Open to opportunities

Briana O'Brien

@brianaobrien

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Legal nurse consultant and critical care RN with 14+ years in high-acuity trauma care.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a role where my high-acuity critical care background supports thorough medical case review, legal consulting, and clear guidance to attorneys and clients—ideally blending patient-safety education with expert clinical interpretation.

I’m a Certified critical care nurse with 14+ years of experience in high acuity Level I Trauma Centers, multidisciplinary critical care units, and post-surgical management. I’ve worked across civilian and military hospitals caring for all age ranges—from children to geriatric—and I bring deep clinical credibility to how I review, interpret, and explain complex medical information.

Now, I apply that expertise as a Legal Nurse Consultant, managing 60-80 clients at a time through medical case review, researching complex medical conditions, and advising attorneys and clients on case law applications. I also continue to support clinical education and training as an ALS/PALS SME and intensive care unit educator—translating bedside practice into clear, actionable guidance that improves outcomes and supports informed legal decisions.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Legal Nurse Consultant

Current

Witherite Law Group

Oct 2024 - Present (1 year 9 months)

Manage medical case reviews for 60–80 clients at a time and research complex medical conditions for application to case law. Advise attorneys and clients with medical insights for ongoing cases.

Medical Case Review Legal Nurse Consulting Medical Research Attorney Advisement

Subject Matter Expert

American Red Cross

Jan 2024 - Jul 2025 (1 year 6 months)

Serve as an ALS/PALS subject matter expert supporting training program creation. Provide editing and content review for training materials.

ALS PALS Editorial Review Content Review

Intensive Care Unit

Medical City North Hills

Oct 2022 - Apr 2024 (1 year 6 months)

Worked as a staff nurse for a 10-bed critical care unit. Educated on critical care skills including medications/disease management and device use, and floated to cardiac ICU, step-down, and medical-surgical floors.

Critical Care Nursing Patient Education Medication Management Disease Management Medical Device Management Interpersonal Communication

Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Legacy Emanuel Medical Center

Feb 2020 - Oct 2022 (2 years 8 months)

Staff nurse in a 12-bed cardiac ICU focused on assessing and managing high-acuity patients. Provided care for post-cardiac surgery and critical diagnoses including cardiac failure, MI, respiratory distress/failure, and sepsis, with experience using advanced specialty equipment and floating to Neuro/Trauma ICU.

Critical Care Nursing Post Cardiac Surgery Care Myocardial Infarction Care Respiratory Failure Management Sepsis Pulmonary Artery Catheter Transvenous Pacing Intravascular Hypothermia Belmont System Level I Mass Transfusion Device ICP Monitoring Neuro Stroke Assessments

Pre/Post Surgery and Procedure Room

Center for Specialty Surgery

Oct 2017 - Mar 2020 (2 years 5 months)

Provided pre-op/post-op recovery nursing and served as Rapid Response/Code Team leader. Coordinated clinical education and safety/emergency management, and worked in the procedure room with conscious sedation and airway management.

Perioperative Nursing Rapid Response Code Leadership Clinical Education Emergency management Airway Management

Medical Intensive Care Unit

Providence St. Vincent Medical Center

Mar 2016 - Sep 2017 (1 year 6 months)

Served as a preceptor and Rapid Response RN/Code Team member on a 15-bed unit. Participated in hospital-wide unit practice council activities and worked across combined medical/surgical/cardiac intensive care needs.

Critical Care Nursing Rapid Response Code Team Hospital Unit Practice Council

Combined Medical/Surgical/Cardiac ICU

Madigan Army Medical Center

Jun 2014 - Mar 2016 (1 year 9 months)

Held roles including Charge Nurse, Preceptor, and Rapid Response/Code Team member on a 20-bed combined medical/surgical/cardiac ICU. Served as a Unit Practice Council official, coordinated the New Staff Preceptorship Program, and was the 12-lead EKG subject matter expert.

Charge Nursing Rapid Response Code Team Unit Practice Council New Staff Preceptorship Coordination

Surgical Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU)

San Antonio Military Medical Center

Feb 2013 - Jan 2014 (11 months)

Served as Charge Nurse and Preceptor and handled unit staff scheduling on a 28-bed IMCU. Conducted clinical research and created/trained 750 nurses on a new hospital-wide IV heparin protocol, and acted as a multidisciplinary staff liaison for training and process improvement.

Charge Nursing Unit Scheduling Clinical Research IV Heparin Protocol Implementation Staff Training Process Improvement

Post-Surgical, Medical/Surgical Unit

San Antonio Military Medical Center

Nov 2011 - Feb 2013 (1 year 3 months)

Worked as a Charge Nurse and Preceptor on a 26-bed post-surgical medical/surgical unit. Served as a primary skills educator and bariatric surgery subject matter expert.

Charge Nursing