How to Become a Legal Nurse Consultant: Education & Certification Requirements

LNCs may be employed by insurance companies or legal firms, and they may be required to travel in some cases. Nurse consultants usually enjoy a set schedule during regular business hours. As with all nurses, occasional contact with patients may expose them to infectious diseases. Legal nurse consultants may need to exhibit empathy, close attention to detail, organizational skills, and problem-solving skills. They also need familiarity with medical records systems and knowledge of medical-legal terminology and medical tools. Additionally, they must be comfortable testifying in court if needed.

To become a legal nurse consultant one needs to be a registered nurse (RN) first. The requirement for attaining an RN status, including education requirement, area of specialization, and an overview of a legal nurse consultant profile is summarized in the following table.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*Net Online, *PayScale.com (Jan 2021), The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC), CareerBuilder.com Job notices (December 2012)

Becoming a certified legal nurse consultant (CLNC) or acquiring a CLNC certification is a process and it takes a number of steps.

Step 1: Become a Registered Nurse

The legal nurse consultant education requirements can be attained through three types of nursing programs. Nursing diploma programs are offered by some teaching hospitals, nursing associate's degree programs are available at two-year community colleges and Bachelor of Science in nursing programs are four-year university programs. These programs can prepare aspiring registered nurses or prepare someone on how to become a legal nurse consultant.

Common courses in nursing programs include medical terminology, human anatomy, psychology, human physiology, nutrition, and chemistry. Students might complete clinical sessions in various medical departments, such as pediatrics, oncology, surgery, or the emergency room. Some also participate in clinical training outside of hospitals. This training might take place at elderly-care facilities, community clinics, and public health departments.

Step 2: Gain Licensure

After graduating from a nursing program, individuals must complete licensing procedures in accordance with their state laws. All nurses must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become licensed RNs. Besides passing the NCLEX-RN, some states have additional requirements.

Step 3: Gain Nursing Experience

Applicants for certification as an LNC must have experience in clinical nursing. The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) requires applicants to meet several criteria, including five years of practice as a registered nurse. Newly licensed registered nurses often start off as staff nurses at hospitals. Registered nurses can also work for doctors' offices, home healthcare services, or government agencies.

Early in their careers, RNs might opt to choose a field specialty. By choosing to specialize, nurses will become extremely familiar with the particular needs of various patient populations. Specific field knowledge may also prove useful when becoming a certified LNC, especially if clients are looking for consultants with a particular nursing background.

Step 4: Complete an LNC Training Program

Individuals can complete legal nurse consultant training courses or certificate programs. Most programs accept only registered nurses; students need a clinical nursing background to understand the course materials. Topics covered include medical records review and analysis, legal terminology, forensic nursing, workers' compensation investigations, and trial preparation. Students also might learn about the practical side of becoming an LNC, such as finding clients and marketing LNC services.

Some legal nurse consultant certificate programs offer internship opportunities. In many cases, the internship is part of the process of meeting legal nurse consultant requirements. Student interns spend time working with experienced LNCs or attorneys. During internships, students gain a better understanding of reviewing medical documents for trials. They also learn about the relationships between LNCs and their clients, which can be helpful in finding employment.

Step 5: Become Certified

Certification is not required for registered nurses to work as LNCs, but having this credential demonstrates experience, training, and expertise. The AALNC requires certification applicants to prove that they have completed at least 2,000 hours of LNC services during the past five years and to pass an exam. Topics on the exam might include elder law, personal injury, risk management, medical malpractice, and workers' compensation laws. To become a certified legal nurse consultant, an LNC can apply for certification through the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants.

Nursing license renewal requirements vary by state, but many states require that registered nurses complete professional development or continuing education coursework. There are two options for LNC certification renewal. Every five years, applicants can either complete 60 units of continuing education coursework or can retake certification exams.

The shortage of nurses today, and the projected future shortages according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics can be ascribed to the fact that the baby boomers nurses who are getting closer to their retirement age are also increasing the demand for healthcare. It is projected that by 2029, nursing employment will grow by 7 percent which is faster than average.

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not specify the salary of Legal Nurse Consultants, in January 2021, the average annual salary was reported by Payscale to be $78,069 per year or $49.13 per hour. BLS however indicates the salaries of RNs for the top five states in 2019 as follows:

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

In summary, aspiring legal nurse consultants must first complete the education and licensure requirements to become registered nurses. Then they must gain nursing experience to complete LNC coursework. Voluntary certification is available after they've worked in the LNC field for at least five years.

There are a number of organizations, societies, and agencies that are helpful for a legal nurse consultant which includes:

• American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) which provides opportunities for registered nurses with a specialization in legal nurse consulting for professional enhancement and growth. It also helps them advance the nursing specialty.
• National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants (NACLNC) whose members are only those registered nurses who have obtained CLNC Certification upon completing a rigorous training that the industry for legal nurse consulting offers.
• International & American Association of the Legal Nurse Industry which is an online community for Legal Nurses and it offers them continuing education training in a bid to promote and advance their profession.