Certified Legal Nurse Consultant Pros Don’t Communicate with Attorneys in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS!

Remember when you graduated from nursing school and started your first RN job in the hospital? Everything was fun. Starting your first IV – fun! Coding your first patient – fun! Cleaning up a patient’s crap – well maybe not fun…

Your first days on the job, there was a spring in your step and wearing your scrubs felt so good you wanted to wear them everywhere so that people recognized you as the highly trained professional you were. When you get your first medical-related case as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, you’ll be on fire and experience that same sense of enthusiasm you felt as a new registered nurse.

But there’s a difference between enthusiastic and manic. We all love working with people that are enthusiastic. You know the type. They’re all in on whatever it is they’re doing. They work cheerfully and nothing seems to set them back. They’re a joy to be around.

But on the far end of the enthusiasm spectrum you’ll find people who are a bit too perky. For example, before the COVID-19 pandemic, I was checking into a hotel and the woman working the front desk was so glad to see me I thought she’d confused me with Lady Gaga.

Before I could approach the front desk, she exclaimed “HELLO, WELCOME TO THE HOTEL CALIFORNIA LET’S GET YOU CHECKED IN AND RIGHT UPSTAIRS INTO YOUR COMFY ROOM!” She went on, in all capital letters, “OH, THAT’S A PRETTY COLOR FOR A CREDIT CARD! I LOVE YOUR HAIR! YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE YOUR VIEW! IT’S SUCH A SPECIAL ROOM! I CAN’T WAIT TO SHOW IT TO YOU!”

As she led me to my room I intentionally didn’t ask her any questions. It turned out I didn’t have to: OH YES MS. MILAZZO! THE RESTAURANT IS OVER HERE AND IT’S OPEN UNTIL 11! THE BAR IS RIGHT THERE BY THE WATERFALL AND IT’S OPEN UNTIL 2! OUR ROOM SERVICE IS 24-HOURS! I PROMISE YOU THAT YOU’LL LOVE EVERYTHING YOU ORDER AND IF THERE’S ANY PROBLEMS WHAT! SO! EVER! GIVE ME A CALL AND I’LL MAKE EVERYTHING RIGHT FOR YOU! AND OH YES MS. MILAZZO! THIS IS MY THIRD DAY AT MY JOB AND I AM JUST LOVING IT! LET ME PULL THESE CURTAINS BACK SO YOU CAN JUST! EAT! UP! THAT! VIEW!”

When she left my room, I immediately pushed shut the door, leaned against it, threw the deadbolt and breathed a sigh of relief. I could hear her going down the hall manically greeting people, who I assume were scampering out of her way.

Your first attorney-client will enjoy your enthusiasm that comes from the fire of a new legal nurse consultant job, as long as you don’t crank it up to ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. There’s a fine line between enthusiasm and off-putting manic behavior. Professional communication, like words in a sentence, comes in a variety of cases and inflections. Communicate moderately and professionally and I promise you, your attorney-clients will LOVE YOU FOR IT. REALLY!

SUCCESS IS YOURS! LOL 😊

Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD