In her journey from hospital nurse to Paradigm Case Manager, Sara Soltis found a career with flexibility, work-life balance, and meaningful connections.

Like many in the field, handling workplace injuries was not something Sara Soltis ever pictured for herself. “I would have laughed if you told me I’d ever work in workers’ compensation,” she shares candidly.

Coming from a background as a hospital labor and delivery nurse, Sara’s role was primarily centered on direct patient care, with some elements of case management mixed in. And while she eventually moved into a full-time case management position in a high-risk OB unit, she recalls encountering a generally negative perception toward workers’ compensation. Limited interactions with work-related cases in her day-to-day dealings did little to change the image of a rigid, bureaucratic industry that didn’t put people first and only cared about return-to-work stats.

But in contrast to her days pushing paper and rushing patients back to work, Sara instead found a highly rewarding career path when she finally took the leap into workers’ compensation. In her time as a Paradigm Case Manager, she has been surprised with a role that fosters true advocacy for injured workers, while offering relatively more flexibility and family time for herself.

Taking the leap into workplace injury management
Sara eventually found herself feeling the early signs of burnout from the long days and rigid schedule of the hospital and began wanting more. Searching for new career opportunities, Sara came across an open position at Paradigm and was intrigued by the purpose-driven mission and focus on changing lives. Despite some hesitancy about her ability to enter a new field and learn the complexities of the industry, she was quickly reassured by the commitment to an extensive onboarding and training period. “I remember feeling incredibly relieved that I would have 12 weeks to learn the job,” she said.

Despite the fear and uncertainty that comes with making such a big career change, Sara felt fully supported during her entire onboarding and training experience. “There is no sink or swim. Onboarding is what kept me here,” she shares.  From little touches like a card from her manager to the extensive range of learning modules and on-the-job training, she was relieved to find how much she was being set up for success from the beginning to end of her training.

Early wins, early challenges
By the time she completed her onboarding program, Sara was up and running as a Paradigm Case Manager. Although she remembers feeling some early nerves entering the hospital on one of her first cases, she found her bearings and was able to build a strong relationship with the injured worker and family. Even as her confidence grew, there were still challenges that came with building trust with the people she was helping—as well as clinicians outside the industry.

Sara recalls being particularly troubled by a case where an injured worker had been told by someone working at the hospital that workers’ compensation case managers were just there to spy on behalf of carriers. Understanding the stigma herself, Sara was able to navigate that obstacle, but acknowledges how hard it can be to overcome. “In workers’ compensation, you know it’s going to take time to earn someone’s trust,” she adds. “First and foremost, it’s not just pushing paper. People don’t always think that they will get injured at work. When it happens, they are unsure what to do and how to navigate the system.” Sara loves that with case management, she gets to be present, build relationships, and advocate in a way that’s not always possible in traditional nursing.

Flexibility meets work-life balance
As a workers’ compensation case manager, Sara has been pleasantly surprised by the opportunities she has to make time for her family. She emphasizes the high degree of personal accountability it takes for each person to manage their time and focus on driving the best possible outcomes for injured workers. While scheduling requirements and the occasional emergency absolutely come with the role, case management also brings flexibility that can meaningfully improve work-life balance.

Sara has found that this level of responsibility allows her to effectively manage her schedule within the necessities of her job and promote harmony between her personal and professional lives. She is especially overjoyed on the many days she is able to be there when her kids get home from school. “I would never miss any time with my kids, and I did not understand how that would have been possible before having this job and this level of ownership over my role,” she reflects.

A week in the life of a Paradigm Case Manager
One element Sara loves most about being a case manager is the balance between structure and variety. Coming from a hospital environment with long shifts, rigidly dictated schedules, constant oversight, and hectic working environments, her new day-to-day workflow is a breath of fresh air. The flexibility and increased independence she has found gives her the ability to provide each person with the attention they deserve.

“I have learned what to expect of my week while embracing the fact that each injured worker’s situation is unique,” she explains. For example, while she may have three to four visits one week, the next week could be several visits each day, depending on the distance and caseload.

This means planning is the key to success. Sara wraps up each Friday by scoping out the week ahead, keeping her Monday mornings reserved whenever possible for additional strategizing and prioritization—which she happily does from the comfort of home with a cup of coffee. Her time on the road can consist of anything from catching up on podcasts to talking on the phone with family or clients. Often, she just finds herself quietly taking time to prepare for her next visit.

Once she’s back home, she reviews and submits documentation, double checks her activity log, reviews any pending tasks, and plans for her next day. Sara shares that she has never felt stuck and that everywhere she turns, there is always a subject matter expert who embraces the opportunity to lean in and help. “I get a lot of autonomy in my role, yet it is not done in isolation. Support from my team is always available at a moment’s notice via a phone call, email, or text,” she emphasizes.

A deeply rewarding role
To anyone on the fence—or even unaware—about what workers’ compensation case management has to offer, Sara would encourage you to go for it. She continues to be impressed with the satisfaction that comes from guiding injured workers through recovery. “With case management, you get to have more face-to-face interaction with your clients and build relationships that you otherwise would not be able to.”

For healthcare professionals with reservations about the approach to recovery in the workers’ compensation system, Sara believes Paradigm sets a great example for person-centered case management for both injured workers and team members. “I cannot begin to express how grateful I am for the opportunity to work with such an excellent team!” she says.

For Sara, perhaps the biggest indicator that she’s in the right place is the feeling of actually looking forward to the week ahead on Sunday nights. In finding the highest level of job satisfaction she has ever had, while still making a positive impact on people’s lives, Sara was surprised to find both in such an unexpected field. As she puts it, “I stumbled upon a gold mine of a fulfilling career!”