Become A Legal Nurse Consultant With A Nursing Degree!
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.
This is a relatively new specialty in the medical field. Its professional organization, the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, was only formed in 1989. This association is a not for profit organization that provides information and resources for those wishing to advance to the more specialized field of legal nurse consultant. If you are interested in getting more information about nursing colleges research the internet.
Writing detailed reports, working under pressure and with looming deadlines, and relating complex medical information to those who don’t have a medical background are just some of the qualifications of those wishing to be a legal nurse. On the web site for the Association there are some 20 questions that anyone thinking about specializing in this field should answer. A significant amount of yes answers indicate a good candidate. Too many no responses and those who are curious many want to reconsider.
Probably the biggest hurdle one encounters about the profession is becoming educated in the field. The simple truth is that while there are universities, both online and on campus, offering course studies in the field, there is no formal approach. What the Association suggests is first making sure the school you wish to attend is accredited. These types of nurses will need the standard education and licensing, including a bachelor of science. For any additional information about online nursing master degree check the internet.
The Association also provides a second good litmus test. Go see if the legal nurse consultant program is considered part of the paralegal/legal assistant course track. These occupations are considered not the same as legal professions. A legal nurse consultant is medical and centers and expands on nursing and clinical experience. What these courses do are prep students for the courts. If the facility meets these criteria, it is likely legitimate.
From there, legal nurses can enjoy a very healthy freelance lifestyle. Usually hired as consultants, the legal nurse can command $125 to $150 an hour for their services. If one’s networking skills can match one’s analytical skills, it’s not difficult for a legal nurse to work 2-3 days a week and earn over $100,000 a year. For an abundance of information about associate degree nursing check out the web.
Working with attorneys is not the only possibility open for those who obtain a degree from reputable nursing colleges. Those who attend nursing degree programs open doors to careers that are varied, with the choice of working in something as specialized as a legal nurse, or in pediatrics, geriatrics, and every age in between.