As the medical field continues to grow, the need for legal nurse consultants will increase as well. A legal nurse consultant is the perfect blend of nursing and law. Certified legal nurse consultants can earn more than $100 per hour for their knowledge and ability to critically analyze health care records and medical literature. Having received degrees and education in both medicine and law, these trained health care and legal consultants can help appropriate parties understand resolve medical or legal cases and claims.
Especially now with the Affordable Care Act, medicine is a tricky business. Unfortunately there are times when a mistake happens or when things otherwise don’t go right during the treatment of a patient. If a legal claim is filed as a result of the accident, a certified legal nurse consultant can help to bridge the gap between medicine and the law. He or she consults with the lawyers assigned to the case and helps analyze the medical records. The legal nurse consultant will often participate in client interviews and help establish a timeline of events. As most lawyers are not very well versed with the medical field, and most medical professionals have not been trained in law, the consultant will educate the appropriate legal staff on the medical issues related to the case at hand. They may also help determine the costs of any future medical needs of those who are pressing charges and in instances where the case goes to trial, the consultant may also be asked to act as an expert witness for the case.
In order to become a Legal Nurse Consultant, one must already be a Registered Nurse, must have received a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, or must be an board certified Medical Doctor. After receiving the appropriate medical certification, classes to become a legal nurse consultant can begin. These classes mostly focus on helping the candidate become well versed in the issues of law that they will deal with after becoming certified.
Training is similar to that of a paralegal; there will be significant time spent on understanding the law and learning how to perform legal research. In addition, understanding how to write and analyze legal documents is essential. Time is also spent on understanding the litigation and trial process, as well as understanding torts and the type of lawsuits and recoveries that are allowed by law.
Especially now with the Affordable Care Act, medicine is a tricky business. Unfortunately there are times when a mistake happens or when things otherwise don’t go right during the treatment of a patient. If a legal claim is filed as a result of the accident, a certified legal nurse consultant can help to bridge the gap between medicine and the law. He or she consults with the lawyers assigned to the case and helps analyze the medical records. The legal nurse consultant will often participate in client interviews and help establish a timeline of events. As most lawyers are not very well versed with the medical field, and most medical professionals have not been trained in law, the consultant will educate the appropriate legal staff on the medical issues related to the case at hand. They may also help determine the costs of any future medical needs of those who are pressing charges and in instances where the case goes to trial, the consultant may also be asked to act as an expert witness for the case.
In order to become a Legal Nurse Consultant, one must already be a Registered Nurse, must have received a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, or must be an board certified Medical Doctor. After receiving the appropriate medical certification, classes to become a legal nurse consultant can begin. These classes mostly focus on helping the candidate become well versed in the issues of law that they will deal with after becoming certified.
Training is similar to that of a paralegal; there will be significant time spent on understanding the law and learning how to perform legal research. In addition, understanding how to write and analyze legal documents is essential. Time is also spent on understanding the litigation and trial process, as well as understanding torts and the type of lawsuits and recoveries that are allowed by law.
RSS Feed