Catherine Larson Weighs in on Her Life as a Nurse Attorney

Nurse attorneys have the unique ability to combine two diverse careers into one specialty, particularly when working in the field of medical malpractice. Catherine Larson is a Nurse Attorney who has successfully combined her careers.

Ms. Larson obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Utah in 1982. Shortly after obtaining her degree, she began working at the University of Utah Burn Trauma Center, providing nursing care to critically ill patients. Although physically and emotionally demanding, Ms. Larson states that she truly enjoyed that work. She moved into a variety of positions including Staff Nurse, Charge Nurse, Assistant Nurse Manager, and Research Coordinator. After many years, she developed a desire to advance her career. According to Ms. Larson, “I wanted to do something more that provided me with an advanced degree, autonomy, yet still a connection to medicine.” She considered advanced practice nursing, administrative nursing, and medicine. She also considered law school. Prior to making the commitment to enter law school, Ms. Larson spoke with two colleagues and friends, both of whom were Nurse Attorneys. She specifically wanted to insure that she could obtain an advanced degree without giving up the years of study and practice she invested as a nurse. She was encouraged that obtaining a law degree could allow her to combine her careers.

Ms. Larson obtained her Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah in 1993. According to Ms. Larson, transitioning from a nurse to an attorney was challenging. Nurses and attorneys think differently. Ms. Larson had to retrain herself to think like an attorney, not always having an answer, but a position on an issue. She has successfully made that transition.

Since obtaining her Juris Doctorate, Ms. Larson has been practicing at the law firm of Strong & Hanni. She is currently a shareholder and a member of the firm’s Board of Directors. Eight of Strong & Hanni’s attorneys devote their practice to medical malpractice defense. Of those eight, three are Nurse Attorneys. Ms. Larson is a member of the Defense Research Institute’s Medical Liability Committee, a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America, and a past President of Utah’s chapter of The American Association of Nurse Attorneys. Ms. Larson’s clients include physicians, nurses, physical therapists, hospitals, and a variety of other health care providers. Her expertise allows her to provide a service, to these clients, that leaves them with a feeling of confidence and reassurance that their case will be well handled. Not only does Ms. Larson have the legal expertise to handle this litigation, but she brings to the table her nursing and medical knowledge. This level of knowledge is instrumental in being able to analyze both the medical and legal aspects of her cases.

One of the most rewarding aspects of Ms. Larson’s career is her ability to “use my nursing knowledge on a daily basis.” This includes reviewing medical records, research and analyzing medical literature, locating and communicating with experts, and analyzing documents produced from her own clients or adverse parties. For instance, Ms. Larson utilizes her medical knowledge in dissecting expert reports, life care plans and the like.

According to Ms. Larson, having a nursing background shows. For instance, she is intimately familiar with medical terminology, disease processes and medical abbreviations. She can “talk the language” when interfacing with her health care clients. This expertise leaves her clients a sense of comfort that they have someone representing them who is knowledgeable about more than the law, because the medicine is an equally important part of their case. Moreover, she is in an advantageous position to discuss issues with defense medical experts, knowing what to ask to insure that the strength and weaknesses of her cases are fully evaluated. When deposing adverse experts, she brings her expertise to the table, as well. She is likely more capable than her non-nursing counterparts to peruse a medical record to quickly identify significant issues. Specialized knowledge, such as knowing that “HA” on a medical chart stands for “headache,” and “PMH” stands for “past medical history,” or that “SOAP” stands for “subjective, objective, assessment and plan,” is key in a society where there is increasing litigation and a growing need for legal advice from trained professionals. There is clearly a place for nurses to apply their knowledge to the legal field. Ms. Larson is one of many nurse attorneys in her community and around the country. There has been a continual growth in the number of nurses with law degrees. Like Ms. Larson, many of her Nurse Attorney colleagues are litigators. Some, however, use their skills in the capacity of Risk Managers at many of Utah’s hospitals.

As a nurse attorney, Ms. Larson has brought her expertise to the courtroom. She has the talent to convey a complex medical malpractice case into understandable concepts and terms. Her knowledge base and communication skills allow her to educate the jury in a manner that creates an atmosphere of confidence. This has proved successful as Ms. Larson has obtained several defense verdicts.

In addition to her knowledge of nursing, medicine, and the law, Ms. Larson utilizes her listening and counseling skills as she interacts with her clients. “Health care providers are a unique type of client,” says Ms. Larson. “These individuals take pride in their work and their abilities to diagnose, treat, and help patients heal. None of my clients enjoy being a defendant in a law suit or having their care criticized in any other forum. They take legal actions very personally, as you might expect. However, some of them handle this better than others. It is not uncommon for many of my clients to carry the heavy burden of the law suit day in and day out, until we can bring it to a resolution.” With that said, Ms. Larson’s role is not only providing legal advice, but assisting her clients in handling the stress of litigation. She tells every client, “Let me carry the burden for you.” She provides countless hours talking with clients about the litigation process, which is foreign to many who don’t really understand the intricacies of litigation. She also devotes whatever time is necessary to her clients in providing a listening ear and emotional support. “I encourage every client to call me whenever they feel it necessary.” Ms. Larson attributes her success in communicating with her clients, colleagues and adversaries to her nursing education and experience in dealing with ill patients, grieving families and demanding physicians. “I try to be nurturing, which is a characteristic not often associated with attorneys.” Ms. Larson enjoys being a counselor, as well as a legal expert. As a nurse and an attorney, “I may take a somewhat different approach to problem solving.” However, she finds that her approach is often successful.

In addition to defending health care providers in medical malpractice suits, Ms. Larson also represents physicians and nurses in disciplinary actions by the State of Utah’s Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing. Because she has practiced as a nurse and side by side with physicians and other health care providers, she can bring a real life perspective to this role. “I know what nurses are going through in the day to day demands of their jobs.” Ms. Larson believes that her nursing experience has been advantageous in negotiating resolutions for her clients that might not have been otherwise achieved.

Ms. Larson believes that as a nurse, she is well suited defending health care providers. She understands the demands of health care providers and their day to day activities, whether it be in a clinic, hospital or operating room. She can identify with health care providers, which gives her a perspective that has been admired and appreciated by her clients. Many of Ms. Larson’s clients who are experiencing the role of defendant for the first time are comforted by her experience, especially when they learn that she is a Nurse Attorney. Although the demands and stress of the law are great, so too are the rewards. The rewards, according to Ms. Larson, are bringing matters to resolution, whether it be dismissal, settlement or jury verdict, and having the client express their satisfaction and appreciation for helping them through such troubled times.