Legal Nurse Consulting | NurseDot Podcast

In this week's episode, Cara is joined by Janice Dolnick, BSN, RN, a Legal Forensic Nurse, about her career in legal nurse consulting. Janice details her journey from traditional nursing to her current role, highlighting the evolution of her career and the gaps in nursing education. She emphasizes the importance of understanding multiple perspectives in her work. Cara and Janice explore the entrepreneurial aspects of legal nurse consulting and provides guidance for nurses interested in this career path.

Guest Overview

Janice Dolnick, a once burnt-out nurse, rediscovered her passion for nursing through Legal Nurse Consulting. With over a decade of experience in criminal cases, wrongful death cases, and personal injury, she has successfully built her consulting business since 2009. Janice founded the Legal Nurses Rock community, which has grown into the Legal Nurses for Justice Certificate and Mentorship program. As a champion for female entrepreneurs, she educates fellow nurses on documentation, lawsuit protection, and the intricacies of Legal Nurse Consulting. Join Janice to learn how to reignite your passion for nursing and transform your career.

Episode Overview

In this NurseDot Podcast episode, we delve into the complex world of cultural practices and their intersection with female genital mutilation (FGM). Join us as we explore the historical roots, societal pressures, and the ongoing fight for women's rights. Through personal stories and expert insights, we aim to shed light on the challenges and triumphs in the journey towards eradicating FGM. Tune in to understand the cultural nuances and the global efforts to protect future generations.

Episode Transcript

Janice Dolnick (00:02.978)
I know, right? I was like, you know, when you messaged me back, I was like, you know what? If we can make it happen today, perfect. I'm so glad we made it happen. It's been a year.

Janice Dolnick (00:23.186)
Oh, you're so sweet. Oh my gosh, I was actually researching you and nurse.com and everything. And I was like, wow, you have done a lot as well. So that's pretty exciting. And it's also very inspirational as well. The lady boss. Right.

Janice Dolnick (00:51.089)
Yes, don't like correct. Yeah.

Janice Dolnick (01:00.486)
Oh, are you serious? Oh, wow. Thank you.

Janice Dolnick (01:10.23)
Oh my god.

Janice Dolnick (01:17.056)
Oh, wow.

Janice Dolnick (01:27.298)
Thank you. Oh my gosh. Yeah, it's, it's really evolved a lot. Right? You've probably seen a lot of those changes. And I always tell everyone if you're not evolving in business, you're dead. And I think, right, and COVID really changed a lot of things. And so yeah, thank you for following us. It's been a lot of changes. And we're really excited where we're headed now, which is awesome. And it's getting bigger. And it's, it's great. It's really great.

Janice Dolnick (02:11.454)
Yeah, so I actually started, and I always like to tell nurses that I started as a CNA and an LVN because I get a lot of LVNs that reach out and they're like, can I do this? And you can, if you're an LVN, I want you to know you can because LVNs are nurses too. But so I started as a CNA and LVN and got my RN and that was back in 2007 when I finished the RN program. And I started in the NICU, loved it, started doing PICU and ER

started doing float anxious nurses. I think we get antsy and where we're at, we wanna learn more, especially when we're new. So I started with the, you know, with trauma. We were a trauma hospital at the time and really loved all of that. And then at some point just kinda got bored. So I decided to do travel nursing. And so in 2009, I moved to Chicago on a travel assignment, ended up staying there for a few years, but.

It was then that I left the comfort of California and our safe nurse to patient ratios, right? And got to experience a whole new world. And I had spent my entire career at the same children's hospital. So, and it was a teaching hospital. So we were very policy driven. Anything we did, we would pull policy. And so when I moved, it was a shock to my system, really, as a nurse and as a person to see nurses.

really just being abused, if I'm being honest, to have so many patients and the inability to provide proper care, and then to also then see patients not getting the appropriate care that they also deserve. And so that was very eye-opening for me. Shortly after the earthquake of 2010 happened, and in Haiti, and so I had gone to Haiti, the hospital had sent me to Haiti with two other nurses and then a team of doctors. And...

That was eye-opening as well to go to a third world country and see people who had been, you know, a huge amount of trauma and sadness really. So I was there for two weeks and did a lot of mass casualty triage type things and we were using, I remember, you know, in the hospital, in the NICU specifically, we use a lot of stuff and we throw it away. We use it one time and we throw it away but then we go to Haiti and we're using the same thing over and over and over again. Right?

Janice Dolnick (04:38.115)
And you start to, oh did you really? When? Oh, no kidding.

No, Katie! Oh, we have so much to talk about. Yes! How long were you there?

Janice Dolnick (04:55.374)
for you.

Madness? Yes.

Janice Dolnick (05:13.762)
for everyone. Right?

Janice Dolnick (05:20.756)
No!

Janice Dolnick (05:29.026)
You're totally right. And you have this part of you where you're just like, can I do this? Is this okay? But there's nothing else, right? So.

We're going to have to talk about Haiti because it gives me goosebumps because there's so much going on there now and I feel such a connection to it. So I'm sure you do as well. We'll have to talk about that afterwards. So yes, that was an eye-opening experience in the way we were doing medicine there. Right. And so when I came back, I had PTSD. There were still earthquakes that were happening, still aftershocks. And so...

I remember sitting in bed and there actually happened to be an earthquake the day in Chicago when I was in bed. I thought it was a fake one, but it happened to be real. I was like, I can't escape them. I was like, you know, I really want to do something. I want to make the world better. Isn't that what nurses want to do? I want to make the world better. In your own person. How do I do that?

So I started looking into becoming an attorney, or a lawyer, or a legal, all of these things. And then I happened to talk to legal consultants who really instigated on the idea that having a therapist and another heavy pay and speed rules is also a feeling. So that's where I kind of began that journey, you know, seeing what was out in the real world and really not having been exposed to it at all makes it a real problem.

Janice Dolnick (07:48.746)
That's what it is. It is what it is. Mm-hmm.

Janice Dolnick (08:06.967)
Great.

Janice Dolnick (08:15.696)
Thank you.

Janice Dolnick (08:21.822)
I'm just like gonna re-screw and help you.

Janice Dolnick (08:39.899)
No. I think he's all in the water.

Janice Dolnick (08:48.366)
Like that.

Janice Dolnick (09:11.059)
I don't know.

Janice Dolnick (09:24.39)
You keep hitting me. Yeah, is it me? I have a microphone.

Janice Dolnick (09:59.118)
Good night, everybody.

Janice Dolnick (10:05.214)
Is that for anything?

Janice Dolnick (10:41.287)
in the yellow.

Janice Dolnick (11:18.894)
Thank you.