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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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)

Hello SirI,

Thank you so much for starting this post! I am an RN with over 20 years of experience and have been researching getting into Legal Nurse Consulting. I have talked with my BON and have studied the list of education programs on the AALNC site. I have also spend hours reading your posts and other posts comparing the different programs. I understand this will be a long, hard journey and not an easy way to success. I can't wait to get started on my way and am happy to know there are others on the same route to guide and assist me. ?

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

Hello maxvoca

We have the nursing expertise and that is what the Attorney desperately needs.

I sent you a private message about my new Article regarding JD/LNC. I know we have been communicating privately and hope after you've read the new Article, you can post some new questions/concerns here on the public boards that will help others as they consider what you are doing and wanting to do. Good luck.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
RNinSC23 said:
Hello SirI,

Thank you so much for starting this post! I am an RN with over 20 years of experience and have been researching getting into Legal Nurse Consulting. I have talked with my BON and have studied the list of education programs on the AALNC site. I have also spend hours reading your posts and other posts comparing the different programs. I understand this will be a long, hard journey and not an easy way to success. I can't wait to get started on my way and am happy to know there are others on the same route to guide and assist me. ?

Hello RNinSC23

You are a step ahead of many. Good that you have already checked out your own BON.

I will be writing some new material as Articles that will hopefully help you as you tackle this journey as an LNC. I think we can help you here with many questions/concerns you might have. Several of us are very active as LNCs and utilize our expertize as LNCs in several different ways. GrnTea and one of our Administrators tnbutterfly are two who can help you along, too.

So, please stay tuned for some future Articles I will write about what you can do to boost your clientele, market your expertise as a professional nurse, and even conduct seminars for other nurses who need advice to help them protect themselves as nurses who deliver bedside care to their clients.

We are all here to help you with any question/concern you may have. And, you are absolutely correct, this will be a long, hard journey and not an easy way to success ..... but it can be done.

Good luck and come back when you can.

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Thank you for your article. I've been pondering this career path for the last 5 years. Recently began to research LNC courses for second or third time. I started about 3 years ago on the AALNC site with a couple of their courses but found the format at that time to be a bit dry. More recently, I started researching and looking into LNCstat. I am having a difficult time deciding which one is best for me. I was leaning toward LNCstat but after reading your article I think maybe I need to go back to where I started with AALNC.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
kimtimp said:
Thank you for your article. I've been pondering this career path for the last 5 years. Recently began to research LNC courses for second or third time. I started about 3 years ago on the AALNC site with a couple of their courses but found the format at that time to be a bit dry. More recently, I started researching and looking into LNCstat. I am having a difficult time deciding which one is best for me. I was leaning toward LNCstat but after reading your article I think maybe I need to go back to where I started with AALNC.

Welcome to allnurses.com, kimtimp

Yes, please check out AALNC again. I think you will find the modules are very beneficial. Good luck.

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Stick with the AALNC.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN (ret)

Somewhere in the PACNW

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Med-Surg, Infectious Disease.

I've been looking into this area too! Mainly on the AALNC site and milazzo institute. While during price comparison, I leaned more toward AALNC lol! Which do you suggest to get what I need sirl?

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Grneyzrn said:
I've been looking into this area too! Mainly on the AALNC site and milazzo institute. While during price comparison, I leaned more toward AALNC lol! Which do you suggest to get what I need sirl?

Hello, Grneyzrn

I do not publicly endorse any program. I do know that many have done both programs (AALNC and Milazzo).

One thing you need to do is check out your BON and see which program is accepted as continuing education and/or Certification (if you choose the latter).

As you pointed out, too, AALNC is not cost-prohibitive.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Med-Surg, Infectious Disease.

Thanks!

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Specializes in GI/GU surg,Pacu, ct surg, home care, NH.

Hi

I was wondering are LNC programs offered through universities just as good as the modules through AALNC or Vickie Milazzo?

. Ive seen a few universities that offer the LNC program through their legal studies department. Ive noticed the required text is the same. The courses are about 5 or 6 days and usualling accreditated for CE.

The big difference Ive noticed is price, one state college offers it for 895 compared to 1600 on the AALNC site and 5000 for Vickie.

Just trying to get a sense of whether those two programs offer something more that make money spent worthwhile

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Forensics, Addictions.

I am very interested in the LNC, but don't know where to start. I have had my JD since 2007, and have my RN BSN. I would love to combine both aspects. I have always worked in psychiatry. Would that be helpful? Not having a med-surg background could be a hindrance?

Any guidance is welcomed. Thanks!

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
bklynbaby said:
Hi

I was wondering are LNC programs offered through universities just as good as the modules through AALNC or Vickie Milazzo?

. Ive seen a few universities that offer the LNC program through their legal studies department. Ive noticed the required text is the same. The courses are about 5 or 6 days and usualling accreditated for CE.

The big difference Ive noticed is price, one state college offers it for 895 compared to 1600 on the AALNC site and 5000 for Vickie.

Just trying to get a sense of whether those two programs offer something more that make money spent worthwhile

Hello, bklynbaby

I cannot answer your question about comparing programs at Universities with those programs. I would venture to guess that all would contain the basics necessary to prepare you.

You are correct in that some programs are quite expensive.

Do check out the AALNC modules. Also, read about CERTIFICATION (see the requirements which include working as an LNC for a few years) with AALNC.

Continue to compare/contrast. Hopefully others will come along and help you, too.

Good luck.

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