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Legal Nurse Consultant - Career Profile |
Career OverviewThe practice of nursing forensics combines the principles of nursing and law. Nurses who function as legal consultants are called upon in any legal case in which there are medical issues to provide facts or opinions related to the application of medicine in the particular instance.
Legal nurse consultants are not paralegals or legal assistants. Rather, their role is to facilitate communications and strategizing with legal professionals to resolve legal issues related to healthcare and medical practices.
They have a specific role to educate attorneys and facilitate the legal process in issues related to healthcare and medical practices. They may also research those practices in particular instances to evaluate standards and guidelines and their legal application.
On a more regular basis, legal nurse consultants review and analyze medical records and legal documents relating to healthcare issues. They may also be called upon to testify in depositions, hearings, and trials as expert healthcare witnesses. Theirs is an increasingly significant role for the facilitation of the legal practices in the field of healthcare and the practices of medicine.
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Career RequirementsLegal nurse consultants must hold a current and unrestricted license to practice as a registered nurse and they must also have a minimum of two years full-time equivalent practical experience as a registered nurse in order to practice. They do not necessarily train in the law, or have any substantial background in legal practices as this is not a requirement for legal nurse consultants.
At present, there are numerous training programs for legal nurse consultants run and reviewed by the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center awards licenses to qualified forensic nurses and is the official source for more information about finding an accredited training course. The International Association of Forensic Nurses provides additional information about courses and certification in forensic nursing. For more information contact the following organizations:
International Association of Forensic Nurses
www.forensicnurse.org
(856) 256-2425
iafn@ajj.com
The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants
AALNC Headquarters
401 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Toll free: 877/402-2562
Fax: 312/673-6655
info@aalnc.org
American Association of Nurse Attorneys
7794 Grow Dr.,
Pensacola, FL 32514
www.taana.org
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Job OutlookIn the next decade, nursing will be one of the top 10 fastest growing professions in the United States according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Health care facilities will be looking to cut back on general costs appropriately trained nurse specialists may become the preferred alternative to more specialized medical professionals, including physicians.
The future looks bright in the nursing field, with the number of jobs for registered nurses expected to increase at a rate far greater than that of most other jobs in the next couple of years.
There has also been some discussion about dividing the field of nursing into professional nurses and technical nurses. This will distinguish between those who have four-year degrees and those who have associate degrees. Legal nurse consultants will be secure in the job market if such a distinction occurs as they are generally required to have the type of advanced training that will distinguish them as professional rather than technical nurses.
As the field of forensic nursing develops, there will certainly be increased opportunity for legal nurse consultants to demonstrate leadership and to influence the direction of the field, even as experts, whose role in the application of forensics is expanding.
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Career TrackSee Forensic Nurse
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CompensationSee Forensic Nurse
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