Legal nurse consultants work at the intersection of medicine and law, consulting with attorneys and others in the legal arena on medical malpractice, personal injury, workers' compensation and other healthcare-related cases. Thousands of nurses have already carved out a professional niche in legal nurse consulting, and their ranks are growing.
Can an LPN become a Legal Nurse Consultant? This was a question asked of me recently and here’s a quick answer, YES!But read on, I’ll tell you why this is a great career choice for LPNs and where you can get your training that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Realistically, what qualities does it take to be a Legal Nurse Consultant ( LNC )?
Analyzing medical records in nursing and health care malpractice cases. Prepare summarizations of medical and health care records. Educate the attorney clients on nursing standards of practice. Educate the attorney clients on all facets of nursing and health care delivery.
Paralegals are your “gatekeeper” to the attorney, and it is crucial that they understand how your services can help them help the attorney. As an LNC you will use the nursing expertise you've gained as a registered nurse to act as a consultant on legal cases involving medical issues.
LNCC is obtained after many years as LNC. CLNC is obtained after very brief preparation with no LNC experience necessary.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $111,943 and as low as $38,701, the majority of Legal Nurse Consultant salaries currently range between $54,098 (25th percentile) to $80,731 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $94,047 annually in Florida.
Certification for Nurse Paralegals To become eligible to sit for the LNCC exam, candidates must have: a current license as an RN; a minimum of 5 years' experience practicing as an RN; and they must show proof of at least 2,000 hours of legal nurse consulting experience within the past 5 years.
Role Type: Nurse Advisor, Nurse Specialist - Role: Nurse Advisor As a specialist nurse advisor with an intimate understanding of national treatment guidelines, you will work together with patients and practices to assist healthcare professionals to deliver the most up to date care for their patients.
What is the LNCC? The LNCC (Legal Nurse Consultant Certified) certification is similar to the certification awarded to experienced nurses working in a specialty area of nursing. It recognizes the experienced practitioner. The LNCC certification program has met rigorous industry standards.
There are no specific qualifications needed in order to become a Legal Nurse Consultant. In the US, legal professionals and health related organisations prefer Registered Nurses who have tertiary qualifications and a wide variety of clinical experience.
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While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $133,595 and as low as $46,187, the majority of Legal Nurse Consultant salaries currently range between $64,562 (25th percentile) to $96,347 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $112,239 annually in California.
Their job responsibilities may include: collecting evidence, photographing injuries for evidence, working with victims of domestic abuse or violence, connecting with law enforcement and legal teams to help victims, providing testimony in court cases, working with medical examiners when victims die, as well as all ...
LNCs assist with legal cases by analyzing medical records involved in a case and delivering their official professional opinion on those records.
LNCC certification is issued by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) and requires passing an exam along with a minim...
Pay varies based on certification, experience, and type of case, but it can range from $20-$60/hour to upwards of $200/hour.
The Legal Nurse Consultant Certification (LNCC) can be acquired through the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) and American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board (ALNCCB). It's the only certification of its kind that's accredited by the American Board of Nursing Specialties. To be eligible for the certification you'll need ...
Legal nurse consultants have a unique knowledge set which makes them highly desirable to a wide range of employers in both the legal and medical fields. LNCs and other professionals who bridge the gap between these two areas have an extra advantage over those who have a more limited knowledge base.
Legal nurse consultants (LNCs) do just that. The legal nurse consulting specialty is a relatively new one, taking root in the late 1970s, and establishing itself further in 1989 with the formation of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants.
LNCs commonly assist legal professionals in personal injury, worker's compensation, medical malpractice, insurance fraud, and other cases.
To become a legal nurse consultant, the following educational requirements must be met: Hold an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited college or university. Pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Hold an active and unrestricted RN license.
What Is the Average Salary of a Legal Nurse Consultant? According to PayScale, the average annual salary of a legal nurse consultant is approximately $78,000.
Essential Skills Needed - Top tier communication skills, the ability to break down complex ideas into simple and easy to understand language, a vast knowledge base of the legal aspects of the medical industry, ability to work well with interdisciplinary teams, critical thinking skills, organizational skills
In addition to their ability to understand medical records, LNCs can also identify possible breaches in the standard of care in a medical malpractice case. They can help attorneys identity strong cases and prevent them from taking on weaker ones.
The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants offers a very cost-effective online course that prepares an aspiring RN for the LNCC certification , the only nursing certification in legal nurse consulting approved by the Accrediting Board for Specialty Nursing Certification .”.
Legal Nurse Consultants are an important part of the legal team at many firms. They help attorneys negotiate the most complicated medical aspects of their cases with insider knowlege gained from years on the front lines of the medical community. Legal nurse consulting can be a rewarding, and potentially lucrative, ...
After becoming an RN, nurses with an interest in moving on to legal nurse consulting should spend at least five years as a practicing registered nurse. This is in order to gain the medical experience that makes LNCs so valuable to their attorney clients.
The shorter associates degree programs is the most common way for nurses to obtain their credentials. After completing their degree, each prospective registered nurse is required to take a licensure examination. It is offered as the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN).
Some LNCs also serve as expert witnesses; however, this usually requires that the nurse’s full time employment remains in their area of primary practice. “Credibility in expert witnesses is based on their currency in the field,” Howland says.
Obviously, In-house LNCs cannot be testifying experts for cases in their firms, because that would constitute a conflict of interest.”. Solo practitioners will often work behind the scenes with their attorney clients on particularly challenging or complicated medical cases.
Individual qualifications needed for a legal nurse consultant (LNC) vary depending on the area of law one would like to work in. ‍ ‍
Interestingly enough, the law is not about the truth, it is about the law, and what can be proven within the bounds of the law. The LNC understands that the law is the law. Court cases are judged based on what can be proven within the confines of the law.
My experience as a LNC is in civil law. I worked as a paralegal preparing medical reports, attending medical appointments, calendaring, filing, and writing demand letters.
Law is a fast-paced and high-energy career that requires quick thinking and swift problem-solving skills. Pay for positions varies from minimum wage roles to hourly wages to positions that will pay a percentage of the award.
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Broadly speaking, a legal consultant is any professional who provides information or advice in matters of or related to the law. Legal consultancy is a wide-ranging field that includes lawyers, but a law degree isn't always necessary to work in the field.
Though a Juris Doctor is a requirement for many consultancy roles, some jobs are open to individuals without a law degree. In such positions, knowledge of the law is often one among various other competencies required for the job. Common alternative job titles for consulting or consulting-adjacent roles without a law degree include:
If you'd like to enter the field the legal consultancy without a law degree, consider any of the following professions:
The skills required for a legal consultancy position are likely to vary depending on factors such as the sector and the employer, but some competencies may be helpful in any consulting role:
So what does it take to become a legal nurse consultant? First, an LNC must be a licensed nurse. There are different types of practicing nurses, each with different specialties and educational requirements. These include a licensed practical nurse (LPN), a registered nurse (RN), or a nurse practitioner (NP).
There are a number of ways a legal nurse consultant can help during the course of litigation. Prior to filing a lawsuit, an LNC can participate in interviews with potential clients. Additionally, they can analyze medical records to determine the viability of the client’s claims.
The greatest asset a legal nurse consultant offers is that they are familiar with the legal system. A legal nurse consultant can navigate the different stages of litigation seamlessly. The medical and legal worlds operate in separate and distinct realms. A medical professional is an expert in their field.
That being said, a legal nurse consultant’s knowledge of the law should never substitute their medical experience. Nurses gain invaluable, practical experience in their day-to-day work. Through their daily work, they maintain the specialized knowledge required of expert witnesses.
The national survey identified that among the many factors contributing to nurses’ stress, money is one of them, with 40% of respondents feeling that they are not fairly compensated. An additional 44% feel that although they are fairly compensated, they could use additional remuneration.
RNs are wired to make a difference in people’s lives and so too do Certified Legal Nurse Consultants. CLNC consultant Carolyn Bilodeau says: “ While reviewing records for either the plaintiff or defense, I’m conscious of the fact that real people have been hurt and are looking for answers, healing and affirmation.
RNs have a choice. They no longer have to be overworked, undercompensated, underappreciated and marginalized by the same healthcare system that continues to neglect them. RNs who become legal nurse consultants enjoy 10 benefits and perks that nurses do not report in the typical RN job.
Mission: "The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants promotes the professional advancement of registered nurses consulting within the legal arena by providing a forum for education, research and exchange of information."
The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) offers a 17 module self-paced program to obtain LNCC certification. The only legal nurse consulting credential approved by the American Board of Nursing Specialties.
The AALNC recommends you actively practice for five years before becoming a legal nurse consultant.
Legal nurse consultants (LNC) provide guidance to attorneys in analyzing and evaluating whether causes of injuries may be from medical care, nursing care, or both. The LNC is uniquely knowledgeable in multiple aspects of healthcare delivery and legal responsibilities. They review all the case documentation, create chronologies, research additional medical literature, and consult with medical-legal teams to determine whether a lawsuit has merit.
Legal nurse consultants are a great resource for evaluating medical issues and records within the field.
As previously mentioned, a legal nurse consultant brings a plethora of expertise to the table. Due to the nature of the consultant role, this allows them to serve as collaborators, strategists, analysts, and even educators in their field.
If you’re looking to add a force multiplier to your legal team, then our team at SPLNC & Associates will work with you in providing a qualified LNC to your case. Having someone who has been on the frontline within the medical field speaks for itself, making their level of contribution unmatched.