As he attempted to embrace my talent for arguing, as well as my need to endlessly dissect any information bestowed upon me, my father pushed me to be a lawyer. But my mother, along with all the women in my family who had wanted to be nurses, were louder and more determined that I would be a nurse. I began my career in healthcare as a nurses’ aid in 1988 and, needless to say, graduating from nursing school in 1995, I became a nurse. Although I have functioned as an administrator in the acute hospital setting for over 20 years, my fundamental aptitude, knowledge base, skill set, and clinical specialty has been behavioral health -treating both mental illness and substance use disorders- throughout my career.
The origins of my civic outreach to, and interaction with the community, includes activities I participated in while constructing my Master’s Degree in Human Services (MHS) thesis, “The Role of an Advocacy Group in Addressing Drug Related Crime”. This research resulted in my working with the Bucks County [PA] Council and then being appointed the founding Co-Chairwoman of Delaware County’s PRO-ACT advocacy group (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization – Achieving Community Together). I also delivered presentations in regard to the science of addiction in many forums, including the State Conference of The PA Recovery Organization Alliance (PRO-A) as well as the United States House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce via testimony during a hearing entitled, “OxyContin: Its Use and Abuse”.
For over 25 years, I have demonstrated expertise in establishing, auditing, and improving sound medical record documentation practices. Incorporating these skills with my industry, regulatory, and now legal knowledge, I am particularly adept at identifying and communicating the information that appropriately responds to the needs and goals of a case. I am known, some may say infamous, for being confident and articulate in advocating for the best course of action in a given situation.
In agreement with those in my tribe about my analytical penchant, I decided to pursue, and achieve, my certification as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant (CLNC). The stars aligned in presenting me the opportunity to complete the coursework and take the exam for the certification: The hospital I worked for was acquired, forcing a career transition and I contracted COVID, forcing my quarantine. I believe this next step in my career was logical and destined.
Much like in the medical setting, LNCs are advocates and educators supporting clients in telling their whole stories. “Legal nurse consultants fill a niche that no one else can, bridging the gap between the legal and medical worlds. They help to interpret complex medical information, and they are familiar with tricky details. LNCs review medical records to determine which information is relevant and whether anything is missing,” (https://onlinenursing.duq.edu › Blog, March 31, 2023).
According to LegalNurse.com, “A legal nurse consultant is a registered nurse who uses existing expertise as a healthcare professional plus specialized legal nurse consultant training to consult on medical-related cases. Legal nurse consultants work closely with more than 1,300,000 attorneys in the U.S. as the nursing and healthcare system experts on the litigation team. They can also consult with a wide range of organizations including insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and other medical-related organizations. A legal nurse consultant bridges the medical gap in the attorney’s knowledge. While the attorney is the expert on legal issues, the legal nurse consultant is the expert on nursing, the healthcare system and its inner workings.”
I interpret this account in my own service description which includes:
- Provision of comprehensive education to healthcare personnel, legal personnel, patients, families, community members, and litigants.
- Assessment and evaluation of legal cases for merit. Oftentimes, this may lessen the burden to the medical and legal systems.
- Research, identification, and testimony of credible and relevant opinions in the role of an expert witness.
- This may include locating other consultants in different specialties.
- Research and identification of credible and relevant professional and facility resources, policies, and standards.
- Skillful review, organization, and interpretation of medical records.
I believe I am uniquely positioned to be a versatile support to attorney-clients because my background includes not only clinical skills as a mental health nurse, but also hands-on experience as an administrator who was responsible to study the standards of care and adapt them into systemic policies and procedures. My advanced communication skills and emotional intelligence often enables me to better educate and persuade an audience.
With the remarkable and overwhelming increase in violence, suicide, and overdoses, there is an intensive need and demand for, along with legislation around, more and better access to trauma-informed behavioral health treatment grounded in best- and/ or evidence-based practices. I imagine that this phenomena will lead to an increased requirement for expert consultants in the behavioral health area.
“The National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants (NACLNC) is the largest and oldest association of legal nurse consultants. It was founded by LegalNurse.com, the pioneer of legal nurse consulting, and has thousands of members nationwide. The CLNC Certification is the first and most widely recognized legal nurse consulting certification in the nation.
NACLNC Association has existed for 41 years. Its membership is open to registered nurses (RNs) who have received legal nurse consultant training and certification from LegalNurse.com. To help ensure competency and success, LegalNurse.com’s CLNC® Certification provides [nurses] with the most comprehensive curriculum in legal nurse consulting as well as free mentoring from the CLNC Mentors for one year from date of CLNC Certification.
Disappointingly, as I shared my decision to achieve certification, I was cautioned with a hesitancy that I would become a “traitor”. Unknowing colleagues in the medical field frowned as they started to accusingly and disapprovingly ask questions about my role in malpractice suits. With the state of healthcare as it is, the potential for litigious criticism certainly exists.
I’m happy to report that my work thus far has deemed me much more of a researcher and educator than a critic. I have even been able to help prevent non-meritorious cases from ever entering litigation because standards were misunderstood or not considered at all when filing suit. Knowing, and having practiced, the appropriate regulatory standards of care makes me competent and compassionate in providing support to attorneys considering and litigating very difficult, and often tragic, situations.
Earning my certification as a legal nurse consultant has allowed me to not only honor my father’s wishes for a legal career, but also empowered me to continue to use my knowledge and experience to support those in need of them. Additionally, I am euphoric that my work now offers the flexibility that allows me to be more present for my growing family.
I am further happy to report that I am still passionately pursuing my purpose with integrity. I am confident moving forward, in part because in reviewing the first report I produced, the lawyers’ comments included, “you get it,” “I can’t believe this is your first attempt,” and “I’m definitely looking forward to working with you again.” To learn more about me or my services please see my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresamdrassmhsmsnrnpmhbcneabcnccclnc.
Author: Theresa Drass
