pros and cons of nurse paralegal jobs

[BulkyMonster]

I just started working a few weeks ago as a nurse paralegal - so far, I like it, although there are days when I just feel completely dumb when confronted with some of the attorneys' questions (I'm told that's normal).

I have some problems with anxiety related to some fairly drastic life events, and I need to have a career with a manageable stress level. I like my job much better than I ever liked patient care - although it was rewarding at times, I was a bit of a basket case from all the pressure.

Can anyone tell me whether it would help later on if I wanted to become an LNC, to have some experience working as a paralegal in a law firm full time first?

The way the LNC training programs talk, they make it sound like I'm wasting my time. It's kind of discouraging as an LNC career isn't something I feel I could handle just yet.

I'd like a little hope that this nurse paralegal thing, which doesn't pay megabucks but does have some nice perks, is not a dead end job.

[MauraRN]

I started working as a civil litigation paralegal and real estate broker right out of college 25 years ago. Now I am a LPN in LTC working on my RN. If you are truly interested in the legal side of nursing I would suggest that you take a legal research course at your local college. Do not do this one online however. You need to cover the basics of legal research that may not have made it to the internet. By this I mean the concept of "stare decisis" where court decisions of the past inform current concepts of precedence. You need to know how to access and understand case law, citations, split decisions, lower court reversals, and how to work with Westlaw and other databases. This sounds more difficult than it really is and a Legal Research course will cover it. Then you can apply your nursing knowledge to the research and you will be able to find the answers you need as a nurse/paralegal.

Hope this helps.

[BulkyMonster]

Thanks. I am hearing a bit about this from the other people at the firm but I get the feeling they're just wanting me to concentrate on doing the client screening for now until I have a firm grip on things. The attorney I'm working for is a senior partner, and the firm as a whole, both have a very good reputation, and I really have a lot of respect for them. I'm learning a lot.

I think the big thing is, as you said, library research skills. As it stands I do what everyone else seems to do when they don't know something: send a memo to the law clerks :)

[MGS1975]

I just learned about a nurse paralegal program.I have been an RN since 1975 and I am looking for a career change. I live in New Jersey and I wonder who would be my employer(s) and what salary should I expect as a new Nurse paralegal?

Thanks in advance.