Medical-Legal Topics

This is the final set of submissions for my writing tips contest.

Another tip is not to forget to write out medical abbreviations in long hand and to include simpler term explanation of complex medical terminology as some documents may be used by legal representatives that do not just deal with medical legal issues.
Deborah Ben-Abu

As for my writing tip I would say “just do it, start somewhere then edit, edit and edit again.” There are so many avenues to write now, I was able to write an article for earticle.com and it was published. Just a starter on advocating for yourself in healthcare but none the less I did it!
Valerie Lane, Springville, CA

I thought I would send my best practice tip “pet peeve”. Do you make sure that you do NOT put apostrophes in abbreviations for multiple tests and/or diagnostic studies? Write EKGs NOT EKG’s, MRIs NOT MRI’s, etc. I see this all the time.
Jane D. Heron, RN, BSN, MBA, Matawan, NJ

Write it and save it. Then in the next day or two, open it back up and read it again. You may see mistakes you did not see the first time. You cannot use this tip if you wait till the last minute to write your report.
Kathie W. Condon, RN, MSN, LNCC, Birmingham, AL

Always try to finish the product so that there is enough time to leave it for a day, or even a few hours, then go back and reread it with fresh eyes. This often allows one to pick up on typos or grammatical errors that one might not pick up on when tired or when one has been working on a piece for a lengthy period of time.
Susan Gunter

When I write using medical terminology or medical words that the computer does not recognize I check for proper spelling and add it to my dictionary for future use. I never assume I wrote the word correctly.
Aileen and Israel ColÒn Jr., Tulsa, OK

My tip for writing is to make sure you send it in a format that the receiver can open. This oversight can delay your report and but more importantly will disappoint the receiver. Customer service is the key. Keep the doors open and send the report in the form they prefer.
Candyce Ross, Tulare, CA

Use action verbs.
Susan B. Priest, MSN, RN, CNS

Join us for a free class on how to stand out as a Legal Nurse Consultant, February 25. See http://www.patiyer.com/lncstandout/index.html

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I ran a contest asking for suggestions for writing. This was the winning entry by Joan Pate.

I often have a “writer’s block” of sorts when I sit down to write a report on a case and have used a couple of techniques I used in a previous life as a Navy Public Affairs Officer. These suggestions helped me enormously when writing news releases, articles for publication, particularly on sensitive issues. They may be helpful to others who experience a similar situation.

Before writing a report, I follow the steps listed below and find my reports are succinct, precise and to the point.

1. Read similar material to the issue(s) in the case. This may be articles from the AAALNC Journal, medical legal references, medical references or clinical journals or research. There’s no prescribed period of time to read, but I find that after reading several articles or chapters, the words I need, flow quickly from my head to paper.

2. Using a 5X8 card, I jot down every thought about the report that comes into my head, placed in random fashion on the card. Such words in a ambulatory clinic case might be: clinic SOC, who’s the supervisor, assess/re-assess, verify med dose/action, fall risk, serial vital signs, old injuries?  If what I wrote doesn’t seem to cover the issue, I go back to reading another article and then add more thoughts to the 5X8 card. These thoughts are collated into similar or like topics or headers.

3. Prepare a general outline for the report, just the way we were taught in school with sections like, I. A. B. C., II. A. B. C. D, etc

4. On a separate piece of paper, list all the players in the report, (with full name, position, title) and important dates/times/locations. Double check this information before proceeding. This list is critical to ensuring accuracy in the report.

5. I generally write my opinion first on whatever issue, I was asked to review, and then fill in the sections of the outline with appropriate data and information.

6. I review the written report at least twice before submitting it, with one review after a good night’s rest.

I hope this is the gist of what you were looking for; it was very helpful to me to write the thoughts down this way, because I realized that I was using tools that were very successful in the past.

Joan M. Pate’, MS, RN, Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Join us for a free class on how to stand out as a Legal Nurse Consultant, February 25. See http://www.patiyer.com/lncstandout/index.html

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