Legal Nurse Consultants
The Career Path for a Legal Nurse Consultant
Legal nurse consultants are medical contributors on a legal team. They use their expertise as health care professionals plus specialized training to consult on medical-related cases. Legal nurse consultants assist attorneys in reading medical records and understanding medical terminology and health care issues, but they may also work with insurance companies, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, clinics, and government agencies either as an employee or on a contractual basis.
Preparation Path
Attain a BSN
Pass the NCLEX and become an RN
Work at least five years as an RN with 2,000 hours of legal consulting
Take the Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC) exam and become certified
Typical Tasks
- Helping legal professionals interpret records and charts
- Understanding medical terminology
- Assisting with discovery
- Testifying as an expert witness
- Identifying standards of care
- Preparing reports and summaries about an illness or injury
Employment Settings
- Law firms
- Government agencies
- Insurance companies
- HMOs
- Hospital risk management departments
- Independent practices
Annual Salary Range
$55,092 – $211,399
Certification
RN, Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC)
Education Requirements
BSN
