No need in Ohio

[Janinern84]

I am a l&d nurse and was looking into the legal nurse consultant. I have an interest in these, especially in maternity cases, but I do not hear there is a need in Ohio for this. Is it possible to work remotely to another location?

Experienced legal consultants, is there a need in maternity areas?

I do not want to waste my money or time if it is not needed....

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

There is a need in maternity cases, of course there is. And many of us work cases all over the country. This is especially easy if you market yourself to defense attorneys, as you wouldn't be traveling to see the patient/baby but only doing record reviews, thus incurring less cost to your attorney clients :) .

[satisfiedwithURcare?]

I have 8 years L&D and SCN experience, and am also interest in doing legal consulting. How would one go about getting started? I would love any and all information you could share!

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Go to the website of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, AALNC. Take their LNC webinar series on legal nursing (it's extremely cost-effective) and can help you earn a real ANCC-approved certification, the LNCC, unlike all the proprietary courses you see advertised everywhere else. Join the AALNC, you'll like 'em. Annual conf is the first weekend in April in Denver this year, if you're off that weekend and not too far away. :)

If you want to be an expert witness, you don't need to be an LNCC, you just need to establish your credibility as an expert. The AALNC has a great listserv where you can post your availability, begin to answer the related questions other nurses post there, and such. You can also contact attys in your area that do bad-baby cases and L&D malpractice, make an appt to discuss your qualifications and offer to review a case for free so they can see what you can do. Do a good job (ask them precisely what they want to know before you start) and work will follow!

[lub dub]

Go to the website of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, AALNC. Take their LNC webinar series on legal nursing (it's extremely cost-effective) and can help you earn a real ANCC-approved certification, the LNCC, unlike all the proprietary courses you see advertised everywhere else. Join the AALNC, you'll like 'em. Annual conf is the first weekend in April in Denver this year, if you're off that weekend and not too far away. :)

If you want to be an expert witness, you don't need to be an LNCC, you just need to establish your credibility as an expert. The AALNC has a great listserv where you can post your availability, begin to answer the related questions other nurses post there, and such. You can also contact attys in your area that do bad-baby cases and L&D malpractice, make an appt to discuss your qualifications and offer to review a case for free so they can see what you can do. Do a good job (ask them precisely what they want to know before you start) and work will follow!

Great post GrnTea. I would also add that you should stay away from the Vickie Malazzo courses.

I do legal consulting, and I have never taken a class in it! What gets me work is 20 years of ICU/CCU experience, a current job as faculty in a BSN program, and a doctorate. Experience will help more than courses.