Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC)

The Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC) is a Registered Nurse (RN) that is an expert in clinical Nursing Practice and possesses the ability to understand and apply the Nurse Practice Act (NPA), Scope of Practice (SOP), Standard of Care (SOC), and hospital policies and procedures to medico-legal cases.

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Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC)

Many Legal Nurse Consultants (LNC) work alongside attorneys as they glean through reams and reams of paperwork to attempt to find deviation(s) from/adherence(s) to the Scope of Practice (SOP), the Standard of Care (SOC), and/or hospital/entity policies and procedures (P/P). They also work in hospitals, for example, as case managers and with the legal department.

If a Registered Nurse (RN) is interested in a career as a Legal Nurse Consultant, he/she needs to start researching different avenues of education. Also, the RN should truly understand why he/she desires to seek this nursing career path. Examine your own reasons why you are choosing to enter into the world of medical-legal nursing. Many choose this career thinking it is a "get-rich-quick" career. It is not. Many think this is a great way to get out of bed-side nursing and/or cure burn-out. These are the wrong reasons to seek a career as an LNC. Much hard work is expected to be successful. In fact, this is probably one of the most challenging nursing jobs you will ever do. The most important way to be successful is to sell yourself.

Marketing is the key that unlocks the door to success. You need to possess the ability to market yourself. This takes determination, persistence, and an undying ability to forge ahead despite numerous disappointments.

Duties / Responsibilities

Here are but a few of the duties of the LNC:

  • Review a case for merit
  • Comprehensive interpretation of the medical record
  • Translate medical/nursing terms, diagnoses, and treatment plans for the attorney-client
  • Write brief to comprehensive reports
  • Create timelines of important events
  • Develop illustrations for demonstrative evidence
  • Product liability consultant
  • Locate expert witnesses
  • Prepare for deposition and trial preparation
  • Coordinate and attend independent medical exams (IME)

Skills / Qualities

The LNC must:

  • Be dedicated and persistent
  • Possess the ability to interpret accurately, the medical record
  • Be willing to spend countless hours pouring over a medical record (one of merit), searching for the four elements that a plaintiff must prove to win a negligence suit:
    • duty was owed
    • the duty was breached
    • the breach caused an injury
    • damages occurred

Education Requirements

  • Graduate from an accredited RN nursing program with a Diploma, ADN, BSN, or higher degree
  • Successfully pass the NCLEX-RN
  • Current, unencumbered RN license in U.S. state of practice

Of course, experience in a wide range of nursing areas is better than minimal one-area experience. Currently, formal education and/or certification is not mandatory in order to practice as an LNC, but it is highly recommended.

Educative LNC Entities (not all-inclusive)

Several entities prepare the RN to practice as an LNC. Most offer essential LNC preparation as certificates of completion. Many universities have Legal Nursing programs as well.

The following are just a few offerings.

American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC)

The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) "is the gold standard for professionals with an interest in the legal nurse consulting arena including novice and veteran legal nurse consultants".

The American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board (ALNCCB) administers the Legal Nurse Consultant program and is accredited by the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS).

Certification and Exam Eligibility

The LNCC® credential is awarded to those who successfully complete the certification process by meeting the eligibility criteria and passing a written multiple-choice examination. Those who achieve certification are designated as Legal Nurse Consultant Certified and may use the LNCC® credential after their names.

  • Current, unencumbered RN license in U.S. state of practice or its territories
  • Minimum five years RN experience
  • 2000 hours of legal nurse consulting experience within past five years

LegalNurse.com

LegalNurse.com is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. The program and certification offered is the Certified Legal Nurse Consultant (CLNC®). Eligible Registered Nurses (RN) who successfully pass the certification examination can legally use the CLNC® credential.

There are three (3) ways to become certified:

  • Basic CLNC® Certification System
  • Executive CLNC® Certification System
  • VIP CLNC® Certification System

LNC STAT

LNC STAT is nationally accredited by the Boards of Nursing. Certification programs for the Registered Nurse (RN) include:

  • Advanced Legal Nurse Consultant (ALNC) Certification
  • Expert of Medical Legal Specialties (EMLS) Certification

Salary (2024)

According to ZipRecruiter, the average yearly salary for a Legal Nurse Consultant in the U.S. is $87,681 a year with salaries as high as $126,000.

According to glassdoor, the national average salary is $105,265.

As stated, most LNCs branch out seeking their own self-employed business and may have business partners with whom they work. Others seek out working with an attorney firm. The former is the more difficult way to start a business; the latter seems easier.

Independent contractors can set their own fees, including travel expenses and salaries. Higher fees depend on the ability to market oneself, the area of nursing experience, and location. Some may command the higher fees you may have seen advertised, but not often. Many will see ads that state one can make $250/hour. This is probably unrealistic. When starting out, fees of $100-$125/hour are more reasonable, then slowly increase as the business grows.

Working with an attorney firm ensures a set salary, whereas being self-employed depends on what business one can find. A lot of business will probably originate from "word of mouth."

Realistically, securing business will be "hit or miss" initially. Be professional at all times, expect disappointment, but never give up; be persistent.

Remember ...

As an RN consultant (LNC), you are not an amateur. LNCs need to remember that. You are the expert in clinical nursing practice and the nursing process. You are neither a paralegal nor an expert in the Law (attorney).

So, market yourself and sell yourself as such ... the Legal Nurse Consultant expert.

Resources

Please review other Articles here at allnurses that will be helpful in your decision to become a successful Legal Nurse Consultant.

Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC): Educative Entities

RN Experience When Considering the Legal Nurse Consultant Career

FAQ: Role of the Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC)

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sirI

About sirI, MSN, APRN, NP

(Editorial Team / Admin)

sirI is an OB-GYN NP-BC, (Emeritus), FNP-BC, and Legal Nurse Consultant. Specialty areas include OB-GYN, trauma, med-legal consulting, forensics, and education.

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Excellent article with very pertinent information. Thank you!

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Specializes in Eventually Midwifery.

I am glad to know that this facet of nursing even exists! Thanks for your insight.

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I'm heavily interested in this aspect of nursing, in so much that I am pondering pursuing a law degree (JD). My question is, how did you get your start? Did you find a law firm and offer your services? Or did it just fall in to your lap?

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

If anyone is truly interested in a career as LNC, I will be glad to assist you to market yourself and build a good clientele on the public boards. We can also discuss how to successfully use professionally looking marketing materials.

This will be very exciting and hopefully you can learn how to benefit your client (defendant and/or Attorney(s). (note as I said above, I exclusively work with defendants).

Just post here and I will contact you via private message for your email address. Do not post your email address on the public boards.

I will answer any questions that are deemed private; ones that you do not wish to be publicly discussed, but I prefer to help you on the public boards for others can benefit from our discussions.

I want all to know that I do this to help you and expect no compensation for my efforts. It is my way to give back to those who are interested in this career path. My way of giving back to the nursing community.

Stay tuned ....

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Specializes in Cardiology, Med/Surg, Trauma.

Hello,

I am just starting my own Legal Nurse Consulting business. I have been putting many hours into researching this field. I went through the Vicki Millazo Institute and completed my exam in May. I am a stay at home mom with my 2 small children. I left the hospital setting when my son was born. I am creating this business from the ground up and I am looking for insight on a few things. I have been researching the different litigation/chronology software and wondered what the best one is for a one-consultant small business. Also, I have sent out postcards to attorneys in my area and did not get any leads. I was hoping for some insight on the best ways to market a small business. I live in a small town that is not familiar with Legal Nurse Consulting or what I can offer them. Any help for an up and coming LNC would be appreciated. Thanks so much.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
edefinis said:
Hello,

I am just starting my own Legal Nurse Consulting business. I have been putting many hours into researching this field. I went through the Vicki Millazo Institute and completed my exam in May. I am a stay at home mom with my 2 small children. I left the hospital setting when my son was born. I am creating this business from the ground up and I am looking for insight on a few things. I have been researching the different litigation/chronology software and wondered what the best one is for a one-consultant small business. Also, I have sent out postcards to attorneys in my area and did not get any leads. I was hoping for some insight on the best ways to market a small business. I live in a small town that is not familiar with Legal Nurse Consulting or what I can offer them. Any help for an up and coming LNC would be appreciated. Thanks so much.

Hello and good to meet you, edefinis

Hello,

I read with interest your post. I will be writing another Article soon that will help you as you market your services so hopefully you can get many leads/clients. Give me a couple days to write the Article.

I answered your question about the software company via private message.

As you well know any purchase for something like this (software) can be expensive, but I've found the company I utilize do not charge an "arm and a leg" to sell their products and are excellent helping you along as you get started.

Please post in the new Article I will write in a few days for any other information (except the software suggestion - this is to stay private and communicate only with me when we speak via private message and/or email about the software.)

You can answer my pm's, but you cannot initiate sending them until you have at lest 15 public board posts. This is to cut back on spammers who use the Boards inappropriately. Until then, just answer my pms and then we can start communicating on the public boards, via email (I will send you my email later) and quite possibly speak on the phone if you wish. I will be happy to assist you and others with any question(s) you all may have in my new Article. I do prefer communicating on the public boards as this helps others who are starting out in this career.

Please know this is a hard career to get started in, but do not give up. My new Article will include several suggestions about marketing materials as well as how to provide "non-business" luncheons for your clients. By "non-business", I mean most of your conversation will be idle chit chat, get to know one another. BUT, always have business cards (brochures if you can afford them ..... I also have contacts for these that I will be talking about this in my new Article) when you to leave the Attorney clients and especially their Paralegals and Secretaries. I find I can communicate better with them than the actual Attorney client. When the Attorney meets you face-to-face and you show that you are not merely there to talk business, they lighten up and believe it or not, they remember you.

You can make a successful career as an LNC, you just have to work hard. If you decide to stay at home and use your home as your office, I suggest you dress everyday as if you are going to work....not necessarily business clothes, but not housecoat and slippers. LOL This will allow you to feel good about yourself and place yourself in a business-like atmosphere. I will also be speaking about changing your home address to add a "suite number" - a room that is strictly a business location for tax purposes.

Good luck. Look forward hearing from you.

sirI

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
pknurse said:
I'm heavily interested in this aspect of nursing, in so much that I am pondering pursuing a law degree (JD). My question is, how did you get your start? Did you find a law firm and offer your services? Or did it just fall in to your lap?

We are desperately in need of Nurse-Attorneys. I get asked almost on a daily basis do I know anyone who has experience as a Lawyer and a nurse. There are not that many available. If you are already a nurse, I suggest making a list of what you can offer the client as a nurse and an attorney. It will highly depend upon what type of Law area you pursue.

I have had many who have approached me wishing they became a nurse first and were able to get many years experience in all areas of nursing. I'm not saying this is necessary or advisable, but if you can become experienced in many areas of nursing THEN pursue a JD, you will be a valuable resource.

What you need to do is ask yourself this sincere question,"what do I want to do?" Am I more interested in the Law itself, nursing, or a combination?

To answer your question about me, I "beat the streets", looking for clients. Word of mouth helped me tremendously when one Attorney would suggest that I contact their colleague who needed my valuable experience as a nurse.

But, as I said before, Nurse-Attorneys are desperately needed. Think about how you want to proceed and go from there. This career path is a lucrative one, I might add. You will be in high demand!!

Good luck.

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Hello,

My name is Adele I am a RN with a BSN I was recently excepted to a MSN program for NP but I am not sure what route of advancement I want to take. I am considering LNC certification. I have read 100 post today saying I don't need to be cerified, watch for scams and marketing issues. I just requested to CLNC from Vicki but I am questioning if this is the route to take. I am willing to place 100% effort and monies but I want to assure it is worthy. I found your info to be the most rewarding. I would like to discuss info with you. I was trying to navigate through allnurses.com It was confusing at first too. Please help I value your input.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
adeletucker said:
Hello,

My name is Adele I am a RN with a BSN I was recently excepted to a MSN program for NP but I am not sure what route of advancement I want to take. I am considering LNC certification. I have read 100 post today saying I don't need to be cerified, watch for scams and marketing issues. I just requested to CLNC from Vicki but I am questioning if this is the route to take. I am willing to place 100% effort and monies but I want to assure it is worthy. I found your info to be the most rewarding. I would like to discuss info with you. I was trying to navigate through allnurses.com It was confusing at first too. Please help I value your input.

Hello adeletucker

You have made a wise decision to become educated as MSN NP. I highly suggest that you look for a program where you can receive further post-grad education as a Legal Nurse Consultant or Forensic Nurse. I think this is the wisest decision on your part. In my opinion, it is not necessary to go through a complete LNC program in order to combine your NP and LNC, but this is just my opinion. In fact, no BON makes a statement that an RN must be educated as an LNC (for now).

I will be writing other Articles on different Legal Nurse and Forensic Nursing entities which will include pre and post-grad education. There are several entities out there. Some are very good, but most are just basic level education as LNC. If you will give me time, I will create an Article discussing these entities and allow you to make up your mind which one you consider best for you.

Remember, it is not necessary to become educated as an LNC. I highly suggest you check out the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants and purchase their recent text about the LNC. Like I said, formal education as LNC nor certification are necessary (at this time) to become an LNC. I do look for that to change in the future.

One last thing, if you do decide to become certified as an LNC, please check your BON and see which entity accepts Continuing Education by your BON. Many, if not most, only accept certification from the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants. So, please check this out and beware. Just a word of caution.

Please be on the look out for future Articles about the LNC ( and the Forensic Nurse). Many LNCs overlap as Forensic Nurses and this might be something you might consider.

Good luck.

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Hello, I am already have an JD and have been seriously considering getting an BSN. Right now I dislike much of what I do in the legal arena, but in a few years down the road might consider returning to it in some facet, possibly as an LNC. Do you have any advice for someone like me, a person in law but looking to enter nursing?

Thank you.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
pknurse said:
I'm heavily interested in this aspect of nursing, in so much that I am pondering pursuing a law degree (JD). My question is, how did you get your start? Did you find a law firm and offer your services? Or did it just fall in to your lap?

Please read this new Article about the JD/LNC: Combining the Doctor of Jurisprudence - the Legal Nurse Consultant

It might help you make some decisions, pknurse:

If I can be of further assistance please post in this Article. As I said above I'll be writing more (new Articles) that will cover marketing and professional materials for your marketing packet. if you need information on litigation software, post here and I will send a pm that will be helpful.

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