How do you become a legal nurse consultant?
In order to become a legal nurse consultant, you must first be a nurse with clinical experience. You must also be familiar with how medical information is used in the context of legal cases, as well as develop skills in record review, research, writing, and communication. Some nurses take LNC training before getting experience as a legal nurse consultant (through employment, mentorship, contract work, or their own business). There may be an opportunity for certification, but this is not equivalent to licensure as a nurse.
How to become a legal nurse consultant
The vast majority of nurses start out as registered nurses, and work in the clinical field. Through your work with patients, you'll learn about patient care, medical charts, treatments, potential side effects, and patient outcomes. Educational and licensing requirements will vary by state.
Build your nursing experience
Prior experience in emergency medicine, critical care, surgery, rehabilitation, geriatric medicine, psychiatry, or risk management may be helpful. You don't need to practice only one specialty to practice as a legal nurse consultant. You just need to take on cases that fit your educational background, experience, and knowledge.
Learn what legal nurse consultants do
Introductory LNC courses will introduce you to legal terminology, the litigation process, reviewing medical records, case screening, confidentiality, expert witnesses, and boundaries of professionalism. You can also seek out specialized training on topics like malpractice, personal injury, life-care planning, and insurance reviews.
Develop the skills you will use
Legal nurse consultants must be able to read and sort through extensive medical records, create timelines, draft concise and factual summaries, research clinical questions, consult with attorneys and experts, keep patient information confidential, and deal with contracts, deadlines, and invoices.
Start gaining legal nurse consulting experience
Other nurses have found employment with a law firm, insurance company, or hospital risk department. Some may join a well-established consulting firm. Still others do some freelance consulting on the side while still working as a nurse. You may also be able to develop a portfolio of sample (de-identified) work to showcase your writing and organizational skills.
Depending on the organization providing the certification, it can demonstrate your education or your experience. It doesn't authorize you to practice nursing or law. Before providing consulting services, check the nursing board rules, privacy rules, business laws, and client requirements in the area you plan to work.