Brunswick, GA - Donna S. Jones the youngest of 7 children, said; We were so poor we couldn’t even pay attention. That bit of wit is an example of the quirky and most positive attitude has got her where she is today-- the owner of a medical nurse consulting service which provides review of medical records to determine if there are any findings of nursing malpractice, personal injury, or wrongful death issues.
Donna acknowledges that when growing up, they didn’t have a lot, but she always got what she needed; special family moments included times included birthdays that allowed each of us to choose a favorite cake flavor for mom to whip up. Growing up on a farm also taught her the value of hard work and sticking to your goals. My mother frequently told us we could do anything we wanted if we wanted it badly enough and worked hard to get it.
A lengthy career in nursing
Donna earned her nursing degree at Fairmont State College in West Virginia; she then left the farm and moved to Atlanta where she gained her nursing expertise from years of clinical practice at top facilities including Emory University Medical Center and even spent a year working in Australia. Her duties through the years included clinical nursing, nurse manager, and instructing Telemetry to new graduates and tele techs.
Donna also achieved a second degree in communications and spent a couple of years as the editor of a medical journal. She soon returned to her true love, clinical nursing. She did not leave her beloved bedside nursing until 2020 when she could no longer see to drive to and from work in the dark. However, along with her bedside nursing she did go down a new path and began her consulting business in 2006.
Reviewing medical records with a trained eye
When she began the medical legal review practice, Donna reviewed many of the cases herself to determine if there were any medical errors; but most importantly to determine if everything possible was done for a patient, and in the proper order. These days, however, Donna serves as the business manager of DSJ & Associates, taking calls from attorneys or insurance companies needing that clinical nursing expertise to review medical records. Depending on what the case involves, she then assigns the case to the appropriate member of her team with the specific expertise. Her favorite cases, she says are the ones where she finds there was absolutely nothing the nursing staff did wrong.
Donna mentions that she frequently acts as a mentor to nurses who have a wealth of experience at the bedside but are beginners at reviewing cases. “It’s not that the nurse doesn’t know how to review a record, they just frequently need feedback on how to write reports or timelines and deal with attorneys.” The nurses get assignments with either plaintiff or defense attorneys that cover a wide range of nursing subjects, including medical, surgical, pediatrics and obstetrics as well as ICU patients.
She also notes that she, as well as the DSJ nursing team, agree that reviewing medical records and being able to learn details of a case through to conclusion, has made each of them a better and more conscientious nurse; a win/win for both the nursing profession and patient.
A less hectic life today
It is now over 45 years since Donna began her career and she is, she says, relaxed but not totally retired. For her, nursing was never merely a profession, but a continuous learning experience. She has acquired skills in decision making, being vulnerable or humble, teaching, and the consequences of care--all of which help in her current business. Attorneys count on her and her team of nurses to have the ability to discern gaps and red flags, evaluate care, apply clinical understanding, and resolve their opinion to its fullest potential.
“I thoroughly respect nurses, their skills and their role. I feel I am fortunate to have become part of a community of not only nurses, but also expert witnesses in the field of nursing.
Growing up with a loving family and parents who always taught me to do the right thing, I try to always give back to my community, through church and local food pantries.”
Learn more about Donna S. Jones’ life, profession, and outlook in her return to the Close Up Radio podcast.
For more information about Donna Jones or DSJ & Associates visit www.dsjandassociates.com
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