One thing about legal nurse consultants that you have to be aware of is the fact that they are professionals who evaluate and analyze facts, and at the same time, render informed opinions relevant to the delivery of healthcare services as well as outcomes. With a strong foundation that is based on experience and education, legal nurse consultants are qualified to assess adherence to guidelines and standards of nursing practice. These professionals can also be used when it comes to litigation, other than medical malpractice, like matrimonial cases, will disputes, product liability, toxic tort, and personal injury as well. Legal nurse consultants are known for being a licensed registered nurse. They perform critical analyses on clinical as well as administrative practice, healthcare facts and issues, and also, their possible outcomes. These services are provided to different entities like consumers of healthcare and legal services, healthcare professions, legal professions, and others as necessary. The services of these consultants are deep rooted in their expertise as nurses. The Association of Legal Nurse Consultants has defined legal nurse consulting as a specialty practice of the nursing profession, a particular position that is endorsed by the Nurses Association of two thousand and six.
Another thing about legal nurse consultants that you must be aware of is the fact that they are present in many settings, including insurance companies, federal and state agencies, risk manager’s office, defense or plaintiff firms, and the likes. There are several legal nurse consultants out there who are self-employed (which are pertained to as independents), and they provide services to clients on both sides of the bar. You need to know that legal nurse consultants are not paralegals. There is some role confusion that exists between the difference in functions and preparations of paralegals and legal nurse consultants. According to their definition, both professionals are qualified and certified by work experience, training, or education which enables them to do legal works that are specifically delegated and substantive, for which lawyers are responsible. There are several legal education out there that are typically a requirement for paralegals. Paralegals are said to learn about technical litigation support, civil litigation, legal writing, torts, legal research, and general law as well. What we are trying to say here is that paralegals have some sort of education regarding the law, while legal nurse consultants are nurses who developed expertise in assisting attorneys regarding medical issues.
Albeit the fact that there are many legal nurse consultants who acquire knowledge regarding the legal system by means of using experiences like consulting with attorneys, and at the same time, attending legal education and seminars, know that all these things are not prerequisites for the independent practice of these professionals. Professional healthcare experience and nursing education are what make legal nurse consultants unique and valuable partners in legal processes.
There are so many things that we want you to know regarding legal nursing consultants, but we make sure to deliver information that is necessary and important for you to be aware of.