Life Care Planner Registered Nurse Expert Witness

PROFILE

• Registered Nurse with over 37 years of diverse nursing experience.
• Certified in Nurse Life Care Planning and Certified Case Manager.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Certified Nurse Life Care Planner
• Utilization Review Case Management Supervisor – Workers Compensation
• Case Manager – Workers Compensation and Acute Hospital
• Utilization Review – Workers Compensation and Acute Hospital
• Legal Nurse Consultant
• Disease Management
• Home Health Nurse Liaison
• Project Manager for multi-million dollar government contract for health services
• Emergency Room and Ambulatory Care Supervisor
• Quality Assurance Committee Chairman and In-service Instructor
• Intravenous Infusion Specialist
• Home Health Case Manager and Relief Supervisor
• Open Heart/Intensive Care Unit
• Post-Anesthesia Recovery Room
• Cardiac Care Unit

EMPLOYMENT SUMMARY

2007 to present   Legal Nursing
Huntington Beach, CA

• Certified Nurse Life Care Planner responsible to develop and write life care plans for patients with injuries as well as those with conservatorships.  The plans help to determine medical and non-medical needs for long term care.  Testified in cases in civil court and WCAB regarding life care plans, workers compensation, standards of care, and duty to provide care. Legal nurse consulting provided to screen cases, perform comprehensive review of medical records, research Standards of Care, and present written and oral opinions to attorneys (both plaintiff and defense), insurance adjusters, and managed care companies.  Provide case management services for workers compensation and private insurers to coordinate resources and create flexible, cost-effective options for ill or injured patients to facilitate quality, individualized treatment.  Attend independent medical exams as legal observer and recorder.

2014 to present  St. Joseph Hospital: Orange, CA

• Nurse Case Manager for discharge planning in an acute hospital.

2015 to 2016  CorVel Corporation: Orange, CA

• Case Management Supervisor for Worker’s Compensation Utilization Review. Oversees Quality Assurance program in compliance with the Department of Worker’s Compensation regulations and URAC guidelines.  Audit records to determine compliance and trends.
• Developed and implemented training for nursing staff regarding issues identified during audits with appropriate follow up. Worked with management and clients to ensure adherence to aws. Provided assistance to nursing and clerical staff with day to day operations.

2012 to 2013  UnitedHealth Group: Cypress, CA

• Disease Management nurse for Medicare Advantage heart failure program.

2010 to 2011  St. Joseph Health System Home Health Network: Orange, CA

• Nurse liaison coordinating home health services for hospitalized patients at Hoag Hospital and Mission Hospital in Orange County, California.

2001 to 2007  GSG Associates, Inc.: Pasadena, CA

• Consultant for Workers Compensation reviewing cases for medical necessity of treatment, case management, claims and legal issues.

2000 to 2001  Benchmark Medical Consultants: Anaheim, CA

• Consultant for medical/legal company assisting attorneys in locating physicians to perform medical/legal exams, reviewing and summarizing records, and attending independent medical exams.

2000  St. Joseph Home Health Agency: Orange, CA

• Intravenous infusion specialist providing in-home patient care.  Relief on-call supervisor managing nurses and triaging patient calls.

1998 to 2000  Modern/Beverly Home Care: Tustin, CA

• Intravenous infusion specialist providing in-home patient care.  Relief on-call supervisor managing nurses and triaging patient calls.

1995 to 1998

• Resided in Japan while husband was stationed in Okinawa with the United States Marine Corps.

1992 to 1995  Olsten/Kimberly Quality Care: Brea, CA

• Intravenous infusion specialist providing in-home patient care.  Relief on-call supervisor managing nurses and triaging patient calls.

1990 to 1992  Mission Regional Medical Center: Mission Viejo, CA

• Provided direct patient care in multiple critical care areas including intensive care, post-anesthesia recovery room, and emergency department.

1988 to 1990  Coastal Government Services: Oak Harbor, WA

• Managed multi-million dollar government contract providing medical personnel including physicians, nurses, physician assistants and clerical staff for the emergency department and ambulatory clinic in a military hospital. Supervised day to day operations in the emergency department and ambulatory clinic, worked in the emergency department and ambulatory clinic as a registered nurse, consulted with staff and military officials, administered Quality Assurance program to maintain standards of practice, reviewed clinical practice guidelines and controlled the operating budget.

1987 to 1988  Whidbey Island Hospital   Island Hospital: Oak Harbor/Anacortes, WA

• Provided direct patient care in multiple critical care areas including intensive and cardiac care units.

1986 to 1987  GeneralMed: Anaheim, CA

• Provided direct patient care in pre-op and post-anesthesia recovery room for outpatient surgical center.

1984 to 1986  St. Jude Hospital: Fullerton, CA

• Provided direct patient care in multiple critical care areas including open heart/intensive care and cardiac care units.

1983 to 1984  Mission Community Hospital
Mission Viejo, CA

• Provided direct patient care in multiple critical care areas including intensive and cardiac care units, post-anesthesia recovery room.  Provided direct patient care in newborn nursery.

1982 to 1983  Craven County Hospital: New Bern, NC

• Provided direct patient care in cardiac care unit.

1982  F. G. Riley Memorial Hospital: Meridian, MS

• Provided direct patient care in intensive care unit.

1981 to 1982  Rush Foundation Hospital Meridian, MS

• Provided direct patient care and charge nurse duties in multiple critical care areas including intensive and cardiac care units.

1981  Sacred Heart Hospital: Pensacola, FL

• Provided direct patient care in intensive care unit.

1980 to 1981  Little Company of Mary Hospital: Torrance, CA

• Provided direct patient care in cardiac care unit.

EDUCATION

Chamberlain School of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
President’s Honors 2011

California Hospital School of Nursing, Los Angeles, CA
Diploma in Nursing 1980

Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles, CA
Associate of Arts 1980

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

California Registered Nurse  Current
Certified Nurse Life Care PlannerCurrent
Certified Case ManagerCurrent

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International
American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners (AANLCP)