John Pierce Brownlee Jr., CRNA, JD retired
John graduated from nursing school in 1969 and began his healthcare career in general floor nursing before serving two years in the U.S. Army at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland. Following his military service, he returned to clinical practice in intensive care nursing before pursuing nurse anesthesia training from 1975 to 1977 at Norfolk General Hospital and Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. After completing his training, he practiced nurse anesthesia in Oregon, Tennessee and Kentucky, building a broad clinical background in both urban and rural healthcare settings. In addition to his anesthesia practice, he earned a Jurisprudence Doctor’s degree, (JD), from Nashville School of Law in 1996, driven by his interest in healthcare law, asset protection for medical and anesthesia practitioners, American history, and Constitutional Law. After graduating from law school John taught a class at the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia for several years helping educate future nurse anesthetists. He also worked with malpractice law firms in several States as a chart expert and if needed, as an expert witness. Thus contributing clinical insight to medical-legal cases and defense for Anesthesia practitioners involved in malpractice law suits. Later in his career, he practiced anesthesia as an independent provider in Idaho and Washington until his retirement approximately 13 years ago. After retiring from anesthesia and law, John and his wife operated a website, CountryHomesteadLiving.com, from 2016 to 2025, teaching individuals and families how to transition from urban or suburban lifestyle to rural homesteading in the United States. Now retired, he lives on a small homestead in North Idaho with his wife of 44 years and remains active in his community by teaching healthcare topics with a semi-retired physician friend.
• Norfolk General Hospital / Old Dominion University BS
• Nashville School of Law JD
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
• Attorney
• American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
• American Society of Regional Anesthesia
• Middle Tennessee Federal District Court
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Nurse Anesthesia (CRNA practice)
- Medical Legal Consulting (JD)
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
What I enjoyed most about practicing anesthesia and law was the opportunity to help people without regard to their financial situation or background. Throughout my career as a nurse anesthetist and attorney, much of which was done while working independently of health care institution employment or large law office association, my focus was always on providing the best possible care and help rather than on insurance status or the patient or client's ability to pay compensation. Even as I neared the end of my career, my motivation remained unchanged. Since graduating from Nursing School in 1969 and throughout both the practice of Anesthesia and Law, my guiding purpose was consistently to serve others and improve their well-being and thereby to help make the world a better place.
Locations
Retired
Oldtown, ID 83822