Every day, I use what the Institute taught me. I appreciate being my own boss. I appreciate the freedom to define, practice and maintain my integrity – to live life on my terms and on no one else’s.
As a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant I No Longer Have to Compromise Patient Safety and My Integrity
by Marcelle Slobaszewski, RN, BSN, CLNC
I realized the direction the nursing profession was going and its misalignment with my own nursing ethics. Compromises were being made at the expense of patient safety. My integrity prevented me from accepting those compromises. Seeing that I could no longer be safely effective at the bedside, I could not in good conscience continue to support the mindset and practices being forced upon me.
Tossing aside more than 20 years of clinical nursing was not an easy decision, but doesn’t every cloud have a bright side? At the outset of my nursing career, I was fascinated with the legal issues in nursing. Why not pursue the segment of my profession that intrigued me all those years ago? This certainly seemed the right time. If I could no longer help patients at the bedside, I would help them beyond the bedside.
My research inevitably took me to LegalNurse.com, where I discovered a solid foundation of legal nurse consulting training and mentoring. Today, my business as a full time Certified Legal Nurse Consultant is fascinating and fulfilling.
Legal Nurse Consulting Is the Perfect Fit
People who really know me understand that I’m an introvert at heart. The idea of jumping into legal nurse consulting without the safety net of an RN job at the hospital was a bit terrifying.
I knew the CLNC Certification Program had given me all the tools I needed to succeed, but deep inside I still couldn’t get over my fears. That’s when I reached out to LegalNurse.com’s CLNC Mentors.
One of the CLNC Mentors encouraged me to immerse myself in the attorney scene by attending a legal seminar or exhibiting at a legal conference. The introvert in me thought, “Are you out of your mind?” But the businesswoman in me said, “Trust the CLNC Mentor’s recommendation and make it happen.”
Within the month I attended a legal seminar and made a connection with the speaker, who later gave me my first case. It was exciting. Then I took a leap of faith, jumped in with both feet, and exhibited at a legal conference. My attitude was, “I have nothing to lose.” As the Institute encourages, I went beyond my boundary of comfort, presented myself with the utmost confidence and landed my second case! Two months later, I exhibited at two major attorney conferences in the Midwest, which produced three more attorney-clients and even more cases.
At that point I knew LegalNurse.com’s CLNC Certification Program was the right choice. My CLNC business was the perfect fit, merging the nursing career I knew and loved with the legal side of nursing.
This Is More Than a Business for Me
I soon discovered that once I got out of my own way, I could do anything just like the Institute teaches. Since becoming a CLNC consultant, I’ve gained deeper self-awareness and I feel empowered. Had I not become a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, I’m pretty sure this transformation would not have happened.
I practice from my home office and the CLNC services my attorney-clients request most often are screenings, short reports, chronologies and timelines. These tools are a “get-in, get-out-quick” reference for my attorney-clients which they find beneficial. I’ve received a lot of positive feedback.
Every case I’ve reviewed has contributed to my portfolio in a positive way. I was scheduled to testify on one case, but apparently I did such a good job on the research and my report that the lawsuit settled out of court for a lot of money.
All of my experiences have shaped and molded who I’m becoming, not only as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant but also as an entrepreneur. I’m overwhelmed with a sense of personal growth and understanding. This year I went on the NACLNC® Conference Cruise. Two years ago, you would never have seen me on a cruise, much less snorkeling or kayaking. I’ve grown beyond my comfort zone, and I have the Institute to thank for that.
At the NACLNC® Conference, I felt it was important to speak to every person there who has helped me. I had thanked them in the surveys and with emails, but there’s nothing like face-to-face interaction. I said to each one, “You affected me positively and indelibly.”
I Have the Freedom to Practice with Integrity
Before committing to the CLNC Certification Program, I did my research to make sure I was getting the best training. The choices were Basic, Executive and VIP CLNC Certification Systems. I analyzed each tier and, knowing who I am and how I like to learn, I decided the VIP CLNC Certification System was most logical. The appealing thing about the VIP is the unlimited CLNC Mentoring.
It’s nice to have a safety net of successful Certified Legal Nurse Consultants. I’ve come to realize that if I’m having a problem or struggling with a question, I’m not the first. Just as I would precept a brand new nurse and say, “Ask any question. No question is unwise because these people’s lives are in your hands,” the same holds true when I’m talking with CLNC Mentors. After I’ve been on the phone with them, the last thing they say is, “Use the mentoring. That’s what we’re here for.”
I value all the tools I’ve been given to succeed in my CLNC business. I’ve had the good fortune to be able to separate myself from the hospital setting. I no longer have to compromise my integrity and risk patient safety. Instead, I work as a full-time Certified Legal Nurse Consultant with purpose and veracity. I appreciate being my own boss. I appreciate that my CLNC business provides the freedom to define, practice and maintain my integrity – to live life on my terms and on no one else’s.
Every day, I use what the Institute taught me. As I continue to exhibit and converse with attorneys, my self-assurance and sense of self-worth increase. What was once my greatest fear is now my preferred means of connecting and acquiring attorney-clients.
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