by Elizabeth Rudolph | Jun 30, 2020 | Legal Nurse Consulting
In EVERY profession, there’re challenges. It takes a little determination and stick-to-it-ive-ness to overcome them and you’ll succeed!
What are the top three challenges a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) faces? Let’s talk about these top three challenges you might confront. The good news is – you can conquer them. Let’s look at how:
1. How to Decide What’s Important in the Medical Records: Medical records are largely electronic. When wading through volumes of Electronic Health Records (EHR), lots of aspects can seem important. That’s why doing a quick read of all the EHRs is valuable. Then, go back and highlight the most important parts. On the second read, it’s easier to decipher the clinically relevant from the irrelevant.
2. The Best Method to Approach Attorneys You Already Know: Email first and follow up with a phone call! Almost every attorney has their email coming directly to their mobile phones. No more having to go through their secretary first. What better time in life than now when you can directly connect with the attorney without talking with the gatekeeper first! Be SURE you follow up with a phone call. That personal touch is still critical.
3. Know There’s Plenty of Work Out There: We’re entering a time of a deluge of lawsuits. Coronavirus has helped this. It can work to your favor. That’s why you want to be certified as a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant. Who should be reviewing these medical records in lawsuits? YOU!!
Whether you’re new to the Professional Legal Nurse Consulting field, or a seasoned PLNC, you’ve probably encountered these challenges. Know that you CAN and WILL meet them head on and PREVAIL! It’s up to you.
P.S. Comment Below about challenges you’ve overcome in legal nurse consulting.
by Elizabeth Rudolph | Jun 23, 2020 | Legal Nurse Consulting
First and foremost remember this: Patients who like you tend not to sue you! This means to be NICE to the patients, even if you don’t like them. While this is some of simplest pieces of information, it is also one of the most important. It is, after all, up to the patient to decide whether or not to sue you.
Commit yourself as a Nurse and a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) to showing kindness and patience to every person. Approach each patient , or attorney, with the same smile and good attitude, regardless of your mood or stress level. You may be thinking that this is a given and that being “nice” is simply part of being a good and caring nurse. But consider those patients you encounter who are not very nice to you, who are uncooperative or ungrateful. Even with these patients, strive to be good-natured. It is, of course, most challenging to be nice to the individuals who you dislike.
As a nurse, you have devoted yourself to the welfare of those committed to your care. But not only should you be giving excellent, quality health care, you should consider giving it with a smile if for no other reason than to avoid getting sued. Litigation is increasing exponentially. As a PLNC, you need to know that.
“The patient decides whether or not to file a lawsuit.”
This is so important for the simple reason that the patient decides whether or not to file a lawsuit. Let’s say an error was made, it is the patient who determines if a lawsuit will result and, if so, who will be blamed. Believe it or not, if you were friendly and kindhearted, the patient will be less likely to place blame on you if an error occurs. Likewise, they will be less likely to be looking for areas of misconduct or inaccuracy if they personally liked you. We generally don’t sue people we like. It’s just human nature.
The same applies to your patients’ families. Despite disagreements, bad attitudes, or just general meanness, you must apply your patience and compassion to them as well. If the patient is deceased or incapacitated, the patient’s family will be the deciders of beginning any litigation. They may also be influential in encouraging the patient to file suit especially if they are present during their care and/or treatment.
A nurse needs to know it’s far easier to avoid getting sued than to get dismissed from a lawsuit! Attorneys know this. Professional Legal Nurse Consultants know this.
P.S. We want to hear from you! Comment Below.
by Elizabeth Rudolph | Jun 2, 2020 | Legal Nurse Consulting
This is Part 2 of a two-part series entitled “Your Life as a Nurse Post Pandemic”. Part 1 addressed life post pandemic after you’ve been working way too many hours — whether in a Covid-19 unit or another area of nursing. Part 2 addresses life post pandemic after having your hours reduced, furloughed, or laid off.
Part 2: You wanted to be a nurse. You went to school to be a nurse. You worked as a nurse. Now, you’re concerned about how your life will be after having had your work hours reduced, furloughed, or even laid off during the pandemic. One thing is for sure: You’ve experienced the inevitable “burn-out” but you need or want to keep working.
Now the question is: What can you do for income post pandemic without going back to traditional nursing?
No sense going into a completely different field because you have a nursing degree and years of experience you could use, just in a slightly different job. You’re tired. You’re fed up with nursing administration. You’re undervalued. But, you want recognition AND a commensurate salary.
Your nursing skills are marketable! Use your beautiful skills and easily parlay them into a complimentary field: Be a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC). With the number of lawsuits quickly rising due to the pandemic, there will be lots of lawsuits filed and medical records that need to be reviewed by Professional Legal Nurse Consultants. Let that PLNC be you!
Nurses have career options. You just have to know what they are. With the shift in point-of-care health, look to see more telehealth, digital administration of care, and remote work.
Speaking of remote work, the beauty of being a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant is you can work from home, or even your car. That’s a huge relief in this ever-changing world. Medical records you’ll review can be viewed on a laptop, desktop, tablet, or even your mobile phone. If you need to look up a nursing condition, you can use your phone. And, any short report can be dictated and put into a Word document, scanned, and sent to the attorney. You can discuss your opinions via phone. Lastly, you’ll submit your invoice by email and get paid with PayPal, Stripe, direct deposit, or any one of a number of online payment platforms.
You can see how your future will change after the pandemic. Are you ready to beat the rush and get your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) Certification now?
Go to www.JurexNurse.com and you’ll be a PLNC in two days for less.
by Elizabeth Rudolph | May 26, 2020 | Legal Nurse Consulting
This is a two-part series entitled “Your Life as a Nurse Post Pandemic”.
Part 1 addresses life post pandemic after you’ve been working way too many hours — whether in a Covid-19 unit or another area of nursing. Part 2 addresses your life post pandemic after having your hours reduced, furloughed, or laid off and is entitled: “Your Life as Nurse Post Pandemic: Working Reduced Hours, Furloughed, or Laid Off”.
Part 1: You’re an “Essential Worker” which is shorthand for working more hours than you ever thought imaginable. Whether you’re working in a Covid-19 unit or in another area of nursing, you’re probably working way too many hours. You’re exhausted. You’re not feeling appreciated. And, rightfully so.
After working so hard taking care of sick patients, looking after your family, maybe taking care of some close friends, maybe some not-so-close-friends, you’re tired.
Now the Question is: How do you prepare for your life post Covid-19?
First, you need to know that coming out of this pandemic there will be an avalanche of medical and nursing malpractice lawsuits. Let’s prepare right now for your life post coronavirus pandemic.
There have been lots of lives lost and affected by Covid-19. This means a great amount of potential damages. Lots of lawsuits will be filed with the courts throughout the United States.
There will be TONS of medical records to be reviewed. But first, you must be qualified and credentialed to be able to assist attorneys in their medical and nursing malpractice lawsuits. How? Get yourself certified as a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC). Attorneys want to know you completed a credible Legal Nurse certification course. Then, you’ll be marketable and be able to enjoy the lifestyle you’ve always wanted.
Lawsuits will come in all shapes and sizes. For example, there will be cases based on nursing negligence in Covid-19 units regarding failing to diagnose, failing to treat, failing to use that degree of care and skill expected of reasonably prudent nurses in the same, or similar, circumstances. There will be cases based on lack of, inappropriate, or improper Personal Protective Equipment. There will be claims by nurses and health care providers in Worker’s Compensation cases. All of these have medical records that must be reviewed. Who better to review them than you, the Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC)!
Next, put your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) Certification on your resume. Showcase your talents by listing all your nursing experience. You don’t have to specialize unless you want to. Most nursing malpractice lawsuits involve basic understanding of nursing practice. That’s the point you need to get across in your resume. Know that your resume is the place to boast and shine. If you don’t do it, someone else will in their resume.
Ask Yourself: Am I Going To Be Able to Work Like I Currently Am Forever? If your answer is no, then get moving and register to become a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) now!
Become certified as a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) before the deluge of lawsuits so you can be ready at www.JurexNurse.com.
by Elizabeth Rudolph | May 5, 2020 | Legal Nurse Consulting
Now that we’re making the shift from live to virtual events, effective video conferencing has taken on new importance. It’s essential that we communicate in the most effective way possible. As a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC), you may find yourself using video conferencing more and more. Whether it’s FaceTime, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco WebEx, Skype, or any other platform, you’ll want to get used to using video conferencing software.
Incorporate these ten tips into your video conferences and you’ll find you will be a much more effective and persuasive communicator:
- Dress appropriately. Treat this as an opportunity to shine. When you look good, you feel good. Remember, the camera may show more of you than you thought, so be careful.
- Close all apps when screen sharing. Do this first before you screen share. Keep your computer clutter-free and you won’t have to worry as much about privacy issues.
- Stay close, but not too close, to the camera. You’ve seen others on camera, so you know how important camera position can be.
- Use quality audio. If the listener can’t hear what you say, you might as well not have said it. Be sure you’re close enough to your microphone.
- Be prepared. Nothing worse than being disorganized when you’re trying to communicate. Put together an outline in advance.
- Stay focused. Remember why you are video conferencing. Stay on track.
- Choose your background carefully. The background should complement, not distract, the viewer.
- Lighting can make a difference. Too much, or not enough, light is a distraction. Even flickering lights from an overhead fan can be annoying.
- Posture must be natural. Don’t slouch. Don’t be too stiff. Be you.
- Good eye contact is a must. Look at the camera, not the other individuals on the screen.
Even if you incorporate only one of these ten video conferencing tips into your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) practice, you’ll be a much more compelling communicator. After all, communication is key to a successful PLNC practice.
by Elizabeth Rudolph | Apr 23, 2020 | Legal Nurse Consulting
It is more important, than ever, that we keep expanding our minds. As we go through this Covid-19 pandemic chapter in our lives, we must be ever more resolute to pursue our dreams, our thoughts, and our lives. Especially as Professional Legal Nurse Consultants or for those who want to become Professional Legal Nurse Consultants (PLNC).
Whether you are at home or at work. Whether you are working as a nurse or not. Whether you are in the location of choice. We must all get in the mind-space that we can expand our minds by expanding our nursing skills.
Think about mind blowing: There should be lots and lots of lawsuits that come out of the coronavirus pandemic, many of which will be in the health care field. For a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant, that means lots of medical records to review. But, to be able to review these medical charts, you must first have BOTH the Legal AND the Nursing knowledge.
That’s where being a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant is absolutely essential. As a PLNC, you are trained to review medical records in legal cases. You draw on nursing skills and apply those skills in the legal realm.
Consider these three aspects to using your mind to expand your nursing skills:
- You are a nurse. That means you are already part way there. Just add the legal component by being certified as a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant and you’re there.
- You can acquire the knowledge. It has been said that “knowledge is power” and we, as nurses, are powerful. Go get your PLNC certification and you’ll be both powerful and
- You will use your nursing and legal skills to enhance your life. Yes, this means you’ll be able to do more, and earn more, because you have more skills to offer the world.
Expand your mind and you expand your world. Now and forever. Are you ready?
