How to Enjoy a Career with Legal Nurse Consulting Certification?

Answer 1

A legal nurse consulting certification can be earned by any registered nurse who wants to move into a consulting role. Consultants can continue to work as active nurses, or they can choose to work as consultants full time. The consulting work is based directly on their expertise as a nurse.

What a Legal Nurse Consultant Does

A legal nurse consultant works with people from other professions who need to understand more about the technical aspects of medicine. Legal nurse consultants answer questions and provide information about medical procedures and common medical practice in several different situations. They may be called upon to explain anatomical norms and how certain injuries are usually treated. Sometimes the nurse may need to research specific injuries and how they impact a patient’s quality of life over the long term. In general, a legal nurse consultant is hired to provide specialized information regarding medicine.

Who Legal Nurse Consultants Work With

Most legal nurse consultants work with attorneys and insurance companies. The nurses are hired to provide more information about the medicine behind injuries that are being contested in a court of law. Lawyers who work with clients who are bringing lawsuits against doctors or medical institutions are particularly interested in using legal nurse consultants who can explain the medical side of things to the attorneys. Insurance companies use legal nurse consultants when they need specific information about injuries or illnesses that claims have been submitted for. The legal nurse consultant can help the insurance company decide what a fair claims payment is for some situations.

Typical Earnings

In most states, certified legal nurse consultants can bring in up to $150 per hour of consultation. This amount will vary depending on the legal nurse consultant’s experience and expertise level. The more training a legal nurse consultant has, the more he or she can charge for their services. If a legal nurse consultant can manage to collect enough clients, it is possible to work entirely from home as a consultant. Since most correspondence takes place over the phone or through e-mail, the legal nurse consultant has a great deal of control over his or her schedule on a daily basis.