Upcoming Events and Education

A Most Heart-Felt Thank You to Our National Organization and Their Leaders for Choosing Pittsburgh For The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants 2024 Annual Forum

AALNC Forum
Annual Forum

Please Join Us in Congratulating Melissa Choma, RN, LNCC Recipient of the AALNC 2023-2024 Volunteer of the Year Award

Melissa belongs to the elite status of serving as a two-term President of the Pittsburgh Chapter and we would like to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude for her unwavering dedication to leadership, education and mentorship that has paved the path for our Chapter's future in excellence.

AALNC Pittsburgh Chapter Happy Hours

Please join us on January 22nd, February 19th, March 19th, April, 16th, May 21st, June 18th, July 16th, August 20th, September 17th, October 15th, November 19th & December 17th at 6:00 pm EST

You need not be a member to attend and no pre-registration is required. Let us get to know you, make connections and share in our LNC journeys!

February 12, 2025 General Meeting

Please join us at 5:30 pm EST for our monthly virtual meeting:

"The LNC in Nursing Home Litigation," presented by

Michael Hanson, MSN, RN, CNP, LNHA, WCC, LNCC, FNP-BC

Objectives:

1. Understand the role of a legal nurse consultant in nursing home litigation.

2. Identify common issues and red flags in nursing home cases including deviations from standards of care.

3. Navigate the key legal and regulatory frameworks governing nursing homes.

4. Review and analyze evidence effectively to build a strong case.

5. Apply best practices in supporting attorneys during the litigation process.

6. Recognize the importance of collaboration between legal and healthcare professionals for successful outcomes.

Michael Hanson is a Family Nurse Practitioner, Educator, and Legal Nurse Consultant with over two decades of experience in healthcare, clinical education, and administration. His expertise spans multiple healthcare settings, including skilled nursing, long-term care, wound care, outpatient and inpatient care, and legal nursing consulting.

Michael holds a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Northern Kentucky University and is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC). Additionally, he possesses several professional certifications, including Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC), Wound Care Certified (WCC), and Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA). His commitment to healthcare excellence is evident through his leadership roles, having served as a Director of Nursing, Regional Director of Clinical Services, Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, and Program Coordinator/Administrator.

Throughout his career, Michael has played a pivotal role in clinical education, serving as an instructor for CNA, Medication Aide, CPR, and Train-the-Trainer programs. His dedication to advancing healthcare education is further demonstrated through his work as an Adjunct Instructor, where he has taught subjects such as Medical-Surgical Nursing, Informatics, and Legal Considerations in Nursing, at the Practical Nursing and Registered Nursing levels in classroom, lab, and clinical settings.

In addition to his clinical and educational contributions, Michael has a background in legal nurse & expert witness consulting, offering his expertise in medical records review, organization, analysis, and reporting. His keen analytical skills and meticulous approach have positioned him as a trusted resource for the clients he serves.

As the founder of Michael Hanson, LLC, a Mobile Nurse Practitioner Care service, he continues to provide home-based and nursing home general care & wound care, as well as inpatient & outpatient hospital wound care services while advocating for patient-centered healthcare solutions.

Michael is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Nurses Association (ANA), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC), and the National Alliance of Wound Care & Ostomy (NAWCO).

With a passion for patient care, education, and healthcare management, Michael remains dedicated to improving healthcare outcomes, mentoring future generations of healthcare professionals, and contributing to the legal aspects of nursing practice.

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Email: [email protected]
Website: michaelhansonconsulting.com
LinkedIn: Michael Hanson

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The cost for members of the Pittsburgh Chapter is free and non-members is $20.  For more information or to RSVP as a member, please contact us at [email protected].  To register as a non-member of the Pittsburgh Chapter:

February 2025 Meeting Evaluation

Thank you for attending our February meeting.  Please complete a brief survey to obtain your CE certificate for this presentation.

Feb2025 Sat Series Flyer

The AALNC Pittsburgh Chapter Announces Our Saturday Series

Saturday, February 22, 2025

9:00 am - 11:00 am EST via Zoom

9:00 am-10:00 am: "Fatal Flaws: When Hospice-Facility Gaps Become Deadly" by Diane Mead, RN, BSN, ACC

Objectives:

  1. The participant will understand regulatory compliance for hospice/facility partnerships following a coordinated plan of care.
  2. The participant will be able to identify effective documentation and communication practices to lessen the risk for litigation.
  3. The participant will be able to identify areas of risk and develop risk management strategies to ensure patient safety.

Bio:

Diane Mead, RN, BSN, ACC, started her healthcare career 35 years ago as a Registered Nurse and worked her way up the corporate ladder to become the NE Division Vice President for the nation’s largest hospice provider. Diane left corporate America in 2004 to fulfill her goal of caring for those in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and founded Bethany Hospice and Palliative Care in 2005. Bethany Hospice has been voted “Best Places to Work” in Pennsylvania by its employees 13 times and maintains a 20 year stellar DOH record.   She also founded the RN Leadership Academy and speaks nationally on the topic of leadership.  Voted one of the Top 50 Business Women in Pennsylvania, Diane holds a BSN and a Professional Coaching Certification from Duquesne University.  She is currently a member of LIFE Pittsburgh’s Professional Advisory Board, Duquesne University School of Nursing Professional Advisory Board, and the AALNC Pittsburgh Chapter Board as a Director at Large and has served as President in 2017.

10:00 am-11:00 am: "Life Care Planning 101" by Lisa Mancuso, BSN, RN, CCRN-K, CLCP, LNCC

Topics:

  1. The LNC will understand the role of the life care planner.
  2. The LNC will identify the key tasks of the life care planner.
  3. The LNC will be able to describe how the life care planner assists with litigation (plaintiff and defense).

Bio:

Lisa Mancuso, BSN, RN CCRN-K, CLCP, LNCC was a staff nurse in Boston from 1983-2020.  Her clinical background includes progressive care and critical care nursing.  She is a past recipient of the Massachusetts Nurses' Association Award for Excellence in Nursing Practice.  In 2010, Lisa started Mancuso Medical Legal Consulting.  She has provided expert witness testimony for standard of care matters and life care planning.  Lisa has been on the AALNC Board of Directors since 2019.  She is the Immediate Past President of AALNC and can't imagine what she'll do with her free time when she "rolls off" the Board in April.

Conference Pricing

*Two nursing continuing education credits will be offered for this symposium upon completion of the speakers' survey.

Registration will close on Thursday, February 20, 2025.  The Zoom link will be sent to registered attendees on Friday, February 21, 2025.

Please email our lead secretary at [email protected] or Stephanie Kress at [email protected] for any questions.

AALNC- Pittsburgh Chapter Saturday Series Speaker Evaluation

Thank you for attending our Saturday Series- February Edition.  Please complete a brief survey for both speakers.  You will be able to download/print your CE certificate in the confirmation pop-up after submitting your selections.

*All continuing education credits are provided through the West Virginia Board of Examiner for Registered Professional Nurses. 

WVBRN Provider Registration Number: WV2007-0522RN. 

CE Broker Number: 50-26210.