Term Paper on "Legal Nurse Consultant"

Quoted Instructions for "Legal Nurse Consultant" Assignment:

The requirement require for legal nurse consultant is must be registered nurse to take national computerized certification examination.

Purpose of the Legal nurse certification process--to help help legal nurse consultants achieve national recognition by demonstrating their level of proficiency and commitment to continuing education.

To promote excellence in legal nurse consulting and standardization of the principles and practice in the field.

To increase potential utilization of legal nurse consultants by attorneys and insurance companies by demonstrating the legal nurse consultant's professionalism and uniqueness of nurse consulting as a specialized career distinct from the services of paralegals and other support staff.

To inspire excellence in consulting through education.

Certification renewal--renewal status Successfully completing the certification examination every two years. (extends certification for 2years from date of expiration).

Attending the National Alliance of Certifiied legal Nurse Consultants Annual Conference each year (extends certification for 1 year from date of expiration).

Successfully completing the audiotapes and post-test from the National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultant Annual Conference each for 1year from date of expiration).

Completing 15hours of continuing education related to medical-legal topics or legal issues

(extends certification for 1years from date of expiration).

The role of the Legal Nurse Consultant --

Types of cases on which legal nurse consultants are qualified to consult. Distinctions between the consulting exper and testifying expert. Scope of practice of the legal nurse consultant.

---Litigation Process -Pre litigation phase of a lawsuit, Phases of Litigation, Alternative dispute resolution Variables that affect who wins, Tort reform measures instituted at the state level.

---Theories of Liability and defense used in medical- related cases.

Intentional torts / Neglience / Strict liabilty / Implied warranties of merchantability and fitness/ Representation / Categories of common plaintiff allegations used in medical malpractice cases.

---Anatomy of Personal Injury, Products Liability Environmental and Workers' Compensation Cases. Products liability/ Environmental cases/ Work-related injuries/ General personal injury and medical malpractice.

----Screening Medical-Related Cases, The significance of screening/ Persons who screen of a malpractice cases/ legal elements of a malpratice cases/ Factors that affect initial screening opinions of attorneys and insurance companies/ What the legal nurse consultant needs to screen a case/Potential defendants/principles of screening/ screening form/ Plaintiff alert situation /Cases plaintiff attorneys frequently reject

----Comprehensive Case Evaluation Stratgies and Report Writing Techniques. Steps for evaluating malpractice and medical-related cases./ Report writing-malpractice and other medical related cases.

----Detecting Tampering in a medical record. Purpose of the medical record in the courtroom/ Persons who can detect tampering/ Implications of tampering/ Tampering alert signals / Tampering detection techniques / The legal nurse consultant's reponse to suspected tampering or alteration/ The role of the forensic document examiner/ Working effectively with the forensic document examiner/ The forensic document examiner's tools, techniques and capabilities / the tort of intentional spoilation.

---How to Research Medical-Related Cases. Information available at a library/ selecting the best source of information/ Finding information/ Choosing a database vendor./ Information brokers / Document delivery/ Terms the legal nurse consultant should know.

---Standards of Care. Sources indicative of Standards of Care / Obtaining Standards of care in trial to prove adherence to or deviations from Standards of Care./ Analyzing policies and procedures of the defendant healthcare facility

---Manage Care Litigation. Legal theories/ legal defenses/ potential defenses/accreditation

---Helping Attorneys with Discovery Methods of discovery/ Guidelines for drafting interrogatories and request for production / Types of interrogatories directed to defendants/

Types of requests for production of documents and taangible items directed to defendants/ Types of interrogatories directed to plaintiffs. / Types of requests for production of documents and tangible items directed to plaintiffs.

Role of Nurse as Testifying Expert- Role of testifying expert/ Communicating with your attorney-client/ Preparing for disposition and trial/ What to expect at desposition and trial/ strategies for testifying

---Working with Testing experts. Sources for locating testifying experts / Brokering testifying expert for law firms / Working effectively with testifying experts/ Assessing qualifications potential testifying experts./ Communicating with potential testfying experts./ Types of testifying experts used in medical-related cases./ Fees for locating expert witnesses.

---Formulation and Negotiation of Contracts. Contract/ common clauses/ contract writing/negotiating strategies

---Legal and Ethical Issues. Liability issues/ conflicts of interest/ Attorney-client privilege

---Developing Marketing strategy. Elements of effective marketing/ Competitive strategies/fees

----Techniques for Interviewing Prospects. Preparation/ Interview concepts/ closing/ Evaluation of performance.

will continued

Question 8 in the Outline--- found in www.salary.com

Salary scheme to start consulting $100 to 150 per hour per contract.

In Boston the actual rates

1--Registered nurse 60K - 71K ; part-time

2--Paralegal 41K - 48K ; part-time

3--Grant/Proposal ***** 44K - 58K ; full-time

4--Business development Associate/subcontract 49K - 89K ; part-time

5--Accountant I 41K - 50K ; part-time

Marketing Strategies

Planning in advance for your success

1) Have a vision, mission, and Core valuefor the business.

2) Research market

3) Research, develop, and implement a sound marketing plan.

4) Continuously develop, research and evaluate effectiveness of marketing plan

5) Asses your competitors' fee/strength and weakness/Locations/service/clients

Legal Nurse Consultant Business Plan

Table of Contents

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I. Introduction*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦.2

II. Objectives*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦.3

III. Methodology*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦.4

I. Introduction

Statistics show a growing demand for Legal Nurse Consultants, as there is a growing need for their service as more and more medical malpractice cases and questionable medical insurance cases are being arbitrated in court. Legal Nurse Consultants are the people who have the proper medical experience and training for legal arguments. They bridge the gap between medicine and the practice of law. They can review, analyze, summarize medical records, and see the potential of a case in a legal battle. They normally assist lawyers with medical related cases. At present, they can charge clients from one hundred to one hundred and fifty US dollars (US$100-150) per hour. This study will look into the possibility of establishing a Legal Nurse Consultants***** Office and make a realistic business plan. Another future additional venture is to know how to establish a franchise service after mastering the operations in about five years.

II. Objectives

The objective of the study is to make a business plan or a feasibility study for establishing a Legal Nurse Consultant*****s Office. Below is a listing of the details in attaining this goal.

1. To study the history of the legal nurse consultant profession: their educational requirements and licensure to be able to practice;

2. To look carefully into the trend of the profession in terms of future demands for this profession;

3. To identify the different fields of specialization needed in the Legal Nurse Consultant profession and which field of specialization is more in demand;

4. To know all the government requirements in establishing a Legal Nurse Consultancy Office;

5. To identify the targeted clienteles: law firms, insurance companies, government agencies, hospitals, medical providers;

6. To study carefully the different business structures of existing Legal Nurse Consultancy Offices, and draw from these data which business structures will fit an initial investment budget;

7. To identify the different employees needed in setting up a Legal Nurse Consultancy Office: identify permanent positions and positions which can be held on a part-time basis;

8. To research on the different salary schemes for each of the employees;

9. To identify the criteria for an excellent site and size for an office;

10. To study the different marketing strategies employed by existing Legal Nurse Consultancy Offices;

11. To conclude a decent approximate figure of the amount needed in setting up a Legal Nurse Consultancy Office, i.e. an initial investment, and a realistic amount of time needed for the return of investment (ROI), and;

12. To look closely on the possibility of establishing a Legal Nurse Consultancy Office franchise after about five years of excellent operations.

III. Methodology

The above-mentioned objectives can be done through the following methodologies:

1. Literature review: searching through the internet and medical libraries;

2. Telephone interview: call existing Legal Nurse Consultancy Offices/individuals and pretend to be a future client and ask for some details and how much is needed for their services, and write through electronic communication to existing Legal Nurse Offices/Individuals who have their own websites;

3. Visit existing Legal Nurse Consultancy Offices and observe the physical set up of their office; the regular employees one would typically meet; the essential office equipment needed for their operation;

4. Set up appointments with possible future clients and conduct interviews regarding their experiences with Legal Nurse Consultants***** services: their terms of agreements with their services, know their levels of satisfaction with the present agreements and other areas of improvement with their services, and;

5. Visit the Trade and Industry government office and check all the necessary requirements for opening a Legal Nurse Consultancy Office and how to establish a franchise in the future, and;

6. Visit the local government office and inquire on the different requirements needed in setting-up and registering a Legal Nurse Consultancy Office and the different fees involved and the length of time in processing the registry.

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