How to Become a Legal Nurse Consultant

[Lorie Brown RN, MN, JD]

There are many times I am asked, “How can I become a legal nurse consultant?”

Actually, you already are!

The only thing an attorney would hire you for is your nursing knowledge and expertise. There is nothing extra that you need in either of those areas to be a legal nurse consultant (LNC).

In fact, all the available programs that offer some kind of certification are made up. There is no certification required to be an LNC. However, should you want a certification then please go ahead and take the requisite classes.

What I have found is that most nurses need marketing or business skills to get started as an LNC and not the nuts and bolts of writing a report. Each attorney has a different preference for how they want their reports. Looking at sample reports can be a great help. There are some options out there among one of which is mine. To learn more, you can learn more about by going to www.LncBizSchool.com

To get started you just need to talk to attorneys in your area to let them know who you are and how you can help with their cases. Sending out blind letters has little, if any chance, of garnering responses because attorneys are really busy.

Let’s put it another way: you receive a letter from a doctor saying, “I understand your loved one is in need of neurosurgery so please bring him to my office.” Would you trust that physician?

Attorneys need to know, like and trust you before they’re going to give you their clients’ confidential medical records.

Therefore, the whole process of getting business is to try to surround yourself with the most number of attorneys that do the work that you want to perform and share the values and benefits that you can bring to them.

It actually is one of the easiest businesses to create because the startup costs are minimal. However, that being said, it does require you to escape from your comfort zone and begin talking to attorneys to share the values and benefits that you can provide.

Let me know what questions you have about becoming a Legal Nurse Consultant.

Wishing you the Best

[Faerywren, BSN, RN]

A friend of mine from high school is an attorney and she says that a lot of law firms prefer nurses who haven't made a job out of being a professional witness. Have you ever encountered this?

[Lorie Brown RN, MN, JD]

There are 2 types of legal nurse consultants. The first is behind the scenes consultant. These nurses do not testify. The second is an expert witness. Some attorneys prefer that an expert is not a professional witness.