Lorie Brownâs book, Law and Order For Nurses: The Easy Way To Protect Your License & Livelihood, is a delightful departure from a more usual approach to the integration of law into the practice of nursing. With her keen sense of humor and honesty, she provides the reader with an overview of the more pertinent legal issues that nurses face as they go about practicing nursing on a daily basis. The book is a treasure trove of actual experiences that Lorie and her clients have faced during Lorieâs years of practice as a nurse, nurse attorney, and consultant. The reader can easily incorporate the insights she brings into their professional and personal life. Indeed, the book is filled with many GIFTS (Lorieâs acronym that forms the basis of the theme for the entire book) that are easy to remember, easy incorporate into practice, and help the reader to achieve a more humane approach to the practice of nursing. The GIFTS also help the reader avoid unnecessary involvement in the legal system. That, in and of itself, is truly a gift.
Nancy J. Brent, RN, MS, JD | Nancy J. Brent Attorney At LawâBrentâs Lawâ Columnist at Nurse.com | Wilmette, Illinois
This is a âKnowledge is Powerâ book. The case situations and examples of nurseâs getting into license violations and, the life-changing process that can follow, is quite sobering. Yet, the author follows the scenarios with systematic practical advice on how to take appropriate actions to protect your license and livelihood. This is a âmust readâ for every nurse.
Mevin R. Helmuth R.N.,M.N.
Associate Professor of Nursing Goshen College and past President and Board Member of the Indiana State Board of Nursing
I appreciate this book for what it is. It’s not a heavy law school textbook, nor does it need to be. It’s an accessible, breezy read. Few nurses would actually read this book if it was written in legalese and 50-cent words. The advice comes across, nurse to nurse. Some might complain that the book preaches common sense, but it’s optimistic to think that people are commonly this sensible! Or, we have a false sense of security, which nurse-attorneys have seen the shattered remnants of, time and time again.
Read this book. Don’t expect anything magical; there’s no magic in nursing law. Revisit it when you’re burned out and seeking inspiration and empowerment.
S. Z. “an RN” (Pennsylvania, USA)
Ms. Brown wrote a book that all nurses need to read. She wrote as a Nurse, who happens to be an attorney, using case studies and her own experiences as examples. I highly recommend this to all nurses who want to be empowered!
Melissa Miller, RN, BSN, JD
This is a really helpful book, and I am so excited to share it with my friends in nursing school. The author is straightforward about how nurses can navigate the pressures put on them to do more with less. Even though the topic is about avoiding mistakes, I still felt like I was receiving guidance from a trusted mentor — someone who was not afraid to advise even the most practiced nurses about what to do when asked to do too much, or when floated to an assignment that is unfamiliar, or if worried that something important is falling through the cracks. By the time I reached the end of this book, I had a clearer vision of how nurses can ensure that can both pursue their passion and do their jobs well.
Judy Failer