for you. If you have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher, you could be eligible for Marian’s ABSN program. You could also be eligible for our transfer path option if you haven’t yet completed a previous bachelor’s degree.
The ABSN program consists of four full-time semesters over 16 months at sites in Indianapolis, Indiana, or Nashville, Tennessee. The curriculum is comprised of three main components:
- Online coursework covering the fundamentals of nursing
- Nursing skills and simulation labs where students practice and develop their skills and clinical judgment
- Clinical rotations at healthcare facilities where students gain supervised nursing experience with real patients
Contact our admissions team today to find out how Marian’s ABSN program can fast-track your nursing career.