What is Legal Nurse Consultant Certification?

Legal Nurse Consultant Certification – Overview

Legal nurse consultant certification is meant for registered nurses (RNs). If you want to provide consultation and expert services regarding medical issues to lawyers, then you should become a Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC).

You still need to have a strong connection in clinical nursing practice. Legal nurse consultants use their training and experience to evaluate complicated information in medico-legal cases. LNCs play a unique part in connecting the legal process and healthcare science with patient outcomes.

As a legal nurse consultant, you can find work in various settings, including insurance companies, legal firms, and independent consulting practices, among others.

The American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board (ALNCCB), not the AALNC, offers legal nurse consultant certification.

What Does a Legal Nurse Consultant Do?

Legal Nurse Consultant Certification

Legal Nurse Consultant Certification – What does a Legal Nurse Consultant do

A legal nurse consultant performs a varied and dynamic role in the legal profession.

They use their experience and skills in various legal practice areas that are constantly getting connected with medical science, healthcare and legal practice changes.

As an LNC, you can expect to work in the following areas:

  • Personal injuries
  • Medical malpractice
  • Product liability
  • Long-term care litigation (elder law)
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Toxic tort
  • Life care planning
  • Risk assessment and management
  • Civil rights
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Forensic/Criminal
  • Medicare add-ons
  • Employment discrimination

How to Become a Legal Nurse Consultant?

These are the steps to follow if you want to become a Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC) in the US:

  1. Obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN), or a diploma from an accredited nursing program.
  2. Upon completing your nursing education, pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) to obtain your RN license
  3. After passing the NCLEX exam, you can apply for your first nursing job

As an LNC, you need to have a solid understanding of clinical nursing so that you can understand and explain the medical nuances of any legal case. Working in a specialty area before working as an LNC is even more beneficial for your career growth.

What are the Responsibilities of a Legal Nurse Consultant?

As a legal nurse consultant, you can work independently and with various types of people and professionals.

You may be required to function under pressure. Irrespective of the type of work environment, LNCs need to perform several integral functions, such as:

  • Conducting client interviews
  • Reviewing and analyzing medical records
  • Identifying medical professional standards of practice
  • Conducting a medical literature review
  • Translating healthcare language for lawyers and legal staff
  • Identifying and securing expert witnesses
  • Providing testimony as an expert witness in court
  • Education lawyers regarding medical problems
  • Preparing for trials and depositions
  • Serving as a jury consultant for legal teams
  • Producing exhibits for depositions and trials
  • Consulting on product liability cases

LNCs need to accept only cases with a strong medical or clinical foundation. In such situations, LNCs can perform invaluable services to lawyers, legal teams and their clients.

If you specialize in critical care nursing or the medical-surgical field, then you can provide consultation and advice in a wide range of legal cases. You can also become a good LNC if you have a background in orthopedics, neurology, obstetrics, oncology, cardiology and rehabilitation.

Where Do Legal Nurse Consultants Work?

As a certified legal nurse consultant, you can expect to find employment in the following fields:

  • Government agencies
  • Healthcare facilities
  • Forensic labs
  • Business legal departments
  • Insurance companies
  • Law firms
  • PSO (Patient Safety Organization)
  • HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)
  • LNC consulting firms
  • Independent LNC practice

What is the Annual Salary of Legal Nurse Consultants?

According to reports by Zip Recruiter, the average annual salary for certified LNCs in the US is around $84,611, which is around $40.68 per hour.

However, the specific salary for LNCs depends on several factors, including the level of education and credentials, years of experience, geographic location, practice specialty and employer size.

Conclusion

Legal nurse consultants have become increasingly important as many medico-legal cases are being filed yearly.

Their special expertise makes them invaluable for both the defense and the prosecution. As an LNC, you can expect to earn significantly more than conventional RNs.

nursing malpractice insurance

See Also

Holistic Nursing Certification

Aesthetic Nurse Certification

Oncology Nursing Certification

Ohio Board of Nursing

Nursing Malpractice Insurance

EMT Certification

Current Version
September 16, 2023
Updated By
Andrea Morales G.
March 19, 2024
Updated By
Tim Bevelacqua, MN, RN

Follow us