Start With A Nursing Degree And Become A Legal Nurse Consultant!
According to anecdotal evidence, there are approximately 250,000 lawyers doing medical malpractice suits in the U.S. That doesn't mean they don't consult with medical experts when it comes to understanding the complex language of medicine.
Legal nurse consultants, trained originally as a nurse in one of the accredited nursing colleges, is often their specialist of choice. A legal nurse starts as a Registered Nurse who then went on to study law. It should be noted that a legal nurse is not a paralegal or any other member of the legal community.
On the other hand, they are employed both by the legal and the medical professions as consultants, particularly when it comes to litigious issues. The medical world hires legal nurses, advising about possible legal consequences for one action or another.
Insurance carriers also hire them to counter the suing attorney's legal nurse. They have been used in court cases as a way to discern which of two different sides is telling the truth. With the number of cases out there, a recognized pro can be kept very busy, indeed.
The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants was established in 1989 and oversees this field. This organization establishes the criterion and fosters education and professional standing in its non profit role.
Those who are curious about this field are prompted by its official association to think about this career path and ask themselves some questions. The language of medicine is complex and often the layperson simply does not have the background to understand it. One of the questions is if the nurse feels comfortable explaining complicated medical situations and conditions to someone who has no understanding.
The potential legal nurse should also like learning new things all the time and have the skills to write reports explaining constantly changing situations. Deadline adherence is a must, as is understanding financial statements. Twenty questions are presented for consideration. Too many no answers indicate the person may not be suited to this specialty.
At this time there are no formalized training programs for those wishing to enter this field. Nurses need to obtain the customary degrees and certifications, including a bachelor of science. Recommended strongly by the Association is that whatever school is attended for these degrees it is an accredited institution.
According to the Association, a good litmus test is to see if the legal nurse consultant is separate from the paralegals/legal assistants course tracks. Their occupations are considered different because they are legal professions.
A legal nurse consultant is medical. It builds on their nursing education and clinical experience. So what these courses really do is prep their students for the legal arena. If the school meets these standards, it is more than likely legitimate.
A legal nurse can build quite a healthy practice if her network skills match medical and legal expertise. The recognized pro can command $125 to $150 an hour for their services. With experience and a growing expertise, a legal nurse has the potential to make over $100,000 per year, working two to three days per week.
While the number of attorneys involved in medical law provides a good resource for the legal nurse, it is not the only source available. Nursing colleges enable one to get the education needed to enter this field or any other associated with health care. The career set up one can get by attending nursing degree programs enable the nurse to work in fields as diverse as pediatrics to the specialty of the legal nurse.
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