Apparently there are over one million attorneys in the U.S. today, and fully one-quarter of them are involved in one form of medical law or another. Medical lawyers know, however, that the specialized language of medicine requires someone well versed in that field and for this reason a legal nurse consultant is often employed. This type of nurse has gone through one of many nursing colleges and then branched off in specialization.
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.
The first thing this organization asks anyone interested is to complete some questions. These questions include whether the nurse likes constantly learning new things and is willing to write reports on them. Can the nurse work well under deadline, understand financial statements and be good at analysis? Most importantly, can the nurse explain complex medical situations in a way that a person with no medical experience can understand it? The Association actually has a list of 20 of these questions and if the majority of the answers aren’t yes, then it’s time to consider another occupation.
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.
The primary emphasis of the education should then be if the program offered is considered separate from the education of paralegals and legal assistants because of the differences in their practice in the legal arena. The primary focus of legal nurse consulting education should be to build on nursing education and clinical experience and to prepare nurses to function in the legal arena. If the school meets these standards, it is more than likely legitimate.
If one’s networking skills are as good as their medical and legal expertise, the legal nurse can command $125 to $150 an hour. Earning over $100,000 a year as experience and reputation grows is not unheard of and the legal nurse often does not work a full 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. Most nurses school options 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 and enable the nurse to work in fields as diverse as pediatrics to the specialty of the legal nurse. If this career interests you and more information about your distance nursing degree is something your are looking for, please check the internet