Minimal acceptable standards, of
effective Registered Legal Nurse
ConsultantCM
practice, for a
Registered Legal Nurse ConsultantCM
in
any setting:
A.
“RLNCCM
Marks” means the words “Registered
Legal Nurse ConsultantCM
”, the
acronym “RLNCCM
”, standing for “Registered Legal Nurse ConsultantCM
”
and/or the current RLNCCM seal or any
future RLNCCM
seal, the current RLNCCM
seal being as follows:
B. “Registered Legal Nurse Consultant”
or “RLNCCM ” means a registered nurse
who has met the Standards of Evans &
Associates Ltd. RLNCCM certification
course, and who holds a current
valid RLNCCM Certificate of Authority
(the RLNCCM Certificate”) issued by
Evans & Associates Ltd. This
certificate certifies the individual
has completed Evans & Associates
Ltd. RLNC course, has obtained
continuing education hours and RLNCCM
certification, and is currently in
compliance with these General
Standards. Only RLNC’s
CM
may use the
RLNCCM
Marks. In order to practice as
a RLNCCM
and use the RLNCCM
Marks, the
individual at all times MUST hold a
valid nursing license in their
state.
C. Recertification is required every
two years in order to maintain an RLNCCM Certificate. The RLNCCM
will be
required to complete 8 hours of
continuing education in legal
nursing and/or any nursing
continuing education credits
approved by Evans & Associates Ltd.,
which can be used when practicing as
a Registered Legal Nurse ConsultantCM.
The RLNCCM must provide proof of
continuing education completed with
a valid nursing license. The RLNCCM
must also report every two years,
that he or she has been following
the standards relating to competent
practice as a Registered Legal Nurse
Consultant and general standards of
practice, and must verify such
compliance upon request by following
one of the current RLNCCM
verification
procedures as requested at the sole
discretion of Evans & Associates
Ltd.
D.
To become
and remain an RLNCCM , the RLNC
CM must
meet and maintain the following
Standards (the “Standards”, and
future amendments or changes
thereof, such Standards to be
established and determined at the
sole discretion of Evans &
Associates Ltd. The determination
as to whether or not an RLNCCM has met
the Standards shall be made at the
sole discretion of Evans &
Associates Ltd. the Standards are
as follows:
a.
General
Standards:
i. An RLNCCM
must demonstrate a basic
understanding of the litigation
process, as it applies to medical
malpractice and product liability
type cases as determined by Evans &
Associates Ltd.; The RLNCCM must
demonstrate a basic understanding of
legal documents, such as but not
limited to, Complaints and other
pleadings, a Plaintiff Fact Sheets,
and other litigation documents. The
RLNCCM
must also understand how to
apply this information to a Legal
Review document.
ii. The RLNCCM
must demonstrate an understanding of
how to review medical records for
alleged injury[s], identification of
past medical history, subsequent
medical treatment, and pertinent
risk factors.
iii. The RLNCCM
must demonstrate an understanding of
how to identify alternative
causation to the alleged injury.
iv. The RLNCCM
will demonstrate an understanding of
how to identify relevant literature
research.
v. The RLNCCM
must demonstrate a basic
understanding of the discovery
process, how to go about discovery
and how the Registered Legal Nurse
Consultant can assist an attorney[s]
with discovery.
vi. The RLNCCM
must not engage in legal debate or
provide legal advice to any persons
or entities.
vii. The RLNCCM
must provide services in a Timely
Manner, such timeline having been
agreed upon prior to the start of
any work product. “Timely Manner”
means the timeline that has been
agreed upon between the Registered
Legal Nurse ConsultantCM and their
client, in a written agreement.
viii. The RLNCCM
at all times must conduct themselves
in a professional manner.
ix. The RLNCCM
must keep all information
confidential, which is shared
between the RLNCCM
and the attorney or
firm, as defined in signed contract
[s] between the attorneys[s] or firm
and RLNC CM.
x. The RLNCCM
must be able to demonstrate minimum
competency and understanding product
liability and medical malpractice
legal nurse consulting and be able
to provide a thorough review of
medical records to compose a written
analysis in a brief screening
summary, detailed chronology, or a
Medical/Product Liability detailed
medical record analysis review.
xi. The RLNCCM
must demonstrate an ability to
identify and report ANY possible
conflict[s] of interest and shall do
so.
xii.The RLNCCM
will always ask for an extension of
time, in a Timely Manner (as defined
above) if more time is needed to
complete a work product.
b. Standards
relating to competent practice, as a
Registered Legal Nurse Consultant (RLNCCM),
as it relates to specific work
product.
The
Registered Legal Nurse Consultant (RLNCCM)
shall demonstrate competence,
accountability and understanding in
all areas of practice in which,
the Registered Legal Nurse
ConsultantCM
is engaged which
includes, but is not limited to, the
following:
i.
Services include but are not limited
to:
1. Screening
a case for merit
2.
Providing
a medical or product liability
chronological time line of events
3. Providing
a medical or product liability
summary of events
4. Medical/Product Liability detailed
medical record analysis review
5. Providing
or serving as a expert witnesses
when requested [It is up to each
RLNCCM, if he or she chooses to
function as a expert witness]
6. Location
or composition of Demonstrative
Evidence
7.
Research
of relevant literature
ii. Knowledge
and understanding on how to compose
a “screening” a case for merit and
apply nursing knowledge to
identify key relevant information,
in reviewed medical records. The
Registered Legal Nurse ConsultantCM
will at the minimum include the
following key information, in
provided screenings. Key relevant
information includes but is not
limited to:
1.
Defendants
2.
Identified
“potential” deviations from
standards of care, in the medical
records
3.
Potential
expert witnesses
4.
Missing
information
5.
Needed
medical records
6.
Possible
weaknesses or strengths in the case
iii. Knowledge
and understanding on how to compose
a “chronological time line of
events” and apply nursing knowledge
to identify key relevant information
and deviations from standards of
care found in the reviewed medical
records. The Registered Legal Nurse
ConsultantCM will at the minimum
include the following key
information, in provided
chronological time line of events.
Key relevant information includes
but is not limited to:
1. Time and
date
2. Type of
medical record documentation [ex.
Nurses notes]
3. Pertinent
provider [ex. Nurses or physicians
name]
4. Location
of information documented [page
number in reviewed medical records]
5. Identified
“potential” deviations from
standards of care, in the medical
records
6. Needed or
possibly missing medical records
7. Identify
possible weaknesses or strengths in
the case [through verbal discussion]
8. Possible
tampered medical records [through
verbal discussion]
iv. Knowledge
and understanding on how to compose
a “Medical/Product
Liability-Detailed medical record
analysis review.”
and apply nursing knowledge to
identify relevant information in the
medical and legal documents. The
Registered Legal Nurse ConsultantCM
will at the minimum include the
following key information, in
provided “Medical/Product
Liability-Detailed medical record
analysis review.”Key relevant information includes
but is not limited to:
1. Legal
document reference sheet that
contains pertinent information
obtained from the legal documents.
2. Medical
record review and analysis that
contains pertinent information
obtained from the medical records.
3.
Alternative causation and literature
research as it relates to the
alleged injury.
