What’s a typical day like for a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC)? Whether you work part-time or full-time as a PLNC or something in between, when you’re reviewing medical records, the time you spend doing it will look the same.
Wake up after a restful and restorative sleep. (Hopefully, you can put your mind at ease and let sleep overtake you no matter what you’ve done during the day).
Typical Day in the Life of a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant:
Eat a good breakfast. Exercise. Thirty minutes of cardio preferably, and 15 minutes of circuit training.
Shower. Maybe consider a bath instead. Baths tend to be more relaxing. (Not scientific proof, but anecdoctal).
Gather all medical records. If they’re in hard copy, put all documents from same facility or practice group in one pile. Separate them by admission date.
For example, if there’re three admissions to the hospital, you’ll likely have three stacks of papers separated by admission dates.
Next, you’ll break down each admission by sections. For example, Nurses’ Notes, Progress Notes’, Medication Administration Record.
Now that they’re all separated, READ the pages. Make your own notes in a separate document knowing that if you testify about these, you’ll need to produce your notes. But, most PLNCs opt not to testify, so generating notes is usually not a problem.
Chronology? Consider creating a timeline also known as a chronology, to help you sift through the medical records.
Hey, don’t forget to keep track of your time. You’re getting PAID by the hour, so you need to record your time.
Take a break. Stretch.
Back to it. Now it’s time to write/type up your report.
“KISS”: Keep it Simple, Sweetheart. Don’t make your report so involved that it’s hard to sift through it. Use your chronology for all the details. Use your report for the important stuff.
Do a rough draft. Take another break.
Remember the expression, “Measure twice, but once”. This means go back over your report at least a couple of times before you send it to the attorney.
Take another break AFTER you’ve reviewed your report and BEFORE you send it the report to your attorney.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS…
Type up your INVOICE so you’ll get PAID!
Look over your report again. Create an email that says you’re attaching your report AND your Invoice! Let your attorney know you appreciate the opportunity to review the medical records.
ASK how the attorney would like to get the medical records returned to them. Whether you received them in hard copy or you printed them out, get this question answered.
Go have fun! You’re done for the day.
DON’T FORGET to keep track of your payment. Didn’t receive payment within a week? Send a friendly reminder with another copy of your invoice.
Last acronym: TNSTAAFL. “There’s no such thing as a free lunch”. If you hired an attorney, the attorney would bill you for the time. Be sure you bill for your time. TNSTAAFL.
P.S. Pass this link on to your nurse friends here.
