Constance A. Morrison DNP JD MBA CNS-PMHNP BC FAANP
Attorney, Psychotherapist, Doctor of Nursing, Forensic Nurse, Educator,
Consultant, Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
Nurse and the Law
Seminars
on
Malpractice, Forensic Science, Disaster Preparedness,
Risk Management, and Communications.
Constance A. Morrison ,
inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners on the
Potomac , in Washington DC on June 29, 2008
Morrison
International Educational Associates
Did you know: An alarming trend is that the numbers of state board
of nursing actions against nurses has been steadily increasing since the
0.2-0.3 percent of all United States registered nurses who were annually
disciplined at the turn of the twenty-first century (Benner et al., 2002).
At the same time, the numbers of nurses who have had increased
responsibility and accountability in their scope of practice have also
faced intensified scrutiny by these same boards of nursing. With the
national trend of increased litigation, increased malpractice premiums,
and increased civil, criminal, and board of nursing action, Continuing
Legal Education Programming (CLEP) is vital.
Consider this: Nurse Attorney Morrison and her international
research team can survey your nurses and design and implement a legal
program for your nurses using a model she has adapted (Green, 2003) and
tested, leading to practice improvement.
Beginning this fall Plymouth State University will be offering a
online class for health care professionals aimed at gaining
awareness of health care and its laws. (more
information)
Attorney Constance A. Morrison is a health care
consultant and trial lawyer. Her areas of law are personal injury, which
includes medical and nursing malpractice, mental health litigation, and, defense
of nurses in disciplinary hearings before the Massachusetts Board of
Registration in Nursing.
Combined with her Doctorate in Law, her Doctor of
Nursing Practice, her Master's Degree in Business Administration, and her
Master's Degree in Forensic Nursing, she received her Post Master's
Certificate in teaching Nursing Education. She also received her Advanced
Post Master's Degree as a Community / Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
She is Board Certified by the ANCC as an Advanced Practice Nurse, Psychiatry and
is licensed as a Nurse Practitioner/Prescriber. Dr. Morrison is an educator
in Schools of Business and Nursing.
A Cognitive Therapist, she studied
at the Beck Institute of Cognitive Therapy and Research.
From left to right (standing):
Yuko Yamada, M.C. (Japan); Anders Goranson, B.A. (New Hampshire);
Constance Morrison, APRN (New Hampshire); Kimberly Hepner, Ph.D.
(California); Emel Stroup, ABPP, ACT (Turkey); Irit Ben Ari, Ph.D.
(Israel); Bernadette Grosjean, M.D. (California); José Salles, B.A.
(Brazil) From left to right (seated): Leslie Sokol, Ph.D.
(Beck Institute); Aaron T. Beck, M.D. (Beck Institute); Judith S.
Beck, Ph.D. (Beck Institute)
In her role as the first known graduate Forensic Nurse
Attorney in the world community, Attorney Constance A. Morrison was a Field
Attorney for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), consulting on a
variety of legal issues including man-made and natural disasters. Ms. Morrison
has also held the position of staff nurse in all clinical settings; and,
supervisory positions, including Chief of Nursing Service in both acute and
chronic care facilities, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. On March 1, 2003,
Nurse Attorney Constance A, Morrison was recognized by Tom Ridge as a founding
member of the Department of Homeland Security.
Attorney Morrison was on the original panel appointed
by the Governor of Massachusetts to write the Mandatory Rules and Regulations
governing continuing education for nurses. She serves on The
Institutional Review Board (IRB) for Human Subjects Research at Plymouth
State University. She consults and lectures on the Researcher and the Law. Her
current research involves professional nursing and its liabilities.
She is a Red Cross (volunteer) nurse serving in
disasters around-the-world. Attorney Morrison is also a former Captain in
the United States Army Nurse Corps. A tireless advocate on human rights
issues, and former hospice nurse, Nurse Attorney Morrison is the
recipient of several awards for her accomplishments. She received an Honorary
Doctorate in Humanities from Anna Maria College, "for devoting her life to
serving others through Nursing, the law and the Community."
Attorney Morrison is a member of The American
Association of Nurse Attorneys, New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner
Association, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Sigma Theta Tau,
and the American Psychiatric Nurses Association .
She was a Legal Advisor for and is a member of the
International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN). She
is educated as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner by the Massachusetts Department
of Public Health. She is President - Elect
of the IAFN - Three Mountain Chapter- ME, NH and VT. Attorney Morrison was
an advisor to the committee for developing the Forensic Nurse Death Investigator
credentials and currently serves on the Ethics, Membership and Awards committee. She
is a member of the American College of Clinicians and serves on the
advisory board.
She is a prominent international speaker and is the
author of numerous peer reviewed publications on nursing malpractice and
negligence issues. Attorney Morrison serves on the Editorial Board of the
Journal of Nursing Law and the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing.
Attorney Morrison is now teaching:
Risk Management in all health care specialties.
Correctional Law / Correctional Health Law
Seminars
Emergency Department Liability for Nursing,
Medicine, PA's, Para-Medics and EMT's
Psychiatric Practice / Liability
Advance Practice Nursing and the
Law
Forensic Practice and Disaster Preparedness
Seminars and its Liabilities
The Nurse in the Academic Setting and the Law
The Nurse Researcher and the Law
Dr.Constance A. Morrison, Esq. FAANP
Attorney Morrison can be
contacted at:
Email:
Attorney Morrison is
available for your Nursing, Medical or Corrections Specialty Group or
Agency.
For fees, or travel arrangements of
Attorney Morrison's lectures,
Contact: Paul Shapter, Administrator.
Paul
W. Shapter
Paul
W. Shapter, of Worcester and Plymouth NH, a man of integrity
and a great sense of humor who valued all he met, passed away
peacefully Wednesday, August 6th in the arms of his devoted wife,
Connie.
Paul was born in Philadelphia, PA. He grew up in Wayland,
graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Business. Paul moved to the Worcester area over
25 years ago where he met his cherished wife of 22 years, Attorney
Constance A. (Gentile) Morrison.
Over his employed years, Paul worked more than 15 years for the
Worcester Housing Authority as Chief Financial Officer before
retiring. During his time as CFO, Paul was honored by the
residents of Great Brook Valley for his individual work with them
for the financial betterment of their lives. He then worked for
U.S. Government Agency's; Homeland Security, FEMA, and DMORT
(Disaster Mortuary Team). Paul and Connie also volunteered their
time with the American Red Cross, traveling to disaster areas
around the world. He was the administrator for Morrison
International Educational Associates, arranging for lectures on
Health Care, Law and Ethics around the world.
Paul was active with his wife for the Massachusetts Veterans
Shelter in Worcester. In the early days of the Shelter, Paul
worked tirelessly helping and advising veterans with their yearly
and past tax matters. At onetime, Paul performed work in South
Africa; teaching for the Mandela Government after Mandela was
released from detention.
Several years ago, Paul was appointed by then Worcester Juvenile
Court Judge Luis Perez, to be a baby cuddler for children who had
failure to thrive at Memorial Hospital.
Paul's famous statements were; "ALWAYS leave a place better
than when you found it" and "Polite and civil behavior
cost nothing to exhibit it at all times."
He is survived by his devoted and cherished wife of 22 years, Dr.
Constance A. (Gentile) Morrison, Esq.; his three children: Kevin
Shapter of Marshfield, Tracy Fisher of McDonough Georgia, and
Laura Denman of Puyallup, Washington; a sister, Katherine Shapter
of Auburn; six grandchildren; several cousins, including his
devoted and caring cousin, Richard P. Williams.
Paul was an extraordinary man who touched many lives across the
continents. Paul was honored several times by Governors across the
country including, Guam and New Hampshire for his work during
disasters. He was an avid reader and was writing a historical
novel going back 40 thousand years ago and taking the reader
through the mysteries of the 2 4 century.
He was active in the Loon Society of NH, an organization involved
in the protection and counting of these Majestic Ancient Birds. He
was a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Worcester Lodge
168, Order Sons of Italy, and the Rotary Clubs of Worcester and
Plymouth. Paul was appointed by the City Council in the early
nineties as a Director of the Worcester Public Library for 9
years, during his tenure the newly remodeled library came to be.
Paul was a Class 2 canoeist. He loved hiking the beloved White
Mountains, skiing, snowshoeing and golfing. Paul also loved the
National Park System and traveled to many across the Country with
his wonderful children. The last one he and his wife, Connie
traveled to was the Joshua Tree National Park in 29 Palms, CA
where he spent winters. He loved playing Gin Rummy with his
father-in-law, Larry Gentile, whom he considered one of his best
friends. Paul and Larry would play for hours at home, while on
vacation, and at Paul and Connie's home in the White Mountains.
The grill would be on and so would the marathon card games.
Funeral services and burial will be held at the convenience of the
family. There are no calling hours; Memorial contributions may be
made to the Massachusetts Veterans Inc., 69 Grove Street,
Worcester, Massachusetts 01605. The MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME &
CHAPEL, 370 Plantation St. is honored to assist the family with
arrangements. This extraordinary man was loved by many and will be
sadly missed.
