By Elaine Bruner, MSN, RN, CMGT-BC, FCM
As the heat and humidity of summer fade in southeast Virginia, I wait for cooler mornings and longer walks. Summer means beach days, daylight past 8 pm, mosquitoes, and living with “air you can wear (humidity)”. Autumn brings changing leaves, football, apples, and sweaters. Life isn’t stagnant; it’s a fluid, dynamic existence. The same applies to being a professional case manager. Case management offers ongoing change; if you’re not changing, you’re not growing. Let’s embrace Autumn!
Fall Foliage
How I miss the brilliant leaves from the Adirondack mountains! There is changing foliage color near the Atlantic Ocean, but the red, gold, and orange leaves are swaths of color across the Adirondacks. A spectacular display created by the loss of chlorophyll.
How does fall foliage relate to you as a case manager? Have you had to change and evolve as a case manager? Of course! Each day presents you with opportunities for change. Your professional growth is worth the investment:
- Learn a new skill
- Pursue that advanced degree
- Become the AI expert
- Achieve case management certification
Sports
October is the All-American Great Sports Overlap: Baseball, Football, and Hockey. All these games, all the time, on every streaming service. How do you follow your favorite teams in each sport when the games are on simultaneously? My home embraces October with multiple screens. Yes, one game on the main large screen and another game on a PC. And another on a phone. It’s quite a juggle of games and scores. Case managers and their interdisciplinary teams can be analogous to a sports team:
- Each person plays a position=your job/role
- Successful plays=clear communication
- Achieving a common goal =value-driven outcome
- Managing slow starts, interceptions, and errors=barriers to care, avoidable days, and discharge delays
I’d be remiss not to mention having snacks and hydrating beverages available, which is not quite tailgating, but essential for a high-functioning healthcare team.
Clothing
Warm weather clothing has its place, but give me a cozy, cute sweater or fleece jacket any day. I know you’re thinking, “Elaine, what do clothes have to do with case management?” What you wear has a direct impact on how you feel. A rainy day means I’m wearing pink or purple to feel bright and ready. Some of you might choose yellow or orange to be the sunshine for the day. Wear what you love, fits well, and is comfortable for these cooler days. Observing Game Day Friday? Don that champion football sweatshirt from 1980 or your school colors. One of my co-workers is a life-long Georgia fan. His office has UGA mascot items everywhere, and Friday means appropriate Georgia clothing. He is a loud and proud fan (and a great colleague)!
Food
Fall means leaving watermelon, berries, and zucchini behind and choosing apples, pumpkin, stews, and cider. Food brings people together. There are social and emotional ties to food, especially holiday food. A potluck or snack exchange can bring your team together. Never tried a gluten-free dessert or a vegan main dish? Invite your colleagues who live these diet choices to bring a dish to share. I’m the co-worker bringing apple crisp and pumpkin pound cake. For Thanksgiving, it’s oyster stuffing and chocolate bourbon pecan pie. Cooking and baking are therapy for me, plus the results make people happy. Try a new Fall food, such as a winter squash. Some people are scared of these squashes with hard flesh and unusual shapes. Roasting them is the easiest preparation; you will need a sharp knife to cut the squash in half.
- Rub the cut side with your favorite fat or oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place cut side up on a baking sheet. Can do cut side down if you want a browner flesh
- Roast at 400 degrees for 45 minutes
- Squash is done when a knife slides easily through the flesh
- Scoop flesh out of skin/shell or mash in the skin and enjoy.
I hope you will embrace Autumn and the changes it offers you. And if you want the recipe for pumpkin pound cake, oyster stuffing, or the chocolate bourbon pecan pie, email me: millereli2@aol.com
CMSA is proud to present the 2025 Military/VA/DoD/DHA (MVD) Day virtually, making this enriching event more accessible than ever to case managers in the Military, VA, DoD, and DHA communities. Whether you're facing travel restrictions or scheduling challenges, this virtual format ensures you won’t miss the opportunity to connect, learn, and grow. Click here to register: https://www.pathlms.com/cmsa/courses/110448
Bio: Elaine is an experienced nurse, case manager and educator. She completed her undergraduate studies with the State University of New York at Platttsburgh, followed by her graduate work with the University of Virginia. Prior to entering case management practice, Elaine worked in diverse settings including oncology, nutrition support, home health, and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. Case management offered Elaine opportunities to join transdisciplinary teams in cardiology, critical care, and ambulatory care. Since 2008, she has been associated with American Nurses Credentialing Commission, contributing to the Nursing Case Management (NCM) certification review products. She co-authored the 4th edition of the NCM Review and Resource Manual, with Peggy Leonard, and was the faculty for live workshops and webinar presentations. Elaine embraces her educator role, authoring manuscripts in CMSAToday, offering continuing education presentations, and coaching case managers to certification success. Elaine's current role, with US Navy, offers daily challenges, keeps her skills sharp and a smooth transition to retirement.