My First Test as a CLNC^®

When I first heard Vickie speak, I knew I wanted to become a successful legal nurse consultant more than anything I have ever done. I purchased her entire program and set to work.

I reviewed Vickie's tape three times on how to develop an information newsletter. Producing a bimonthly newsletter became not only a marketing project, but also the greatest self-educational tool I could have imagined.

The first issue of my newsletter coincided with my first assignment, a major brain-damaged baby case. I cannot express the sense of responsibility I felt. I needed to perform far beyond what I believed were my own capabilities in this new career. The Institute's educational materials and other Certified Legal Nurse Consultants I met through the NACLNC^® Directory of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants (CLNC^®s) were invaluable to me.

I later discovered that my big case was 15 years old and had seen very little activity since 1991. Previously, a neonatologist had reviewed it but had little to offer the attorney. Before I left the attorney's office with the case under my arm, he mentioned that if I found anything, I would be "greatly rewarded." He also added quietly that this was a "test."

You cannot imagine the excitement I felt when, after a four-hour review, I found significant negligence in several areas. Actually, the answers seemed too obvious to me. I began thinking about the attorney's last words, and I soon talked myself into believing that this was a closed case that had already been litigated. I was sure my review and recommendations would be compared to a previous work-up as a test of my abilities.

Instead of verifying this assumption, I decided to develop the best review and report I could. Even if the case was old, I knew I would be billing for my time, and if I did pass the test, there would be more cases to come. I was so elated and apprehensive that as soon as I finished my work, I drove to Nashville at 6:00 a.m. so the report would be on the attorney's desk before anyone arrived that morning.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the case was real after all. Needless to say, I got the job!

Not everything about this first start-up case was positive, but it became a tremendous learning adventure. Legal nurse consulting is not an easy career change, but I have the necessary foundation, and Vickie has given me the inspiration to tackle the rest. Most importantly, I have learned that I do have talent, and that there is a place for me in this very exciting field.

 Tell a Friend About This Site

"The Institute’s educational materials . . . were invaluable to me." "I have the necessary foundation, and Vickie has given me the inspiration to tackle the rest." "I have learned that I do have talent, and that there is a place for me in this very exciting field."