08 dets. What Is Certified Legal Nurse Consultant
If you are interested in the field of legal nursing consulting, you should first pursue nursing studies at a two- or four-year university. Obtaining an Associate`s Degree (ADN) or Bachelor of Science (BSN) in Nursing is required. Lawyers generally do not understand medical terminology and may not be able to interpret patient records or accurately communicate information to a judge or jury. As a legal nurse consultant, the main task is to educate the legal team on medical issues related to a case in order to determine what legal actions should be taken. CNL should also have strong legal expertise. You must be decisive, well-versed in research, be able to work independently, feel comfortable with or without structure, and feel comfortable talking and interacting with legal and legal professionals and groups. Students will also investigate a legal issue in relation to the guidelines provided and present the issue and facts via a PowerPoint presentation displayed on the course page. As a legal nurse consultant, you can help in these cases: Here are some examples of typical daily tasks of a legal nurse consultant: In addition to the knowledge and practical skills required, successful legal nurse consultants should also possess certain personality traits – many of which are traits that any good nurse would need. These include: A legal nurse works with legal counsel in malpractice or other health-related cases. They perform functions such as: The debate over how many people actually die as a result of medical errors highlights the difficulty that such cases can encircle.
It also shows why it`s so important for lawyers to have as much medical understanding as possible. Nurse legal consultants fill a niche that no one else can fill, bridging the gap between the legal and medical worlds. They help interpret complex medical information and are familiar with delicate details. First, check out the “career pages” on the websites of the medical error companies and CNL consulting firms you are interested in. There are many online resources available for job search, including nursing social media sites, career sites, and dedicated nursing career sites like our own job site nurse.org. Obtaining additional certifications beyond those of a registered nurse can potentially increase the salary of the statutory nurse consultant. Some registered nurses find that earning a Master of Science in Nursing can increase their earning and hiring potential. A CNL is a registered nurse (RN) who provides medical advice in legal matters. Instead of providing advice to patients, CNL reviews and analyzes legal information to advise lawyers working on cases of health and care errors. WGU offers the Prelicsure program in areas where we partner with healthcare employers to provide practice centers and clinical coaches to teach and inspire you on your journey to becoming a nurse. A certified legal nurse consultant can work in many different settings, including: Because of the wide range of what nurse legal consultants do, they can work in many different areas, such as medical malpractice, personal injury, workers` compensation, long-term care/elder law litigation, risk management, forensics/criminal law, civil rights and discrimination in the workplace. Nurse legal consultants work with the same goal in mind as any other nurse, using their knowledge and skills to ensure the best possible patient care.
However, a legal nurse consultant is very different from the traditional registered nurse. Although the word “nurse” is part of her title, her daily duties and responsibilities are very different from those usually associated with nurses. The discussion will focus more on the basic information useful for starting a practice as an independent consultant or working for an established company. Does the employer support career development through educational grants and paid leave? Is health insurance coverage part of the benefits package and, if so, what is your responsibility to yourself, your spouse/partner, and your dependent coverage? How many days of paid leave can employees earn per year? 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.