Business Elite 2019

8 US BUSINESS NEWS / 2019 Business Elite Awards , Legal Nurse Consultant of the Year 2019 (Rocky Mountains): Kathi Waite cause analysis, performance appraisals and staffing. My experience highlights current standards of nursing practice. Also, my current practice of providing direct bedside patient care to the critically ill, separates my practice from many who after 15-20 years, no longer practice at the bedside.” Kathi’s dedication to the medical industry, and the critical care sector in particular, has seen her be instrumental in saving many lives. Her work at the bedside is exceptional, but her desire to go beyond that and help attorneys in the courtroom is extraordinary. For any lawyer, be they prose- cution or defense, in need of a discerning and insightful medical consultant/witness, they need look no further than Kathi Waite. Company: K. Waite Legal Nurse Consulting Contact: Kathi Waite RN, MS Website: www.kwaitelegalnursec- onsulting.com For attorneys on both sides of the law, explaining things to the judge or jury in a clear and coherent manner can make a case that much stronger. Kathi Waite, expert consultant and medical insider, brings forty years of critical care experience to thoroughly reviewing medical records and assessing adher- ence to, or deviations from, standards of care. In her own words, Kathi explains her role to us. “As an expert consultant and medical insider, I save attorneys time & money getting quickly to the heart of the matter. Wheth- er they need expert nursing opinions on illness, injury, product liability, wrongful death, or any other case involving medical or nursing issues, understanding the inner workings of the healthcare system provides them an ace in the hole. Sometimes it is not what is in the medical record, but what is missing and should be. My focus is Critical Care Nursing, with experience in Neurosurgery, Neurology/Stroke, Spine, Cardi- ac, Trauma, and general Medical Surgical ICU practice.” Registered nurses are on the front lines of providing crucial patient care around the clock, and Kathi’s extensive experi- ence in this has enabled her During all manner of legal cases, intricate and complex details can emerge that only nursing consultants/expert witnesses can interpret. Passionate about helping both prosecution and defense attorneys understand the healthcare industry andmedical records, Kathi Waite is a legal nurse consultant and expert witness in the area of critical care nursing. We caught up with Kathi to learnmore about her success as a consultant and witness. to become a key consultant in cases across the country. As part of her service to both prosecution and defense attorneys, Kathi can offer verbal opinions on the merit of a case, interpret hospital policy and procedures, analyse medical records to present strengths and weaknesses, detect tampering within medical records or missing documentation, and much more. Speaking to Kathi, she outlined why working independently at the business is advantageous. “As I am the only employee in my business, I am able to focus on providing services that are professional, efficient and timely. Having experience in critical care, bedside nursing, and ad- ministration/management, I am able to offer an insider’s view of all aspects of nursing practice.” Much like many other industries and sectors across the world, the business of nursing and critical care nursing is evolving all the time. New treatments are devel- oped and new practices are im- plemented, so remaining on top of the changes is imperative for Kathi to continue delivering high level, expert insights to attorneys. Kathi talked us through the level of her ongoing learning. “In order to stay updated on the most current evidence-based practice for critical care nurs- ing, I complete 60-100 hours of continuing education every year, frequently attending national con- ferences. I am also on the Board of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses- Denver Chapter, networking with nurses from all around the metro area. I also maintain my certifications as CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse), SCRN (Stroke Certified RN), CNRN (Certified Neurosci- ence RN), and CLNC (Certified Legal Nurse Consultant).” However, being a small business has its challenges. Despite her ex- tensive knowledge, and exception- al ability to offer medical insight, the cost of marketing remains significant. There is no doubt that attorneys across the United States would benefit from the insight that Kathi has to offer, and as her business continues to grow, the hope is that word of mouth will spark new opportunities. Kathi signs off our interview by telling us what makes her business unique to others in the industry. “I believe that having 40 years of critical care experience in all areas of practice, along with 10 years of management experi- ence puts me a step above many others coming into this business with only 3-15 years of experi- ence. I have worked on policies and procedures, standards of practice, RISK evaluations, root Nov19128 K.Waite Legal Nurse Consulting, LLC