[Vidara]

Hello All!

I'm concerned regarding my experience before becoming LNC.

Per VMI, 3 years is enough for her training. I see other threads that seem to contradict that. Also, I insisited on speaking with a current mentor (free 30 minutes consultation) with someone that didn't come with a string of letters behind their name - as I don't have that. I see many others have work experience as a nurse but are also have an MBA or have prior experience managing Nursing Homes, etc...

I have worked as an EMT for 6 years and was driving for ACLS paramedics. I have and Associates Degree in nursing w/ 2.5 years experience on a Medicine Unit at a Magnum recognized hospital and was charge nurse within 6 months.
I have been working for the past year in Home Health Care and was nominated Employee of the Month in April 08(finally feeling recognized).
I have a total of RN experience of 3.5 yrs.

My current job is salaried (40 hrs a week) but I am actually working 75 average. My biggest problem is that I AM such a stickler for acurate charting and I document, document, document. [Early training from EMT days - if it wasn't documented, it wasn't done!!].

I feel this perfectionistic drive in my charting would make me better able to zero in on missing domcumentation, and of course, makes me a better report writer. I learned a great deal about medicine before nursing school from reading charting as an EMT. I have no inhibitions about approaching/marketing myself to lawyers - how could that be any more difficult than dealing with doctors?

I have learned to be self motivated w/charting after working in HHC - and have learned that I do better anywhere other than home. Laptop work in restaurants, libraries, bookstores, the park - keeps me focused.

I realize that I will have to continue to work in the field to maintain current practices but this may necessitate going part-time to have any free hours in my week. Loss of income would not be an option after funding this education for LNC.

My question is this- based on my listed experience, does it seem sufficient to market myself? I see many of the other nurses have worked in innumerable areas - moving from OR to ortho, to pediatrics etc....

I can say that I have a broad range of illnesses in all my past history: from 'asthma to AIDS' on the medicine floor, many many sick cases plus emergent situations on the ambulance. I've learned a great deal about wound care and post-op ortho/joint care in HHC and I case-manage with PT/OT/ST/SW.
Wow! After putting it in writing - it starts to look like I have a list too!
But I have acquired it in only 2 positions. the big question is, 'Is my experience enough?'

Vidara

[sirI]

Originally Posted by Vidara

Hello All!

I'm concerned regarding my experience before becoming LNC.

Per VMI, 3 years is enough for her training. I see other threads that seem to contradict that. Also, I insisited on speaking with a current mentor (free 30 minutes consultation) with someone that didn't come with a string of letters behind their name - as I don't have that. I see many others have work experience as a nurse but are also have an MBA or have prior experience managing Nursing Homes, etc...

I have worked as an EMT for 6 years and was driving for ACLS paramedics. I have and Associates Degree in nursing w/ 2.5 years experience on a Medicine Unit at a Magnum recognized hospital and was charge nurse within 6 months.
I have been working for the past year in Home Health Care and was nominated Employee of the Month in April 08(finally feeling recognized).
I have a total of RN experience of 3.5 yrs.

My current job is salaried (40 hrs a week) but I am actually working 75 average. My biggest problem is that I AM such a stickler for acurate charting and I document, document, document. [Early training from EMT days - if it wasn't documented, it wasn't done!!].

I feel this perfectionistic drive in my charting would make me better able to zero in on missing domcumentation, and of course, makes me a better report writer. I learned a great deal about medicine before nursing school from reading charting as an EMT. I have no inhibitions about approaching/marketing myself to lawyers - how could that be any more difficult than dealing with doctors?

I have learned to be self motivated w/charting after working in HHC - and have learned that I do better anywhere other than home. Laptop work in restaurants, libraries, bookstores, the park - keeps me focused.

I realize that I will have to continue to work in the field to maintain current practices but this may necessitate going part-time to have any free hours in my week. Loss of income would not be an option after funding this education for LNC.

My question is this- based on my listed experience, does it seem sufficient to market myself? I see many of the other nurses have worked in innumerable areas - moving from OR to ortho, to pediatrics etc....

I can say that I have a broad range of illnesses in all my past history: from 'asthma to AIDS' on the medicine floor, many many sick cases plus emergent situations on the ambulance. I've learned a great deal about wound care and post-op ortho/joint care in HHC and I case-manage with PT/OT/ST/SW.
Wow! After putting it in writing - it starts to look like I have a list too!
But I have acquired it in only 2 positions. the big question is, 'Is my experience enough?'

Vidara

Hello, Vidara, and Welcome to allnurses.com

Glad you found us; good to have you with us. And, good to read of your interest as LNC.

I always advise the RN seeking the LNC career to have at least a minimum of 3 years experience. I'm sure you are ready to pursue the career.

Please check out (research) other avenues of LNC education to be adequately informed before you make a final decision to pursue one entity.

Check out the threads here in the Legal Nursing forum regarding other avenues.

Good luck with your decisions and we hope you enjoy allnurses.com!!

[RN1989]

I think that your niche of working with EMS could definitely be a selling point for you.

Since your work as an RN has been shorter and less diverse than others, you will need to make sure that you recognize when you really need to sub-contract the work out to get the best outcome. But that does not mean that you have to give up all the work as a good med/surg base covers MUCH of the work since you see all ages/diagnoses working with medical pts.

Working in a public place as an LNC is not something I would recommend. You may be getting paper files from an attorney that you will need to be spreading out all over while you are going through them. Even if you do get pre-scanned documents, you have to be very careful about people looking at your computer to see what you are doing. Once a case is filed in court, it becomes open for anyone who wants to see if they fill out the papers, but you would hate to have someone on the opposing council's team accidently getting a view at your laptop.

The best thing for a person who has a difficult time being distracted at home is to set up a real office setting with real office hours. No TV, with all of your office supplie/equipment in one place. Get fully dressed just as you would to leave the house to go to work. Set a timer if need be to give yourself a break at certain times.

If you are in a salaried position you will have a very difficult time tearing yourself away to be home and do other things. I know this from experience. If you truly desire to do LNC work you may need to consider an hourly wage job with less responsibility in order to have time to pursue LNC work and not get burned out on either job.

[KLKRN]

Good advice from both of you!