American Board of Forensic Nursing

American Board of Forensic Nursing

Chair:

Dianne T. Ditmer, MS, RN, CFN, FACFEI

Title:Clinical Educator,Kettering Medical Center
Location:Ohio
Areas of Practice:Emergency Nursing, Risk Management, Medical Investigation

Dianne Ditmer is committed to improving the quality of care provided to vulnerable populations and victims of violence through education of multi-disciplinary professionals.  She was appointed to the Governor's Taskforce on Child Abuse and Childhood Trauma.  She collaborates with educators, law enforcement, and legislative members to develop evidence-based educational programs for school systems, healthcare providers, and foster families.  In addition to her role as an educator, Dianne provides direct care for living victims of abuse, neglect, and sexual assault.

As a credentialed Fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners International (ACFEI) and Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Nursing (DABFN), she serves as chairman of the American Board of Forensic Nursing and board member of the Ohio Healthcare Taskforce on Family Violence.  As a member of the Montgomery County Sexual Assault Response Team and contributing author of the Montgomery County Sexual Assault Protocol Manual, she collaborates with members of law enforcement, coroner's office, and the prosecutor's office.

Her national publications include "Introduction to Forensic Nursing" course for the American College of Forensic Examiners International, article publication in Nurses Digest and contributing chapter author of Core Curriculum for Staff Development. As an international speaker, Dianne presents to multi-disciplinary professionals on topics including forensic nursing, workplace violence against nurses, caring for vulnerable populations, and the impact of violence on multi-cultural, multi-generational patients.  Dianne also serves as adjunct faculty at Kettering College of Medical Arts, where she teaches forensics, research, ethics, and healthcare law.

Board Members:

Heidi H. Bale, RN, BSN, CFN

Title:Registered Nurse,Harbors Home Health and Hospice Care
Location:Washington
Areas of Practice: Medical/Surgical Obstetrics, Intensive Care, Pediatrics, Emergency Nursing

Heidi graduated from an Associate Degree program in 1984, and is currently finishing up her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing.  The majority of her nursing career has been spent in rural hospitals practicing medical/surgical, obstetrics, intensive care, and pediatrics. For eighteen years, she practiced in Emergency Nursing, prehospital care, and Trauma, holding certifications in Emergency Nursing, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and the Trauma Nursing Core Course. During this time, she taught injury prevention in the schools and to service organizations and assisted in founding a neighborhood injury prevention program in Jerusalem. For the last eight years of her career she practiced correctional health care, both in a major facility and at headquarters managing out of state and jail inmates for Washington State Department of Corrections.  During this time, she achieved certification in correctional health, and developed a study curriculum for practitioners who wished to take the exam.  The study program continues to be used by the National Commission for Correctional Health Care.  she has been practicing in Home Health and Hospice since September 2008. Her future plans are to achieve certification as a legal nurse consultant and open her own practice.  She enjoys speaking at conferences, and has presented at numerous corrections and health care conferences across the United States, including ACFEI. She has been published in bothCorrectCare and The Forensic Examiner.

Marilyn A. Bello, RNC, MS, CMI-IV, CFN

No bio available at this time.

Wanda S. Broner, MSN, RN, FNE, CEN

No bio available at this time.

Cynthia J. Curtsinger, RN, CFN

Title:Registered Nurse,Division of Pediatric Forensic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville School of Medicine
Location:Kentucky

Cynthia Curtisinger has been a registered nurse for over 30 years with experience in a variety of clinical settings including inpatients, outpatients, adults, and children.  She has held a number of nursing management positions, primarily in the acute care setting.  She entered the forensic nursing field two years ago as a Clinical Forensic Nurse at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Louisville, KY.  For the past year, she has worked full-time exclusively with children who have been victims of maltreatment. 

Cynthia is currently enrolled at the University of Louisville and serves as a volunteer on the local Citizens Review Panel and Hosparus of Louisville.

Linda J. Doyle, RN, CLNC, CFN, CMI-III

Title:Consultant,Doyle & Associates
Location:California
Areas of Practice:Forensic Nursing, Medical Investigation, Legal Nurse Consulting, Emergency Preparedness

Linda began her nursing career in a new, progressive Coronary Care Unit that was affiliated with the Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis, IN. After moving to California, she worked in Intensive Care Units where she found her niche working with trauma patients.  This focus continued while working as a Mobile Intensive Care Nurse (MICN) in the Emergency Department, where she became more aware of the importance of collaboration and coordination between the medical and legal professions in trauma cases, including elder abuse and child abuse.

In addition to hands-on nursing, Linda has taught orientation to new nursing hires, as well as BCLS, and ACLS while working in Nursing Education Department.  She also was the Infection Control Coordinator for a medical center in Southern California while responsible for disease prevention and investigation.  In this capacity she worked closely with Public Health and later became the Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Services Coordinator for a county public health department in Northern California.

Her nursing experience also includes working as Co-Nursing Director of a home healthcare agency and as a member of a HazMat Team.

Linda is a founding member of Beyond AIDS, an organization that works with legislators and healthcare professionals to emphasize the importance of treating HIV like all other communicable diseases.

While certified as an Infection Control Practitioner, she serviced two terms as president of the California APIC Coordinating Council (CACC), a council of the 12 APIC Chapters in California.

Linda is proud to serve as a member of the American Board of Forensic Nursing.

L. Sue Gabriel, EdD, MSN, MFS, RN, CFN, SANE, SANE-A, FABFE, FABFN

No bio available at this time.

Elizabeth N. Russell, RN, BSN, CCM, CFN

Title:Vice President,Managed Care Services
Location:Michigan
Areas of Practice: Life Care Planning, Psychiatric Nursing, Risk Management, Surgical Nursing, Neurosurgical Nursing, Orthopedic Nursing

Beth Russell graduated from Mercy College with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She has over thirty years' experience as a nurse in areas such as surgery psychiatry, and orthopedics. She gained her Certified Case Manager credential and currently works in the case management area and medical bill review services at Managed Care Services.

She has experience in disease management, short- and long-term disability, workers' compensation, cost expenditure analysis, liability case management, forensic file reviews, life care planning and file assessment.

Sharon L. Walker, MPH, PhD, RN, CFN

No bio available at this time.

Theresa Wyatt, MSFN, RN, CFN, D-ABMDI

No bio available at this time.

Diane L. Reboy, MS, RN, CFN, FACFEI

Title:Owner/President,DLR Associates
Location:New York
Areas of Practice: Life Care Planning; Medicare Set Asides; Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation; Medical and Dental Malpractice; Product Liability; Environmental Toxic Torts and Elder Care.

Diane has over 30 years of nursing experience in critical care, home health cares, disability and quality assurance studies by Medicare and HEDIS. She is a member of American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners, American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, American College of Forensic Examiners International, Bar Association of Erie County (Buffalo, NY) and the Western New York Paralegal Association. Diane has a Masters in Health Services Administration, Bachelors in Nursing and an Associates degree in Legal Assistance. She is certified as a Forensic Nurse, Legal Nurse Consultant and Nurse Life Care Planner. Diane is a Registered Nurse in New Jersey, New York and California.

Diane has authored a chapter on trial preparation and trials in the upcoming 3rd edition of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants Principles and Practices. She has also authored medical-legal newsletter columns for the Sacramento Valley Paralegal Association and the Western New York Paralegal Association. She has written on the medical legal aspects of Lead Poisoning and Teleradiology and has lectured nationally on Medical Record Interpretation as well as local association seminars and legal nurse consulting courses at University of Rochester.

Carol A. Wood, BS, RN, NHA, CFN

Title:President/CEO,Ramona VNA & Hospice
Location:California
Areas of Practice:Pediatrics, Nursing Home Administration

Carol Wood has worked in the medical field for thirty-five (35) years. She started in healthcare in 1974, working first as a Certified Nursing Assistant while attending nursing school. She has been a Registered Nurse since 1977 and earned my Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Care Administration from the University of La Verne in 1983.

She obtained certification in Workers' Compensation Administration from UC Irvine in 1986 and became a California Licensed Nursing Home Administrator  in 1990.  After serving as an expert witness since 1990, I became a Certified Forensic Nurse in 2008.

From 1977 through 1985 Carol worked as an RN specializing in Pediatrics and Pediatrics ICU . From 1985-1989, she filled the position as the Industrial Liaison Nurse for an ER based Industrial Medicine Clinic.

Between 1987 and 1990 Carol served as Director of Nursing and Assistant Administrator in a skilled nursing facility while, at the same time, she pursued education to attain my Nursing Home Administrator License. From 1990 to 2007, she served as a Nursing Home Administrator first at a freestanding SNF and later for an acute hospital SNF. While at the acute hospital, she also had administrative responsibility for the SubAcute, Chemical Recovery and Behavioral Medicine programs.

As a Certified Forensic Nurse she serves as an expert witness for the State of California Board of Registered Nursing, as well as for several attorneys in Riverside County, CA on issues involving allegations of medical malpractice.

Donna Garbacz Bader

No bio available at this time.