Happy New Year!
I am not posting as much as I used to on the blog because I am working on new plans for the direction of my law practice and career. It will still involve nurse licensure defense but I am planning to significantly decrease the amount of license defense cases I take and concentrate more on working with nurses who are self-employed and business owners and work on more educational ventures for nurses.
Licensure defense work is stressful for lawyers. However I am a nurse first who also just happens to be a lawyer therefore a 100% nurse license defense law practice for me is akin to triage with bandaids and bottled water on a battlefield with heavy artillery in a Civil War that never ends.
I describe nurse license defense as administrative law with a twist of family law drama and a lot of criminal law "type implications and consequences." Defense Attorneys whether administrative, civil, or criminal can attest to a everyday law practice; just ask.
After 10 years of license defense practice, I am plotting a new direction with my career in 2012. Right now, I am about 90-95% nurse license defense in my law practice. My goal is:
* 20% license defense;
* 20% consulting;
* 20% working with self-employed LPNs, RN, and APRNs as nurse business owners; and
* 20% coaching; and
* 20% legal risk management and education for nurses.
What does Five 20%'s mean? I know how to make money and run a business, provide services, think outside of the box, and have fun while I am doing it. So for me it means I am going to do what ever the hell (with the grace of God of course) I want to do in my 40s with my degrees, credentials, education, and experience; this is what is means practically.
This case below illustrates to me why I want to do more out of the box services and products in nursing:
See this article:http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/starvation-case-shows-abuse-in-state-system-1309284.html
Nursing in 2012 isn't nursing in 2002 or 1992: there is more potential for nursing malpractice, discilinary action against the license, workplace issues, and criminal implications for us as nurses. We need to educate ourselves on these risks, liabilities, and legal issues to protect ourselves and document the patient care provided.
This year don't think of just New Year Resolutions. Resolve to rethink and then transform your life and your nursing career; this is your next phase of evolution.
Honestly, my nurse license defense law practice is my niche and it is my baby. It really is and I know in my heart it will always be more than 20% and probably more like 40% to 60% of my law practice from now and until I pass away at my computer sending an email. I can dream and I can plan can't I? However I am planning to do more in my law practice to assist nurses and nursing students on the front end and proactively rather than reactively going forward in 2012 and beyond.
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