Brenda Elliff – Nursing Negligence: Even If It’s Not Your Fault, It Will Be Your Problem

Description

Jessica attended a nursing program with stellar faculty and great internships. She had always heard, “if you don’t document, you will get in trouble”. No one could explain what that meant.
Brenda Elliff – Nursing Negligence: Even If It’s Not Your Fault, It Will Be Your Problem
During her orientation as a new graduate, her preceptor taught her how to document the unit requirements and reassured her that writing much more was a waste of time. Jessica never questioned otherwise. At this time in her career, Jessica was thinking… “I don’t worry much about charting; the computer takes care of that. As long as I chart what my unit audits for, I can sleep soundly.”
2 years later… Jessica sat down quietly at the deposition table, her head hung low and she hadn’t slept in months. They asked her to say and spell her name for the court reporter and she was sworn in. “Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?”
If this could happen to Jessica, it could happen to you. But how did this happen? How did what Jessica charted turn into a deposition proceeding? How does this happen to any good nurse?
Healthcare today is rife with litigation against nurses. There is more accountability, reliability, autonomy, and liability. The rate of nurses becoming part of lawsuits is steadily on the rise. Watch Brenda Eliff, for this interesting and intriguing look into nursing documentation. This intense recording will immerse you into the world of nursing from a litigious viewpoint.
Don’t end up like Jessica. Learn how to protect yourself, so you can sleep soundly tonight.

Handouts
Manual – Nursing Negligence (1.76 MB) 80 Pages Available after Purchase

Outline

Time Stamping – It’s a Crucial Variable

Lawyers’ secret weapon
What you don’t realize
Being ahead of the team
The sneaky truth about timing in litigation

Depositions

Being called to testify
You could be next, seriously
Silently waiting your turn
Preparing for the worst
The alarming facts about nursing and litigation

Technology in the Nurses’ World

The medical record is just a machine
Charting by exception – a meaningless phrase
Minimalist charting could spell t-r-o-u-b-l-e
Knowing your gadgets or asking for help

Drop Down Boxes: Avoid the Risks

You could lose credibility
Choosing your options carefully
When your options are absent
What the lawyers interpret from mishaps

Nursing Limits, Expectations & Responsibilities

Your license is your shingle
Copying/Pasting… it’s a mistake
Finding the rules and regulations to guide you
Standing your ground, knowing your limits

The Crime Scene

The body speaks for itself
The silent witnesses
Others are also telling the story
The circumstantial evidence
Elements of a lawsuit

Your Worst Fears

Case studies
Actual depositions
Role of the plaintiff
Avoid becoming the defendant

Faculty

Brenda Elliff, RN, MPA, ONC, CCM, LNCC

Brenda Elliff, RN, MPA, ONC, CCM, LNCC established Elliff Medical-Legal Services in 1996. As a legal nurse consultant, she assists on both plaintiff and defense cases. She performs record reviews, develops strategies and provides expert witness preparation.
Her work involves Medical Malpractice, Worker’s Compensation, Personal Injury and a variety of legal cases. Previously, Brenda worked as a Health Care Coordinator for a large law firm and taught a Legal Nurse Consultation review course. Initially she began working with attorneys on legal cases in California and has now expanded her scope throughout the Pacific NW.
Her clinical nursing experiences are vast and span 40 years. Brenda has worked as a staff nurse, as a nurse manager at major teaching facilities, as nurse case manager and as an adjunct nursing professor.
When not nursing, Brenda enjoys participating with a local performing group. The group has performed at the LA Christmas Parade, 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Parade in Honolulu, Washington DC Cherry Blossom Parade.
Past nurses who have attended Brenda’s programs have appreciated the dynamic and fun way in which she can deliver excellent clinical and legal information. She has been a sought-after speaker at national, state and local levels, on a variety of topics that draw from her areas of expertise.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Brenda Elliff maintains a private practice. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc.
Non-financial: Brenda Elliff has no relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.