Donna did not have to die.

The cell phone rang (or rather vibrated) at the worst possible time-in the middle of a Vickie Milazzo lecture. We were in Orlando for the CLNC [R] 6-Day Certification Seminar. We both had successful full-time careers and had performed some legal nurse consulting over the years. Our goal in becoming CLNC [R] consultants was to continue our lifelong learning, rather than to change career paths.

The Magic Kingdom was distracting enough. And now in the middle of Vickie's lecture, that darn cell phone was vibrating.

At the next break, we returned the call to an RN we had met a few weeks earlier while consulting for her agency. We had mentioned our excitement at becoming Certified Legal Nurse Consultants [CM] and she had told us about her grandmother's death at a local nursing home.

The RN was calling us to provide legal nurse consulting services for her family's attorney. The nursing home attorney had presented a settlement offer, but her family was not pleased with the offer. As Vickie teaches, we told her that we could only work directly with her family's attorney.

A few days after the seminar, the family's attorney called and hired us as consulting experts. After discussing the case, and with Vickie's teachings fresh in our heads, we asked the attorney for:

* The patient's nursing home records and hospital records.

* Nursing home staff competencies, evidence of licensure, performance appraisals, ongoing education and training records.

* Copies of state or federal licensing survey reports on the nursing home during the applicable period.

* A copy of the complaint.

* Any other documents relevant to the case.

We Planned Our Work

When the records arrived, we found ourselves frequently referencing the Core Curriculum for Legal Nurse Consulting [R] textbook. The module on "Comprehensive Case Evaluation Strategies" directed the design of our work plan, which included these steps:

* Communicate with the attorney-client initially and throughout the case.

* Scan the case.

* Develop and implement a plan of action.

* Organize the medical records in chronological order.

* Assess the records and relevant documents.

* Use relevant records and documents to establish the facts and analyze the case.

* Identify and access supporting literature.

* Develop demonstrative evidence.

* Identify applicable standards of care and deviations from those standards.

* Assess the plaintiff's damages.

* Prepare and submit our report to the attorney-client.

With our new-found...