The Louisiana State University New Orleans Legal Practice course is fully online and self-paced, meaning nurses can complete the course as quickly or slowly as they want. The 10-module course also counts as 100 CNE credits that nurses earn at the end of the course. At the end of the modules, nurses also receive a certificate of completion. Students also have the opportunity to complete a two-day preceptory, an active legal counsel show in New Orleans, Louisiana. The combination of price, exposure, flexibility, and CNE capabilities makes it a great option. My course is called LNC STAT (www.LNCSTAT.com). We train nurses to use their medical expertise in legal affairs and act as experts. This is the home study format. Nurses learn at their own pace with online training and a few printed manuals included. You practice with real cases from start to finish. We integrate mentoring and support throughout the process. After completing much of the course, they can attend a live event where we review the content.
The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) maintains information on nursing counseling. AALNC is a non-profit organization that supports legal care advisors with education and a forum to share information about the field. The organization also provides the Code of Ethics and Conduct Guidelines for Legal Nurse Consultants, which is consistent with the values and practices of the American Nurses Association. A legal nurse consultant must be a registered nurse. Therefore, the degrees of a nurse legal advisor depend on the requirements to become a registered nurse in your state. Generally, registered nurses must hold an Associate Nursing Degree (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), meaning this is the minimum requirement to pursue a career as a legal nurse consultant. However, continuing education in nursing, such as a master`s degree or post-master`s certificate in nursing leadership and management, can make you a more competitive candidate and improve your ability to be recognized as an evaluator. Perhaps the most comprehensive of all the legal nurse consultant programs on this list, the University of Rochester`s Legal Nurse Consultant course combines online courses with a 168-hour internship. Nurses in the program complete with over 2,000 hours of practice and can become certified as a legal nurse consultant. Since the program involves a mandatory rotation, nurses must complete at least part of the program in person.
Completed credits could also be transferred to a program of study. Legal Nurse Consulting allows you to work independently and with many types of people and requires you to operate well under pressure. Regardless of the work environment, CNL performs many specialized functions, including: Nurse Law Consultants do not require formal legal training; However, some colleges, universities and organizations offer counselling courses for legal nurses and award a certificate of completion. Legal nurses typically earn nursing degrees that qualify them for Registered Nurse Licensing and AALNC certification, but some individuals take specialized courses and graduate degrees. Certification in this area shows that you have achieved a level of proficiency measured by a national exam and opens the door to other opportunities. Nurse legal consultants can look forward to an ever-changing career as trends in medical and legal practice continue to evolve. Nurse legal consultants work in many settings, including independent consulting firms, insurance companies, and law firms, to name a few. According to the BLS, the number of health professions is expected to increase by 16% between 2020 and 2030 [3]. Over the same period, the number of RN positions is expected to increase by 9%, with “approximately 194,500 [new] RN positions” created annually [1].
Although not mandatory, CNL wishing to demonstrate its commitment to the profession and best practices in nursing consulting can obtain CNL certification from the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC). Nurses interested in health care law may consider a career as a nurse advocate. However, becoming a nurse lawyer requires a law degree and admission to a state bar association. While legal nurse consultants provide support and expertise in legal affairs, nurse advocates are advocates themselves. A certified legal nurse consultant can work in many different settings, including: Therefore, individuals who wish to become a forensic nurse should first work towards becoming a registered nurse. There are several ways to become a registered nurse, including through a bachelor`s degree program, an associate degree program, and a specialty training program. Many nurses don`t really understand how valuable their medical expertise is in the legal field. Most legal nurses earn $30 to $150 an hour reviewing medical records and about $300 to $500 an hour as appraisers. After many years in the hospital, nurses are often surprised to learn that their expertise is worth so much. They would also be surprised at the number of legal cases requiring their expertise. There are many resources that can help you learn more about nursing counselling. The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants offers a number of publications as well as an official publication, the Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting, which is available free of charge to AALNC members and the public.
The nursing field offers potential RNs a variety of exciting opportunities, many of which go beyond traditional bedside care. One of these enriching paths in judicial counseling. A legal nurse consultant can find a rewarding career in a niche in the legal and nursing fields. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about nursing counselling, from salary information to skills you`ll likely want to possess. Legal Nurse Consulting established itself as a nursing specialty in the late 1970s and further established itself with the founding of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) in 1989. Working as a Legal Nurse Consultant (CNL) can be a rewarding career that combines nursing with the field of law. This guide describes how to become a legal nurse consultant, what CNL does, what environment it works in, and what salary it can potentially earn. Do nurses need special training to become nurse legal consultants? The median annual salary for registered nurses was $75,330 per year in May 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). BLS does not disclose salaries for legal nurse consultants, but Payscale reports that their average annual salary in 2020 is $77,773, or $49.47 per hour. Registered nurses looking to expand their skills and expertise may consider becoming a CNL. Read on to learn more about what CNL does, where it works, what it manufactures and how to become one.
Legal nurse skills that can help you in this area range from critical thinking to empathy to organizational skills. These consultants are valuable resources because of their knowledge and hands-on understanding of the medical field, including anatomy, physiology and disease treatment. Nurse legal consultants may operate independently or through an organization such as an insurance agency or law firm.