Legal Nurse Consultant Schools

Learn more about legal nurse consultant schools if you have an interest in bridging the gap between the judicial process and the medical system. Explore the option of enrolling in legal nurse consultant training.

With an established code of conduct and ethics, legal nurse consultants practice in law firms, government agencies, insurance companies, healthcare risk management departments and HMOs. In addition they work in consulting firms, pharmaceuticals, and independent practices. Investigations are a major part of legal nurse consulting. They provide professional services such researching compensation and disability claims, examining cases involving fraud and abuse of government funded agencies like Medicare and Medicaid, and conducting inquiries into potential misconduct by health care practitioners and facilities. Legal nurse consultants can also serve as expert witnesses at trials. Their testimony is based on facts, data and opinions based on case evidence. They may also be required to locate and retain expert witnesses who can offer insight and knowledge in cases.

Legal Nurse Consulting Programs

Kaplan University

• Legal Nurse Consulting Certificate
• Forensic Nursing Certificate

Post University

• Legal Nurse Consulting Certificate

Legal Nurse Consultant Education and Training

It is possible to obtain certification from the American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board that offers a twice a year examination at various locations across the country.

To qualify for the exam you must first of all hold the necessary nursing license, have legal nurse consultant training, and have spent five years working as a registered nurse. There are other avenues that can be gone down to get the required certification, though it needs to be stated that this is voluntary and not a prerequisite for the position. Legal nurse consulting programs might include:

• Legal Nurse Consulting Foundations
• Civil Litigation for Legal Nurse Consultants
• Tort Law and Medical Liability
• Medical Records Review
• Health care Risk Management

Legal Nurse Consultant Careers

Legal nurse consultants are qualified and licensed registered nurses who have undergone a more specialized form of training. Graduates of legal nurse consultant schools are able to use their clinical experience as well as health care education to research, analyze, and interpret medical related issues that may be relevant to a legal claim or case. They are able to provide an informed opinion based on investigation and relating to the delivery of health care services.

To take up a position with this profile it is necessary to hold a nursing degree as well as a Registered Nurse license. Usually it would be required to study a bachelor's degree at an accredited nursing school and then advance into this specialty field only after several years experience of clinical practice. If you have a burning desire to become a legal nurse consultant there is always the option of pursuing an advanced degree.

Once suitably qualified there are a number of nurse consultant jobs and career options that would become available. Legal nurse consultants are in demand in law firms, insurance companies, government offices, hospital management departments, and forensic environments.

The position would most likely involve educating other professionals on medical issues and facts relating to specific claims, reviewing medical policies and records, the preparation of witnesses and exhibits for trials, and evaluating any lapses of duty concerning health care practitioners or facilities.

Additionally, a legal team may call on the knowledge of a legal nurse consultant when needing information relating to personal injury cases, workers compensation, product liability, and criminal law. All individuals seeking work in this field must follow an established code of conduct and ethics.

Estimated Income and Projected Career Outlook

The legal nurse consultant salary in this field vary depending upon a range of factors such as the type of employer, amount of experience, location, and qualification held. An independent consultant would typically receive an hourly wage of between $130 and $150.

Upon graduation from legal nurse consultant schools, those seeking full time employment in organization such as insurance companies and law firms can expect to earn $74,000 annually if holding an associate degree and $85,000 per annum with a bachelor's qualification.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that there will be ample opportunities for qualified legal nurse consultant employment opportunities over the next ten years, and a growth rate of 23% is predicted. As more people are unhappy with the services provided by health care specialists, considering legal nurse consultant schools is a step in a positive direction.

Legal nurse consultant schools and forensic science degree programs