SYLLABUS. Title: Introduction to Legal Nurse Consulting. Prerequisites or Corequisites: PLGL-105 or approval of Program Director

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1 Code: PLGL 155 Division: Business & Computer Science Title: Introduction to Legal Nurse Consulting Department: Paralegal Studies Course Description: This course is designed to give an overview of the law, court systems and rules of legal procedure as they pertain to the role of the legal nurse. This course examines the history and evolution of legal nurse consulting as well as legal theories. The role of the legal nurse consultant is studied pertaining to the review and analysis of medical records, oral and written communication, standards of care, litigation preparation and process. It also covers ethical and professional responsibilities, tasks essential to the roles of the participants in the legal process and basics of launching a career in legal nursing. Prerequisites: Corequisites: Prerequisites or Corequisites: PLGL-105 or approval of Program Director Credits: 3 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab/Studio Hours: REQUIRED TEXTBOOK/MATERIALS: Legal Nurse Consultant Principles and Practices, 2 nd Edition: by Patricia W. Iyer, MSN, RN, LNCC; CRC Press Medical Legal Aspects of Medical Records: by Patricia W. Iyer, MSN, RN, LNCC, Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company ADDITIONAL TIME REQUIREMENTS: N/A COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: Define the specialty practice of legal nurse consulting; Apply principles from nursing to legal nurse consulting practice; Practice within the standards of legal nurse consulting; Investigate and assess medical documents and records for case review; Integrate nursing knowledge and experience into legal analysis; Define the areas practice of the legal nurse. Summarize standards of care and common areas of liability in the health care arena; Outline the nurses role in the litigation of medical related issues; Examine ethical issues in legal nursing. Fall 2010 Page 1 of 8

2 GRADING STANDARD: A. EACH ASSIGNMENT AND EXAM will be graded by the Instructor, as follows: % = A 90 92% = A % = B % = B 80 82% = B % = C % = C 65 69% = D 64 below = F Grade points assigned to be determined by the registrar. B. COURSE GRADE-Average of grades received on exams, class participation, and assignments (weight of each to be determined by the Instructor) COURSE CONTENT: INSTRUCTIONAL UNITS: 1. Legal Nursing Consultant Concept 2. Understanding and participating in the Litigation Process 3. Medical Record Review and Analysis 4. Case Review and Screening 5. Business Application Principles UNIT 1 Legal Nursing Consultant Concept Unit Objective: The student will be able to define the practice of legal nursing, how it applies to the nursing process and its application in the marketplace. A. (3 hours)-the student will learn about the history and evolution of legal nurse consulting, the scope and standards of practice and the process of certification. B. (3 hours)-the student will learn about the legal nurse practice environment, application of the nursing process, standards of care and legal terminology. C. (3 hours)-the student will learn about written communication and application of appropriate software programs. Fall 2010 Page 2 of 8

3 UNIT 2 Understanding and participating in the Litigation Process Unit Objective: The student will be able to understand the legal nurses role and participate in the litigation process. A. (3 hours)-the student will learn the basics of law, discovery and disclosure alternative dispute resolution and liability. B. (3 hours)-the student will learn the practice areas and roles of the legal nurse. C. (3 hours)-the student will learn about the components of deposition process and trial testimony preparation. UNIT 3 Medical Record Review and Analysis Unit Objective: The student will be able to apply nursing knowledge in analysis of the medical records for litigation. A. (3 hours)-the student will learn how to access and analyze the medical record. B. (3 hours)-the student will learn how research standards/regulations and incorporate them into a medical review. C. (3 hours)-the student will learn how to incorporate information from the medical record to develop demonstrative evidence. UNIT 4 Case Review and Screening Unit Objective: The student will be able to utilize analytical thinking skills to review medical records for damages and development of case strategy. A. (3 hours)-the student will learn about personal injury and the elements of professional negligence with concentration on liability, causation and damages. B. (3 hours)-the student will learn about product liability, workers compensation, forensics and toxic torts. C. (3 hours)-the student will learn about presenting damages and life care planning. UNIT 5 Business Application Principles Unit Objective: The student will be able to discuss ethical issues and incorporate business principles and practices to launch a career in legal nurse consulting. A. (3 hours)-the student will learn about ethical issues in legal nursing. Fall 2010 Page 3 of 8

4 B. (3 hours)-the student will learn how to develop a business in legal nurse consulting. C. (3 hours)-the student will learn how to write a strategic marketing plan and the steps to getting involved in the legal nursing community. DEPARTMENT POLICIES: 1. Grading Policy: Grades for assignments, projects, exams, and courses are to be determined by the individual Instructor; however, the Department reserves the right to approve same for adjunct Instructors. 2. Cheating Policy: In light of the nature and ethical demands of the profession for which we are preparing students, it is the Department s policy that THERE WILL BE A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CHEATING OR UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR WITH RESPECT TO ANY ASPECT OF A STUDENT S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM. A student who is found to have engaged in same will receive no credit for any course that is involved and may be asked to leave the program. Further college disciplinary action may also be taken. 3. Attendance Policy: The Legal Studies Department wishes to advise students that, with rare exception, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to be successful in a course without regular class attendance. The Department, therefore, encourages attendance, except in cases of illness, emergency, or other serious problem or conflict. It is up to the individual Instructor as to whether to require attendance or to include it as a criterion for grading. In any event, no student should miss two consecutive classes, or three classes overall in a term, without contacting the course Instructor as soon as possible. 4. Taping Classes: Tape recording of classes or Legal Studies Department programs without a proper Alert form is prohibited. Tapes made pursuant to an Alert form are for the sole use of the student for whom the Alert form was issued, and are to be used only for the purposes provided therein. 5. Retesting Policy: It is the Department s position, in light on the nature and demands of the profession for which we are preparing students that students will not be permitted to retest, unless the individual Instructor finds compelling reason to do so in an unusual circumstance. 6. Course Testing Center Policy: The Department has no official policy other than to indicate it has no objection to an individual Instructor making use of the testing center under appropriate circumstances. 7. Late Assignment Test Policy: Fall 2010 Page 4 of 8

5 It is the Department s policy that all assignments and tests are to be completed and submitted in the date scheduled for same. It is up to the individual Instructor to determine what consequences, if any, will result from lateness. However, the Department reserves the right to approve same for adjunct Instructors. Questions about the Legal Studies Department Program or the Paralegal Profession may be directed to the Program Director at (732) , to the Learning Assistant at (732) , or to full time faculty members. COLLEGE POLICIES: For information regarding: Brookdale s Academic Integrity Code Student Conduct Code Student Grade Appeal Process Please refer to the BCC STUDENT HANDBOOK AND BCC CATALOG. NOTIFICATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Brookdale Community College offers reasonable accommodations and/or services to persons with disabilities. Students with disabilities who wish to self-identify must contact the Disabilities Services Office at (voice) or (TTY) to provide appropriate documentation of the disability, and request specific accommodations or services. If a student qualifies, reasonable accommodations and/or services, which are appropriate for the college level and are recommended in the documentation, can be approved. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT/LABS: Reference: Ackley, B., and G. Ladwig. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, Evidence Based Guide to Planning Care, 8 th Edition. Mosby Elsevier Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence- Based Handbook for Nurses. AHRQ Publication No Rockville, MD. Volume Allen, James E. Nursing Home Federal Requirements Guideline to Surveyors and Survey Protocols, 6 th Edition. Springer American Nurses Association. Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. Washington, DC: The Author American Nurses Association. Code of Ethics For Nurses With Interpretive Statements, Washington, DC Appleby, K. and J. Tarver. Medical Records Review. Third Edition. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Law and Business, Gulanick, M., PhD, APRN, FAAN and Myers, J., RN, MSN Nursing Care Plans, Nursing Diagnosis and Intervention. 6 th Edition Iyer, Patricia W., MSN. RN. LNCC. Nursing Home Litigation Investigation and Case Preparation. Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company, Inc. 2 nd Edition Hospital Accreditation Standards. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations Nurse s Legal Handbook, 5 th Edition; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Fall 2010 Page 5 of 8

6 Quinn, Q., The Medical Record As A Forensic Resource, Jones and Barletts Publishers. Sudbury, MA Roach, W. (Editor). Medical Records and the Law. Third Edition. Aspen Health and Compliance Center., Tucker, S., Canobbio, M., Paquette, E., Wells, M., Patient Care Standards Collaborative Planning & Nursing Interventions. 7 th Edition. Mosby Weed, R., Life Care Planning and Case Management Handbook. CRC Press Weishapple, C., Introduction to Legal Nurse Consulting, West Legal Studies Willy Blackwell, Nursing Diagnosis: Definition & Classification, NANDA International, Websites: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. American Association of Legal Nurse Consulting, American Health Information Management Association, American Hospital Association, American Nurses Association, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, CMS Hospital Manual, Code of Federal Regulations, Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Institute of Medicine, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, National Center for Patient Safety, National Patient Safety Foundations, New Jersey Board if Nursing, The National Quality Forum, Library: *New Jersey Statutes Annotated (Advance Sheets & Session Pamphlets) U.S. Supreme Court Reports L Ed V1-100/L Ed 2nd V1-127( Advance Sheets & Later Case Service) Atlantic Reporter V1-200 *New Jersey Reports V1-151 (Advance Sheets) *New Jersey Superior Court Reports V1-306 (Advance Sheets) U.S. Supreme Court Digest West's Atlantic Digest 2 nd V1-39 *West's New Jersey Digest *West's New Jersey Digest 2nd *also available on CD-ROM Shepard's New Jersey New Jersey Practice Series Current Legal Forms (Matthew Bender) New Jersey Lawyer's Diary & Manual Black's Law Dictionary West's Legal Thesaurus/Dictionary (Statsky) Fall 2010 Page 6 of 8

7 Periodicals: Legal Assistant Today The New Jersey Lawyer (N.J. State Bar Association journal) The New Jersey Law Journal (weekly newspaper) The New Jersey Lawyer (N.J. State Bar Association weekly newspaper)* Monmouth Bar Association newsletters* *can be found in the Legal Studies Department Legal Studies Department Resources: Reference: Education: ATLA Desk Reference Black s Law Dictionary New Jersey Court Rules New Jersey Directory of Expert Witnesses New Jersey Lawyers Diary and Manual ICLE Newsletter LSAT/LSDAS Registration Information Transfer Opportunities Magazines/Newspapers/Periodicals: Facts & Findings Law Technology News Legal Assistant Magazine Monmouth Bar Association Newsletters New Jersey Lawyer New Jersey Municipal Court Law Review Paralegal Reporter Magazine The Internet Newsletter Trial Magazine Paralegal Association Information: Brookdale Paralegal Students Association Announcements Legal Assistants Association of New Jersey The South Jersey Paralegal Association National Association of Legal Assistants National Federation of Paralegal Associations Employment: Resume Information Fall 2010 Page 7 of 8

8 Job Board SYLLABUS Fall 2010 Page 8 of 8