PLNC Today

5 Ways To Increase Your Legal Nurse Practice

2012-01-02T08:03:00.003-06:00

It's time to put into practice what you've been thinking about doing for awhile. Expand your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) practice. Here's five ways to do this:

1. Compile a list of fifty attorneys in your area. You want their name, email, address and phone. Send five personalized emails per day including all the PLNC services you can provide.

2. Call each attorney you emailed. For example, you'll send five emails today and tomorrow you'll follow up.

3. Mail each attorney a short letter. Brevity is important so use bullet points to list your PLNC services.

4. Write an article for the local bar association. This is your chance to shine. Tell the reader how you can help, citing your nursing experience and excitement for the job.

5. Get, or update, your Profile Listing on the Jurex Expert Directory. Be sure you add a photograph and post your resume at http://www.jurexnurse.com/about-expert-directory.

You're ready. Now begin.

To Negotiate Your PLNC Rate or Not? That Is The Question

2011-11-16T13:11:00.013-06:00

Should you negotiate your hourly rate to review medical records? Consider these first: 1. You want the business; 2. You want the business; and 3. You want the business. So, the answer is clearly "Yes".

Now, how much should you reduce your hourly fee? You want the attorney to use your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) services again, so your interactions need to produce a win-win outcome. Start at $150/hour and realize you need to compromise. Does $125/hour sound good? $115? $100?

Caution: Do not go below $100/hour, if you can avoid it, because it becomes the floor, or ceiling, for your next interactions with this attorney. Plus, you want your PLNC services to viewed as valuable.

You Can Provide Lots of Professional Legal Nurse Consultant Services

2011-09-13T10:35:00.004-05:00

As a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC), you have lots of tools in your tool chest. Here are a few you should consider promoting:

1. Summarize medical records - so that it's easy for the attorney to understand what happened from a medical perspective. If you're services are being used, it's so you can explain the facts to the untrained individual. Keep your summary simple.

2. Interview witnesses - your opinion of potential witnesses can be extremely helpful. You bring to the table a different view. Offer to help by talking with witnesses.

3. Assist in demonstrative evidence - cases become more real with audio, video and props. Help the attorney come up with evidence that demonstrates a point in the case.

The list goes on and on. You are very valuable and remember that.

Should A Nurse Get Malpractice Insurance?

2011-07-21T14:56:00.003-05:00

As a practicing nurse, should you have malpractice insurance? In these times, expect that most nurses have it. Especially, if you are an independent contractor or work for a health care pvoder who does not insure individually named nurses. That's not to say you wouldn't be covered under a policy even if you are not named as an individual insured. It's just extra protection; protection you would want in the event you get sued.

There are many companies who provide this type of insurance, the key is getting the most highly rated on ewith the most coverage for your premium. The worst case would be to have paid the premium throughout the years and not have coverage when you need it.

The amount of coverage will vary depending upon the type of policy and the liability risk. Consider occurrence-base policies first. If it's still not affordable, then look at claims-made policies. Either way, if you get sued, you'll be glad you have some coverage if for no other reason than your comfort level.

Review Photographs & Diary Notes When Reviewing Medical Records

2011-07-02T08:28:00.003-05:00

In your review of the medical records, be sure you ask to see any photographs depicting the alleged injuries or diary notes of it, as well. Remember the old saying that a picture tells a thousand words?

It's often much easier to understand something that you've seen as well as read.

So, be sure to ask the attorney if there are photos you can review.

Diary notes of potential plaintiffs, family members or friends often shed insight into a case. Whether they are accurate or not should become clear as you read them. Be sure you ask for them. You'd be surprised how many write, or type, notes, emails, blogs, texts or tweets about their experiences. These could all prove helpful to you in your review of the case.

You must ask for these photographs and notes, or you might be given them.

Q & A with Elizabeth Rudolph, President, Jurex Center for Legal Nurse Consulting

2011-02-22T09:35:00.003-06:00

I just answered a telephone call from a very nice nurse who inquired about the Professional Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Course that's upcoming in Atlanta on March 26 & 27. Her question is one that others may have.

Q: Hi. I've been a nurse for three years and just became a Nurse Practitioner. Would I be a good fit with being a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant?

A: Yes, you would bring to the table another aspect of nursing. Being a nurse is essential, but you also have still another knowledge base. While additional degrees are not required to be a successful PLNC, it could enhance your abilities. Combining nursing and the law is a beautiful blend and one that is a must in today's lawsuit-prone society.

Thank you for this question and keep your questions flowing.

Your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant Marketing Materials Are Key: Getting Attorneys Attention

2011-02-02T19:57:00.003-06:00

How you present yourself in your marketing materials is key to opening doors. Is your brochure easy-to-read yet colorful enough to entice attorneys to open it? Does your business card reflect the PLNC services you offer? Is your letterhead pleasing to the eye? Consider these suggestions:

1. Trifold brochure colorful and interesting: Your brochure should be no larger than a trifold on 8 1/2 x 11 size stock. Make it colorful, yet simple to read. Be absolutely sure you include all your contact information. You never know how an attorney will want to contact you.

2. Use both sides of your business card: If you have a logo, include it. List your PLNC services on the reverse side in bullet points or include something of interest on that side. Your goal - for attorneys to keep your business card.

3. Letterhead and envelopes match: You want brand recognition. Use the same font on your letterhead and envelopes. Careful on your color selection so that the text is readable.

Lots to think about, but easy to accomplish. Get the Jurex Marketing Pack and let us do the work for you. The Jurex Marketing Pack includes:

250 Color Brochures
250 Sheets of Letterhead
250 Envelopes
500 Business Cards

Marketing yourself is fun. Especially, when you have the marketing materials to back you up.

New Years Resolution Number One - Become a Successful Professional Legal Nurse Consultant

2011-01-01T12:20:00.004-06:00

What does it take to become a successful Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC)? A little determination, some drive and a few tools. We'll help you with these.

Let's start with determination. Make this the time you get your career in gear. Not PLNC certified yet? Then get certified. No excuses. There are four ways to get certified as a PLNC: Live Course, Video Course, Audio Course or E-Course. And, there are four live Spring 2011 courses - Atlanta, Nashville, Cincinnati and Chicago. Already PLNC certified? Register for the Unlimited Mentoring Program where you can get help with your questions.

Put some drive into the equation. Do something. Get a 2011 calendar and write down/enter what you're going to do first. For example, if your'e already PLNC certified, you're going to post your Profile Listing on the Jurex Expert Directory. Not PLNC certified, you're going to register for a live course and get $50 off for early registration, PLUS until Jan. 15 we are giving a New Year's discount of an additional $20 off. So, you're saving $70.

A few tools are all you need now. 1. Read, or reread, the PLNC textbook. It's written in an easy-to-understand manner and contains lots of helpful information and tidbits. 2. Take a Jurex e-course. For example, take the e-course "PLNC Practice Basics" or "Practical Technological Solutions". 3. Vow that you're going to do one thing this month to further your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant career.

Go on and take one step. We're here to help you.

Give Yourself A Gift -- of Further Education: Combine Nursing and the Law

2010-12-07T09:39:00.004-06:00

While you're going shopping for holiday gifts, give yourself a present. You deserve something, too. What is it? The gift of further education that will open doors previously closed. Any nurse can get certified in two days to be a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC).

Over one weekend, Saturday & Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., you will get the education you need to be a PLNC. (If you're already a PLNC, refer a friend and you will get a present too - $100 off any Jurex product or service with no expiration date.)

Back to you, in two days you will get 15 accredited contact hours and a one year profile listing on the Jurex Expert Directory where attorneys can find you. You will also get a beautiful PLNC certificate that is frameable. Go to www.jurexnurse.com to find out more.

There are four formats to obtain your PLNC certification:

Live
Video
Audio
E-Course

Spring 2011 PLNC Live Certification Courses:
Atlanta, GA: March 26 & 27
Nashville, TN: April 9 & 10
Cincinnati, OH: April 30 & May 1
Chicago, IL: June 4 & 5

Register NOW and save $50 on any PLNC Live Course!
www.jurexnurse.com

Remember, this gift of education is for you. Happy Holidays from us at Jurex.

Reduce Your Nursing Liability: Ten Ways To Avoid Getting Sued

2010-11-02T10:05:00.004-05:00

As a special way of helping you reduce your nursing liability exposure, during this Thanksgiving season we have discounted our newest book Ten Ways To Avoid Getting Sued: What Every Nurse Needs To Know. (Reg. $9.95 now $7.95 until Thanksgiving only. Use coupon code: Thanksgiving 2010). A must-read short book. Only 47 pages.

Here are three bullet points excerpted from Ten Ways To Avoid Getting Sued: What Every Nurse Needs To Know book:

1. Be Nice To All Patients: 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. It is, after all, up to the patient to decide whether or not to sue you.

2. Leave A Paper Trail: One of the most vital components of good nursing care is proper documentation. This practice of thoroughly and completely recoding each interaction with your patients is made even more important when you consider the possibility of legal action against you.

3. Follow The Standard of Care: As a nurse, you know that knowing and following the prescribed standard of care is essential to being a good and safe health care provider. But additionally, following the rules, regulations and guidelines set forth will help reduce the likelihood of getting sued.

This book makes a wonderful gift for any nurse. Take advantage of the ten tools contained in the book and be sure to help other nurses during this time of Thanksgiving.

Brush Up On Your Testifying Skills - Earn Even More Money

2010-08-30T17:23:00.003-05:00

A great way to earn even more money as a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant is to testify in cases. True enough, there are lots of cases to review, but testifying can open up more doors for you. Not only do you broaden your horizons, you can earn even more by testifying. Consider the following when deciding whether or not to try your hand at testifying:

1. Time factor. Do you have the time to prepare to testify? Then, do you have the time to actually testify? Money aside, you'll need several hours to prepare to testify and several more to give your deposition testimony. Since more cases settle than ever go to trial, the chances of actually testifying in court are small.

2. Credibility. You can enhance your credibility by testifying. You will draw upon your nursing skills and combine it with your legal knowledge. It's a perfect blend. You might even get more clients from giving a deposition. Remember, others could be in attendance at your deposition.

Then, of course, is the money. You can earn more by testifying, significantly more.

Get Your Career in Gear

2010-08-03T16:44:00.003-05:00

Now's the time to do something for yourself. Get your nursing career in gear by getting certified as a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant. First thing is first - get PLNC certified. Next, post your Profile Listing on the Jurex Expert Directory. Then, focus on all the beautiful PLNC services you can provide.

First: Get your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) certification one of four ways: Live Course, Video Course, Audio Course or E-Course.

Second: Go to www.jurexnurse.com and click on "Expert Directory" and scroll to "Nurse Login". Create your username and password and then simply complete the fields provided. Download a photograph of yourself, include your resume and, there you go, you're ready.

Third: Think of all the PLNC services you can easily provide. No sense recreating the wheel. Think of about these, for example: Review medical records, interpret medical records, assist in preparation of witnesses, deposition and/or trial preparation of witnesses, consider testifying in cases. The list goes on and on.

It's easy as 1-2-3. Now, take the first step.

Legal Nurse Consultants Need Business Cards

2010-07-01T08:46:00.003-05:00

No matter whether you are a new or existing Professional Legal Nurse Consultant, you could benefit from a business card. Not just any business card, but a well-designed one. What makes your business card stand out from the others?

1. The format on the front side of the card. The number one problem with business cards is there's too much stuff on them. Keep it clean and simple. But, by all means, use color. Black and white business cards are a thing of the past. Just concentrate on not putting too much clutter on the front.

2. Your contact info is key. List your name with credentials and company name, all telephone numbers where you can be reached, address but you may want to only list your city and state for identify theft concerns, email address and website address if you have one. Company logo is optional, but you might want some kind of subtitle to let the reader know the type of company.

3. Use the reverse side of the card. Attorneys are more likely to keep your business card if you put something on the back that's noteworthy. How about a bulleted list of your nurse expert witness services? Give the card reader a reason to keep your card.

Readers usually expect your business card to be horizontal. While the vertical format is interesting, stick with the norm on this one.

Need help designing your business card? Get the Jurex Marketing Pack.

Start Marketing Your Nursing Skills Now - Include Your Legal Knowledge, Too!

2010-05-16T16:07:00.002-05:00

You got certified as a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC), now it's time to get going and start reviewing medical-legal cases. You can do it, but where do you start? Use these three steps below to get going:

1. Be sure to create your profile listing on the Jurex Expert Directory. Simply login and create your profile listing. Feel free to upload a photograph of you or your resume. It's easy.

2. Promise yourself you'll send out "X" amount of emails to attorneys. Start small and add more email addresses as you get them. Even if you send out only ten emails, that's ten more than you did yesterday.

3. In your emails to attorneys, be sure you include a very brief description of the services you can provide. Bullet point it. No one has time, nor the desire, to read long paragraphs anymore.

Start now. There's no time like the present.

Easy Ways To Locate Other Medical Expert Witnesses

2010-03-05T13:11:00.003-06:00

You're reviewing the medical records in a case as a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) and your attorney asks if you know if a physician expert witness. How do you find a physician expert witness? Simple - go to www.jurexdoctor.com. Here are some things to consider:

Get paid for your referral. Remember, there's no such thing as a free lunch. If you provide the name of a physician who serves as a medical expert witness, you should be paid a referral fee.

What is the amount of your referral fee? Depends upon the market, but you're generally looking anywhere from $250 - $1000. The case could not go forward without the medical expert witness, so what you bring to the table is absolutely essential.

When do you get paid? You should seek your referral fee as soon as possible. Send an invoice for the amount of the referral fee to the attorney. Attorneys are used to paying for this service. Your referral fee should not be contingent upon the ultimate outcome in the case. Remember your ethics and it should serve you in good stead.

Providing other medical expert witnesses is another service you, as a PLNC, can provide. This could be a valuable source of income for you and win-win for both you and the attorney.

Marketing Your PLNC Business Online

2010-01-29T14:34:00.003-06:00

There are so many outlets to market your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) business online. Where do you start? Pick three tools and start using them.

1. Twitter: Easy to sign-up and get started immediately. But wait, you need a name so people can follow you. Use your company name, if it's easy to remember, or your name. Then, proceed to post relevant, useful tweets that are 140 characters or less. You must make your posts useful or people will stop following you.

2. Jurex Expert Directory: In today's environment, you need to be accessible via internet. Be sure you've created a profile in the Jurex Expert Directory so attorneys can find you. It's FREE with your PLNC certification and FREE with your PLNC certification renewal. Add your photo, download your resume and add your comments.

3. LinkedIn: Why not get on LinkedIn and start connecting and reconnecting with others? It's amazing how many people you can actually reach this way.

While there are lots of ways to reach people, start with just three. Dedicate even just a little time to these and watch your PLNC blossom.

Your Number One New Year's Resolution: Earn More Money in 2010

2009-12-28T12:04:00.003-06:00

How do you make more money in 2010? As a nurse, you first get yourself certified as a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) and then you use cost-effective marketing tools to get yourself noticed and hired.

You don't need to spend a fortune to get your nurse expert witness certification. Take the Jurex PLNC Certification Course in 2 days (Four ways: Live Course, Audio Course, Video Course or E-Course) and you're already on your way. Next, included in any of the Jurex certification courses is your one year listing on the Jurex Expert Directory. Create your profile and you're ready. It's that simple to getting started.

Now, if you want to do more marketing of your PLNC services, you can get business cards, letterhead, envelopes and brochures customized for you in the Jurex Marketing Pack. Want extra help? Then, register for Mentoring. Would prefer to have everything you need in one package - then get the Get Certified & Go! Package.

Most importantly, get going on the road to success. Even a little effort should yield results. Your resolution is to earn more money in 2010 and that's fully attainable. Start now!

Time to Testify: Tidbits of the Trade

2009-12-09T12:37:00.002-06:00

Testifying -- what do you think of? Sounds daunting, but testifying can be quite straightforward if you're prepared. Now, think of testifying as an expert witness. You probably feel a bit calmer because you'd be testifying about facts which already occurred.

Testifying Tidbits for Legal Nurse Consultants:
Nothing can substitute for being prepared. Reread the medical record you last looked at over a year ago. Read every entry because you don't know which entries you may be asked about. You're thinking, I'm the nursing expert not the medical expert so I'll skim over the physician's notes. Think again. While you may not be asked about the medical standard of care, you're expected to have reviewed the entire record.

Reread your notes. Sure, you put your notes into a final report, but if you still have your notes, you should reread them. Remember, you may be asked to produce your notes but these notes might help support your opinion.

Remain calm. Don't loose your cool. Remember, you're the expert. You didn't create the facts, you're just testifying about them.

Testify and move on. Just be sure to put yourself in the best position by doing your prep work first.

Thanksgiving - Time To Use Our Nursing Skills

2009-11-11T18:52:00.004-06:00

Thanksgiving. This is time of the year when we give thanks for all that we have. As nurses, we have skills we can use in so many ways. How do we simply use these skills to help others as well as ourselves? We're probably good at helping others, it's the "ourselves" part that we probably need to work on.

The Thanksgiving List:

1. Make a list of five of your most unique nursing skills.
2. Make a list of five dreams, or goals, you have for your professional life.
3. Combine #1 and #2 above and see if they can somehow fit together.

Now, be determined to put your unique nursing skills to work so you can become more fulfilled. After all, the majority of your waking hours are spent working. So, you might as well be happy doing something(s) you enjoy doing. If not, it's time to broaden your horizons. Check out www.nursinglink.com for ideas to expand the nursing side of yourself.

Make the Most of Client Meetings

2009-09-17T10:33:00.003-05:00

As a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC), you may have to meet with clients for any number of reasons. Perhaps you are helping answer discovery or you are sitting in with the attorney on the initial consultation. Regardless of the reason, there are a number of ways you can make these meetings productive:

1. Plan ahead. Go into the meeting knowing its purpose. Make a list of questions you will ask the client. Bring pen and paper.

2. Eliminate distractions. Make it clear that you are not taking calls or visitors during the meeting.

3. Take good notes. In order to get something out of the meeting, you must take good notes. Plus, taking notes gives off the impression that you are smart.

4. Review your notes immediately after the meeting. By doing so, you can get a handle on the information you learned and decide what to do with it.

Meetings can be time-wasters if you don't use the time wisely. Remember, make the most of a few key meetings.

No Such Thing As Cold Calling: Handling the Phone Call

2009-08-20T09:30:00.006-05:00

We all get a little unsettled when thinking about the possibility of "cold calling". In your Professional Legal Nurse Consulting practice, think about the different ways you could approach telephoning an attorney for medical records to review.

First, get organized. Try using a spreadsheet. Whether you use Excel or some other spreadsheet format, or write it out by hand, have a contact document organized as follows:
Column 1: Name (Attorney's name or law firm)
Column 2: Address
Column 3: Telephone number
Column 4: Description - make it brief
Column 5: Email address

Second, do a search about the attorney or law firm before you pick up the telephone. Go online and type in the name of the law firm or attorney in the search engine toolbar and see what you get. Cut and paste into your spreadsheet. Or, go to the library and look through an attorney directory.

Third, make the call. There's no time like the present, as it has been said. Now, the next time you make a phone call, think of it as warm calling instead of cold calling and soon it'll turn into hot calling. It gets easier and easier.

Put Your Invoices to Work

2009-08-15T16:35:00.005-05:00

What is the role of an invoice? Of course, it is meant to show how much is owed for a product or service. To get the most out of your invoices, consider including the following:

Your name and your business name
Client name and case name or identification number (if it applies)
Date of invoice
Tax ID number
Invoice number for tracking purposes
Amount owed - where it can be clearly read
An itemization of your time for the case
Payment due date

Each of these items seems obvious, however, many invoices do not contain all of this information. Make the most of your invoices, also by:

Turning in invoices consistently on the same day each week or month
Billing in small increments when possible - large invoices can slow payment time
Submit invoices to the correct person or department
Track and follow up on outstanding invoices at regular intervals

The 12 Essential PLNC Business Tools CD contains an Invoice designed especially for your PLNC business. You don't need to recreate the wheel when it's right here for you.

Other items you can include on your invoices include referral incentives, especially if you are at the end of a project for a firm. You can also include a small discount on your overall fee for projects that went better than expected or in conjunction with a holiday.

It is easy to see your invoices as single function items. However, they can be put to use to make you seem professional, fair and to help you get additional assignments.

Time Management for Every Legal Nurse Consultant

2009-07-14T12:42:00.006-05:00

As a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant running your own business, you will find that time often gets away from you. This being the case, you may be tempted to buy a fancy planner and start rigidly scheduling your time. This is not a good idea.

Here are our interpretations of some thoughts from Steve Pavlina, http://www.stevepavlina.com/. He believes that our concept of time is similar to our concept of money. We have a specific amount and we spend it. But that this concept is mistaken. Rather, time is independent of what we do. Whether we work or play, are asleep or awake, time keeps moving. You can spend the next ten years doing nothing and that ten years will still have passed. In other words, you cannot control time, but only how you use time. And the only time you have is this very moment.

Time is not a commodity but rather is a tool. Something to use to benefit yourself and others. So, how does this apply to your Professional Legal Nurse Consulting business? That’s easy. You have to ‘wear many hats’ as a business owner and in order to do so successfully, you must optimize your use of time. So, how?

Everyone will manage their time differently based on their personal and work needs. If you only need to work part-time, then you will have different time management needs than someone who works full-time.

So, begin simply by figuring out how much time you have to devote to your business per day, per week and per month. If you don’t know, keep a time diary for one week. As you begin and end an activity, note the time and the nature of the activity – eat, sleep, commute, phone call with mother, etc. At the end of the week, break down your days by type of activity and figure out how much time you are using on each. It might surprise you to learn that you are watching eight hours of television a week when you thought you only watched one or two.

After you have grouped the activities, look at them and find any places you can change what you do or how long it takes. This is particularly handy if you are trying to ‘make’ time for a new activity or increase time spent on an existing one. This may well mean giving up a favorite television program, or recording it to watch on the weekend.

Now, figure out where in your day your business activities can or will fall. Pencil in that information onto your calendar. Don’t worry right now if you don’t know exactly what you will do during that time. As your business grows, that time will fill up more quickly than you can even imagine.

Overcome Your Doubts: Hear This New Legal Nurse Consultants

2009-05-24T20:02:00.002-05:00

Starting a new career can be scary. If you've worked as a nurse for a long time, the concept of starting a business and being your own boss can seem overwhelming. This is true for any entrepreneur. We all have fears and doubts we must deal with when we try something for the first time.

In your mind, do you ever hear the following (or similar):

Who do you think you are?
I can't do this.
What was I thinking?
This is impossible.

If you don't hear such things in your mind, you are one of the lucky ones. Most of us have these negative thoughts sometimes. Some of us have them a majority of the time. But these thoughts are dangerous and need to be stopped. Such thoughts:

Undermine our efforts.
Stifle our creativity.
Lower our self-esteem.
And, most dangerously, become self-fulfilling prophecies.

How can you stop negative thinking? You need to do two things.

1. You need to interrupt the negative thought. You can do this by mentally shouting "Stop it!" or by creating a physical interruption. For instance, you could make yourself do the chicken dance every time you hold onto one of these negative thoughts. This might be sufficiently embarrassing to help you stop. Just imagine doing the chicken dance in an important meeting! Or, you can choose something less obvious to others, but just as effective. In the book, The One Minute Millionaire, the authors suggest that you wear a heavy duty rubber band around your wrist and pop yourself enough to sting every time you catch yourself thinking these dangerous thoughts. How you choose to interrupt these thoughts is up to you, but you must do it every single time.

2. You need to replace the negative thought with a positive one. Simply replace the thought with its opposite. "I can't do this." becomes "I can do this." Nothing fancy. No memorizing. Just a replacement of a part that does not work for you with one that does.

Try this for the next month.

Organizing Yourself and Your Legal Nurse Consulting Business

2009-03-01T19:33:00.002-06:00

What is organization? Most people think of a pristine, clean space with a place for everything and everything in its place. This is not necessarily a true definition. Rather, organization is being able to find what you need when you need it, easily and quickly. Several methods of organizing are commonly found in books and on websites. Let’s review the two most common:

Out of sight.

If you are this type of organizer, you work best if items are stored out of sight. You prefer filing cabinets with files neatly hidden inside, lots of drawers and other spaces to keep most items out of sight. Only what you need to work on is out and visible. The benefit of this organizing method is that you are less distracted by other items that need your attention and can focus strictly on the task at hand. Also, to outsiders, your workspace may look more ‘organized’ (tidy).

The disadvantage to this method is that something important might get tucked away in a file or folder and forgotten about. So, to effectively use this method, it is important to have some sort of tickler or reminder system in place to keep track of what is being done and what needs doing. We will discuss tickler systems in a later post.

Out in the open.

This type of organizer prefers to be able to see everything at a glance. If you organize this way, you may have files scattered about and piles of papers. What appears to others to be chaos is actually your system. For you, if something is out of sight, it is also out of mind. The strength of this system is that everything is where you can see it, so items don’t get hidden away and forgotten. Don’t forget, though, that you, too, can benefit from the tickler systems we will cover later.

A drawback of this method is that it can be highly distracting to have numerous projects vying for your attention at once. This type of setup does not pose a problem for everyone, however. And if you work better being able to see everything at a glance, you can very well make this system work for you.

However, an out in the open system does not have to be messy. If you would like to be both neat and organized, you can do so, even with a visual filing system. One of the easiest ways to do this is to have open filing cabinets. Some of these look like milk crates, but are made to hold hanging file folders. Keeping one of these on or close to your desk for current and high priority projects can help you keep on top of your assignments. For completed projects or those with a much longer deadline, consider using banker’s boxes and label them colorfully, so they catch your eye. This way, you not only have a system that keeps you organized, you also have built in storage if you later need to keep old files off-site.

The key thing to remember is that “organized” and “neat” do not always go together. Rather, it is important to find a system that works for you, allowing you to get the work done well and on time. If others perceive it as messy, that is their problem. If you feel your system needs some work, and that it could be tidier, we will discuss ways to tackle that issue soon.

Setting Your Business Goals

2009-02-18T10:37:00.003-06:00

As a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant, you wear many hats, including that of business owner and developer. So, it is your responsibility to keep your business moving forward toward the goals that you wish to reach.

What goals, you ask? You DO have business goals, don’t you?

If not, how will you know where you are going? How will you know if you get there?

If you want to go and to grow, you need goals. Setting them can seem daunting, so let’s break it down into manageable steps. In this post, we’ll cover the basic guidelines and the first two major steps.
While this is geared toward setting goals for your business, keep in mind that the rules can be applied universally to set goals in any area of your life.

Let’s begin:

First, we’ll cover a few goal-setting guidelines.

1. Remember that this is about the journey, not the destination. This may seem counterintuitive to the whole goal setting process, but goals are only milestones along the way. Think about the mile marker signs on a highway. These are how goals work. They act as a marker to let you know where you are in relation to where you began.

2. Still using the mile marker signs as an example, like them, your goals need to be measurable. You want to have a way to know if you have reached that marker. If the goal does not lend itself to measurement, give it a 1-10 rating and set the level you want to reach on that scale. Are you at a 2 but wish to be at an 8? Then you have work to do. But you also have a way to gauge your progress.

3. Finally, your goals should be written down. Committing goals, dreams and ideas to paper has a certain magic about it. No, not witchcraft type magic, but the magic of making them more real, more concrete. And if you look at them every day, you will internalize these goals, which will in turn make reaching them easier.

So, now to the FUN part of the process.

Let’s start big. How do you want to be remembered? Answer this question not only in regard to your business, but to the other important areas of your life. Do you want to be remembered as a workaholic who never had time for family and friends? Or would you like to be remembered as a successful businessperson and human being? Write down what you hope people will say about you after you are gone.

Now, think about what success means to you. People have different ideas of success. While we may want some basic things the same, such as financial security (if it exists), the specific definitions of such terms vary with the individual. Do you want to be wealthy? What does that mean? A millionaire? A billionaire? All of your debts paid off and plenty of money to make ends meet? Or does it refer to your personal and business relationships and their depth? Write this down, also. Define success for yourself. Not what you think it should be because of what popular culture or your upbringing tells you, but what you feel deep in your gut. Take all the time and space you need to get this definition right for you. No one has to see this but you.

Time to Invest in Yourself

2009-02-04T09:35:00.005-06:00

It's already February. Do one of two things for yourself:

1. Become a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) or
2. If you're already a PLNC, take your PLNC practice to the next level.

How, you ask, can I do this. It's simple.

1. Get your PLNC certification: Commit to only 2 days at a PLNC live course or take the PLNC Video Course, Audio Course or E-Course at your own pace. Don't wait any longer. Now's the time to invest in yourself and make lots more money.

2. If you're already a PLNC, you need two items to help you. First, get busines forms designed especially for PLNC practice and second, get marketing help that has worked for PLNCs.

No more excuses. You can do it. Now's the time to achieve the success and personal happiness you want. It's in your hands.

Write it Right: Rules for Legal Nurse Consultants

2009-01-15T16:19:00.006-06:00

As a PLNC, you will often have to put your thoughts and findings into writing. This intimidates a lot of individuals. Why? Because many of us hear our elementary and high school English teachers in our heads as we sit down to write:

Your writing needs work.
Use proper grammar.
Work on your spelling.

These are just a few of the admonishments we heard in school. But you are no longer in school and no one is grading you. That said, your written materials do need to do their job. The better you write, the better you will serve your attorney. Scared? Don't be. Writing doesn't have to be chore. And it doesn't have to read like a textbook.

Make your writing easier in three simple steps:

Brainstorm
Freewrite
Revise

That's all there is to it. Once you do those three steps, you have a report you can confidently share.

Another way to approach writing is to write the way you talk. If you have trouble with this, try recording yourself as you give the report as you would if the attorney was sitting in front of you. Then, you can transcribe the recording, make small revisions and you're ready to go.

Invest in Yourself: Get Your Legal Nurse Consultant certification in 2 days

2008-12-25T13:22:00.006-06:00

Now you're thinking about 2009 and the security, or lack thereof, of your job. How can you use your nursing skills, become more marketable and enjoy what you are doing all at the same time? Get your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant^TM certification in 2 days! Don't wait any longer.

You are worth it and deserve to be happy. Think about it: you spend the majority of your day working. Why not work at something you are happy about doing AND make incredible money at the same time? You are important. Treat yourself to something interesting, exciting and intellectually stimulating at the same time.

No reason to spend a lot of money getting your dream job. Certification as a PLNC^TM will greatly enhance your credibility and marketability. You can do it.

Make the commitment for one weekend (Sat & Sun) to attend a PLNC^TM live course:

Miami
Phoenix
Washington, D.C.
Nashville

If you can't get away, then take the PLNC^TM E-Course, Audio Course or Video Course. All formats include your PLNC^TM certification.

No excuses. Register today! You can do it.