Legal nurse consultant
Encyclopedia
A legal nurse consultant (LNC) is a registered nurse
who uses expertise as a health care provider
and specialized training
to consult on medical-related legal case
s. LNCs assist attorneys
in reading medical record
s and understanding medical terminology and healthcare issues to achieve the best results for their clients. It has been claimed that Vickie Milazzo pioneered the field.
A legal nurse consultant bridges gaps in the attorney's knowledge. While the attorney is the expert on legal issues, the LNC is the expert on nursing
and the health care system. LNCs screen cases for merit, assist with discovery
; conduct the existing literature and medical research
; review medical records; identify standards of care
; prepare reports and summaries on the extent of injury or illness; create demonstrative evidence
; and locate or act as expert witness
es.
The legal nurse consultant acts as a specialized member of the litigation team whose professional contributions are often critical to achieving a fair and just outcome for all parties. There are several courses and certifications available for LNCs. Some offer basic education while others offers more comprehensive training. The LNC is paid for their education and years of experience in the medical field, not just their LNC certification or training, but having the training is suggested and being certified
as a LNC is suggested. Attorneys should seek out LNC for their expertise because of their training.
A LNC differs from a paralegal
in that a paralegal assists attorneys in the delivery of legal services and frequently requires a legal education
. Legal nurse consulting is defined as a specialty practice of nursing noting that the professional foundation is first and foremost, nursing. While many legal nurse consultants have acquired knowledge of the legal system, legal education is not a prerequisite to the practice of legal nurse consulting. A legal nurse consultant uses existing expertise as a health care professional to consult and educate clients on specific medical and nursing issues in their cases.
Registered nurse
A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
who uses expertise as a health care provider
Health care provider
A health care provider is an individual or an institution that provides preventive, curative, promotional or rehabilitative health care services in a systematic way to individuals, families or communities....
and specialized training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
to consult on medical-related legal case
Legal case
A legal case is a dispute between opposing parties resolved by a court, or by some equivalent legal process. A legal case may be either civil or criminal...
s. LNCs assist attorneys
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in reading medical record
Medical record
The terms medical record, health record, and medical chart are used somewhat interchangeably to describe the systematic documentation of a single patient's medical history and care across time within one particular health care provider's jurisdiction....
s and understanding medical terminology and healthcare issues to achieve the best results for their clients. It has been claimed that Vickie Milazzo pioneered the field.
A legal nurse consultant bridges gaps in the attorney's knowledge. While the attorney is the expert on legal issues, the LNC is the expert on nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
and the health care system. LNCs screen cases for merit, assist with discovery
Discovery (law)
In U.S.law, discovery is the pre-trial phase in a lawsuit in which each party, through the law of civil procedure, can obtain evidence from the opposing party by means of discovery devices including requests for answers to interrogatories, requests for production of documents, requests for...
; conduct the existing literature and medical research
Biomedical research
Biomedical research , in general simply known as medical research, is the basic research, applied research, or translational research conducted to aid and support the body of knowledge in the field of medicine...
; review medical records; identify standards of care
Standard of care
In tort law, the standard of care is the degree of prudence and caution required of an individual who is under a duty of care.The requirements of the standard are closely dependent on circumstances. Whether the standard of care has been breached is determined by the trier of fact, and is usually...
; prepare reports and summaries on the extent of injury or illness; create demonstrative evidence
Demonstrative evidence
Demonstrative evidence is evidence in the form of a representation of an object. This is, as opposed to, real evidence, testimony, or other forms of evidence used at trial.-Examples:...
; and locate or act as expert witness
Expert witness
An expert witness, professional witness or judicial expert is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially and legally...
es.
The legal nurse consultant acts as a specialized member of the litigation team whose professional contributions are often critical to achieving a fair and just outcome for all parties. There are several courses and certifications available for LNCs. Some offer basic education while others offers more comprehensive training. The LNC is paid for their education and years of experience in the medical field, not just their LNC certification or training, but having the training is suggested and being certified
Certification
Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit...
as a LNC is suggested. Attorneys should seek out LNC for their expertise because of their training.
A LNC differs from a paralegal
Paralegal
Paralegal is used in most jurisdictions to describe a paraprofessional who assists qualified lawyers in their legal work. This is true in the United States and many other countries. However, in Ontario, Canada, paralegals are licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, giving paralegals an...
in that a paralegal assists attorneys in the delivery of legal services and frequently requires a legal education
Legal education
Legal education is the education of individuals who intend to become legal professionals or those who simply intend to use their law degree to some end, either related to law or business...
. Legal nurse consulting is defined as a specialty practice of nursing noting that the professional foundation is first and foremost, nursing. While many legal nurse consultants have acquired knowledge of the legal system, legal education is not a prerequisite to the practice of legal nurse consulting. A legal nurse consultant uses existing expertise as a health care professional to consult and educate clients on specific medical and nursing issues in their cases.