This is a list of the Best Legal Nurse Consultant Programs. If you are interested in this career follow along to learn more!
There are many kinds of nurses, and many places for nurses in the criminal justice system, but legal nurse consulting is one of the most interesting and unusual nursing specializations. For those who enjoy auditing, organizing, and collecting medical records for legal reasons, a legal nurse consultant career could be an ideal career change. If you enjoy talking to people and explaining medical terminology or advocating for clients who feel they did not receive the highest standard of care, you might make a great LNC.
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Becoming a legal nursing consultant lets you use your knowledge and expertise to expose fraud or help clients win their cases against negligent practitioners. There are myriad opportunities to build up your practice in a new way. In most cases, RN credentials and an LNC course or certificate is all you need to move into a new career where nursing and criminal justice come together.
How We Ranked the Best Legal Nurse Consultant Programs
To rank legal nurse consultant programs, Criminal Justice Degree Hub editors searched for online and on-campus programs from respected, reputable institutions across the US. From there, programs were ranked according to the Cost, Salary Potential, and Student Reviews for the institution, using IPEDS and Niche data.
1. Duke University
The Legal Nurse Consulting Certificate at Duke University is one of the best legal nurse consultant programs in the country. In this program, registered nurses learn how to analyze health care issues and patient outcomes. This prepares nurses to work with hospitals, legal firms, long-term health care facilities, and other organizations that can benefit from their nursing expertise when it comes to legal issues.
This on-campus program is designed for working professionals who want to advance their careers and advance their education. All instructors are registered nurses who have experience working as legal nurse consultants. The Continuing Studies program at Duke includes many programs for busy professionals, and is designed to accommodate the needs of students who are working full-time.
Program: Legal Nurse Consulting Certificate
Format: Campus
2. Florida Atlantic University
The Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate at Florida Atlantic University is known as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs online in the South. The course prepares students to understand the basic concepts of legal nurse consulting. Students will learn litigation terminology to allow them to hold their own in conversations with legal experts, and they’ll work to understand how a legal nurse consultant can work in several settings.
This eight-week course of study is fantastic for starting a new career, and can also work to help you complete your continuing education requirements. At the end of the program, students will have 33 continuing education credits to use toward the requirements to keep an RN license in your state. Florida Atlantic University is dedicated to helping its students find work after graduation – the program requires that students secure a job interview prior to program completion.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate
Format: Online
3. SUNY Oswego
SUNY Oswego’s Nurse Consultant Course is known as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs in the Northeast. In this on-campus program, students learn legal concepts as they relate to the healthcare industry. Students study how a legal nurse can play a role in the litigation process, and learn the best practice rules for toxic torts, personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, workers’ compensation, and criminal law cases.
This accredited program is taught by medical and legal professionals who are dedicated to helping busy nurses thrive in their academic careers. This course provides registered nurses with 42 continuing education credits, making it a great way for nurses to get their required education while also opening up new potential career paths. Students at SUNY Oswego get the benefit of a 150-year-old academic institution with a long-standing reputation for excellence.
Program: Nurse Consultant Course
Format: Campus
4. University of Georgia
University of Georgia’s Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course is one of the best legal nurse consultant programs online. Graduates emerge ready to take on cases of toxic torts, product liability, personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, emotional distress, criminal law, and workers’ compensation.
At the University of Georgia, professors understand how tough it can be for busy nurses to further their education while also furthering their careers. This fully online program allows students to get the same education they would in the classroom, all while being able to learn at their own pace and on their own time. This program is a part of University of Georgia’s Center For Continuing Education – the school’s dedicated sector to ensure that students are able to work full time while also earning their education.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course
Format: Online
5. University of Alaska in Anchorage
The Legal Nurse Consultant Paralegal Certificate at University of Alaska in Anchorage is one of the best legal nurse consultant programs in the United States. During the program, nurses are able to learn legal information that complements their healthcare skills. While earning their paralegal certificate, nurses will learn via specialized coursework in legal processes, research, writing, computer applications, government regulations, health care law, and more.
While in the program, students learn from distinguished faculty who have expertise in a variety of disciplines across the healthcare and legal fields. Students also have the opportunity to use the UAA Consortium Library, a one-of-a-kind study space that grants students access to complex legal cases that can help to inform their learning. The University of Alaska in Anchorage has the initiative to encourage students to work to serve others. Students who contribute 50 pro bono service hours to people in need receive service honors, making them promising candidates in the career field after they graduate
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Paralegal Certificate
Format: Campus
6. University of California, Riverside
University of California, Riverside’s Legal Nurse Consulting Professional Certificate is one of the best legal nurse consultant programs online available today. In this program, registered nurses learn how to use their expertise to inform complex legal cases. Throughout the course of study, nurses learn how to serve as an expert witnesses while being questioned on the stand, how to draft documents, and how to summarize medical records in a way that makes them comprehensible to the judge and jury in a courtroom. Nurses also learn about the basics of the litigation process, making them an asset to any law firm after graduation. Graduates of this program have a solid understanding of report writing, ethics, testimony skills, and the standards of legal practice.
This program stands out from others due to the ability for students to specialize in an area of legal study. Students can choose from several specialty areas, including toxic torts, workers’ compensation, personal injury, or medical malpractice. Faculty are available to help students choose which specialty area makes the most sense for their future career goals. This fully online program is designed to help busy working professionals further their career while also earning their degree. Professors understand the unique challenges faced by working students and are available to help accommodate your needs.
Program: Legal Nurse Consulting Professional Certificate
Format: Online
7. UCSC Silicon Valley Extension
The Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension is known as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs available to nurses in the field today. In this program, registered nurses learn how to become experts in helping healthcare facilities, legal firms, and others invested in the law and healthcare to get the information they need to properly defend their constituents. Consulting nurses deal with medical/ legal concerns such as criminal custody cases, risk management, personal injury, workers’ compensation, case management, product liability, licensing board issues for healthcare professionals, insurance issues, and more.
This program is not only for registered nurses – the faculty and staff of the Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension also work to make this program applicable to other professions, such as pharmacy professionals, healthcare insurance professionals, and health management organization professionals. UCSC Silicon Valley boasts an esteemed group of faculty and prides itself on offering small group learning to students.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course
Format: Campus
8. Wake Forest University
Students at Wake Forest University’s Legal Nurse Consulting program are proud to be a part of one of the best legal nurse consultant programs online. While this program is still under development at Wake Forest, the program will work to train nurses to be able to act as an asset to healthcare cases in the courtroom. Graduates of this program will leave the program ready to analyze the facts of healthcare-related court cases, understand complicated legal issues as they relate to medical care, and understand the standards of care required of responsible medical professionals. Legal nurse consultants will be able to serve as an expert to consult with lawyers, or to speak as an expert witness during a court case.
This program is presented in a hybrid format, allowing students to continue working in nursing while also moving toward becoming a nurse consultant. The faculty at Wake Forest understand the unique challenges that students who work full time face while they’re working toward higher education, and the online program allows students to learn at their own pace, on their own time. This program allows the Wake Forest School of Medicine and School of Law to work together, and the program culminates in a mock trial at the School of Law.
Program: Legal Nurse Consulting
Format: Online
9. Sacred Heart University
One of the best legal nurse consultant programs in the United States, Sacred Heart University’s Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course prepares nurses and other healthcare professionals with the skills and knowledge they need to be an asset to a law firm or a legal department of a healthcare organization. Professionals who go through this course will also be prepared to work with advocacy organizations, fighting for people who have not received the healthcare treatment they deserve. They may also work with insurance companies or governmental organizations that work to help people get the healthcare they need.
While this course is geared toward nurses, many medical professionals can benefit from enrollment. Physician’s assistants, people who are interested in forensic testimony, and others who want to learn more about how the world of medicine and law interact are welcome to enroll in the course to learn more about how the can fight for the rights of people who need legal assistance when it comes to healthcare. Sacred Heart University focuses heavily on service learning, and encourages students to get involved in the community to spend time helping others.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course
Format: Campus
10. East Carolina University
East Carolina University’s Nurse Consultant Training Course is one of the best legal nurse consultant programs online. Students in this program engage in several courses to help them become legal nurse consultants, including legal nurse consultant practice areas and legal theory, introduction to legal writing, ethics for legal nurse consultants, and more. This program is offered completely online, reflecting East Carolina University’s commitment to helping working professionals further their education.
This fully online program is a great fit for both nurses and physician’s assistants who are interested in working with healthcare organizations, legal firms, insurance companies, and other organizations that could benefit from their advice and expert testimony. In addition to providing healthcare professionals with a potential new career avenue, this program also provides 42 continuing education credits that can be used toward licensing requirements.
Program: Nurse Consultant Training Course
Format: Online
11. University of Rochester
The Legal Nurse Consultant Course at University of Rochester is one of the best legal nurse consultant programs available today. During this course, healthcare professionals learn about several different legal issues in the healthcare industry, including criminal law, workers’ compensation, wrongful death, medical malpractice, toxic torts, and more. This hybrid course allows students to get the face to face interaction that comes with a traditional classroom experience while also enjoying the flexibility that comes with an online learning program.
This course is taught by Alexa Schneider, PhD, RN, FNP, LNCC. She’s enthusiastic about sharing her experience as both a nurse and a legal nurse consultant with her students. She understands that most of her students are working full time nursing jobs while furthering their education, and she thrives on helping her students find a balance between their professional life and completing their continuing education courses.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Course
Format: Campus
12. North Carolina State University
Known as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs online, North Carolina State University’s Legal Nurse Consultant Training prepares nurses, physician’s assistants and other healthcare professionals to work in several settings, including insurance companies, the legal office of healthcare organizations, law firms, and more. Students in this course learn complicated legal concepts within the healthcare industry, including how a legal nurse consultant can assist law professionals with cases involving toxic torts, medical malpractice, criminal law, wrongful death, personal injury, workers’ compensation, and more.
This online program is a fantastic fit for students who need a flexible schedule while also working toward furthering their career options. Students will have the opportunity to explore myriad course objectives, becoming fully prepared to use their knowledge in the courtroom. This self-paced program is perfect for busy students who need to complete their learning on their own time.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Training
Format: Online
13. Louisiana State University
The Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate at Louisiana State University is one of the best legal nurse consultant programs online, this course allows nurses to focus on developing their perspectives on medicine in a way that makes them an asset to legal teams. Nurses in this program will learn how to shape their knowledge in a way that allows them to assist lawyers and act as expert witnesses during legal cases.
This certification course is run fully online by a Louisiana State University nursing faculty member who has years of legal nursing experience working with law firms. This means students can ask questions and learn from someone who has been there in the real world and understands the nuances that come with working with law firms. This program is self-paced, allowing students to move through lessons as they have spare time. For nurses with unusual schedules, this can be the key to making it through an educational program and being able to thrive at work.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate
Format: Online
14. Wilmington University
The Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate and DNP program at Wilmington University is widely respected as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs available to students today. Students in this program learn how to become experts in how nursing can be applied to legal issues. In this program, students use intense critical thinking skills to apply their nursing knowledge to complicated legal cases.
In this program, students become legal nurse consultants and earn their doctor of nursing practice at the same time. This gives students additional credibility when testifying in the courtroom, and can be the first step toward becoming a highly sought after expert witness for nursing-related cases. Wilmington University understands how hard it can be for nurses to fit their education into their busy nursing schedule. The certification is offered completely online in a seven week block, making it fast and simple for students to earn their certification.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate and DNP
Format: Campus
15. California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach’s Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course is widely known as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs available today. Students in this program learn a variety of legal and nursing disciplines, including criminal law, wrongful death product liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, personal liability, workers’ compensation, and more.
Students who graduate from this program will be well prepared to advise health care providers, law firms, insurance companies, governmental agencies, and others on legal issues. California State University produces well rounded graduates who are ready to act as legal nurse consultants in many settings. Students in this course get the benefit of interacting with one another via online message boards, making it simple to learn from other nursing professionals.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course
Format: Campus
16. University of Arizona
The Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course at University of Arizona is known as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs online in the Southwest region of the United States. Students in this course learn how to take complicated nursing concepts and explain them in ways that the average person without a medical education can understand. This allows nurses in this program to act as expert witnesses and provide advice to people in legal professions. This program is beneficial to both registered nurses and physician’s assistants, as well as people who are interested in going into forensic testimony.
This online program gives busy nurses the flexibility they need to pursue their higher education while also continuing to advance their careers. The course is seven weeks long and provides 42 clock hours of instruction and learning, making it an intense but doable course of study for nurses who are working full time. The University of Arizona works hard to provide students with the financial help they need to move forward with their education and has a generous scholarship and grant program.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course
Format: Online
17. NHTI
The Legal Nurse Consultant program at NHTI is known as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs available today. After graduating from this program, students are well prepared with the legal skills they need to begin a successful career in the law field.
This program is geared toward busy professionals and faculty understand that work and family responsibilities may need to be accommodated. Faculty members are able to give students firsthand knowledge on their experience transitioning from direct patient care to the legal field. This community college option is a great way for nurses to get their nurse consultant education at a reasonable price.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant
Format: Campus
18. Widener University
Widener University’s Legal Nurse Consultant program is likely to be one of the best legal nurse consultant programs available to professionals in healthcare. While the program is still in development, check back soon for more information on how Widener is creating a top of the line nurse consultant program.
Students at Widener Delaware Law talk about how much they enjoy their professors, and how willing faculty are to go the extra mile to ensure their success. Many consulting nurses also work as expert witnesses, helping to explain complex medical concepts to judges and juries. Some graduates of this program go on to work for law firms, others go on to be independent contractors, and others go on to work for the legal departments of healthcare facilities.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant
Format: Campus (under revision)
19. Johnson County Community College
The Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate program at Johnson County Community College is one of the best legal nurse consultant programs available to nurses today. The program focuses on documentation, writing reports, participating in trials, and how to perform legal research. Graduates are prepared to work in several settings, including at hospitals, law firms, and advocacy organizations.
The program focuses on two different roles for nurse consultants: a consulting expert, and a testifying expert. Both of these pieces can work together, but the path to expertise can be quite different for each discipline. This community college option is an way for nurses to get the high quality education they need at a reasonable price.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate
Format: Campus
20. Essex County College
Known as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs, the Nurse Paralegal Certificate program at Essex County College focuses on several topics, including medical ethics, administrative law, advanced legal research and writing, torts, litigation procedures and more. Graduates emerge from the program ready to help legal professionals and healthcare organizations in the courtroom either as an advisor or as expert witnesses.
This program is offered on a part time basis. Essex understands that most students who are earning their certifications are working full time, and need flexible options in order to fulfill their educational requirements. Essex is committed to helping adults get the education they need to move forward in their careers. Many students who complete this program go on to pursue higher degrees in legal studies.
Program: Nurse Paralegal Certificate
Format: Campus
21. Bergen Community College
Bergen Community College’s Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate is one of the best legal nurse consultant programs available to healthcare professionals today. Graduates of this program are prepared to apply a variety of skills to legal cases, including legal research, interviewing, investigation, document drafting, filing motions, and more. Students are also able to understand what the legal community needs from them as expert witnesses. This program helps students deliver testimony effectively, speaking in a way that’s professional yet simple for people who do not have an advanced medical education to understand.
At Bergen, communication skills are a key focus. Students are expected to understand how to act as liaison between hospitals, attorneys, and others involved in a case. Professionalism is key, as is communicating consistently and effectively. Students at Bergen are also trained in the latest technology used by law offices, allowing them to jump in headfirst when they get their first job as legal nurse consultants. Bergen Community College is committed to providing healthcare professionals with the education they need to excel at a reasonable price.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate
Format: Campus
22. Brandman University
Legal Nurse Consultant Training at Brandman University is known in the nursing world as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs. Both nurses and physician’s assistants can benefit from this class. All students learn about how legal concepts intertwine with healthcare in areas including personal injury, wrongful death, criminal law, and more. Students who are interested in medical forensics may also benefit from this course.
This course provides students with 42 hours of continuing education, making this program a perfect fit for busy students who want to further their career options while also going through the necessary continuing education hours in order to renew their nursing license. Brandman University is dedicated to helping busy adults achieve their education and focuses exclusively on helping nontraditional students go back to school and earn their degree/ certification.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Training
Format: Campus
23. University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama’s Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate is one of the best legal nurse consultant programs. In this program, students learn how to work with lawyers and healthcare organizations to provide legal consulting in a variety of areas, including medical malpractice, workers’ compensation, personal liability, and more.
This program requires students to complete a 24-hour practicum, allowing them to show that they’re able to use the information they’ve learned in a real-life setting. The preparation for their practicum allows students to dive into the information from class and comprehend how to apply it to everyday work scenarios. This course is led by Tonia Aiken, R.N., J.D.. She has extensive experience working in medical malpractice, representing nurses in disciplinary matters, and providing advice on healthcare issues to legal professionals.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate
Format: Online
24. Mississippi State University
The Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course at Mississippi State University is known as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs. Students learn the latest in legal nursing standards, as well as the standard of care for other medical disciplines. This knowledge allows graduates to work as advisors to attorneys and as expert witnesses in cases that pertain to medical care.
This is an accelerated course, and extensions are not granted on assignments for any reason. Students who plan to enroll in this course need to make sure that they have the time in their schedule to keep up with the rigorous demands of the program. Offered in partnership with MSU’s Center for Legal Studies, students get the benefit of interacting with both nursing and law faculty.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Training Course
Format: Online
25. Washington Online Learning Institute
Known as one of the best legal nurse consultant programs online, Washington Online Learning Institute’s Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate prepares nurses to work to provide expert counsel to insurance companies, healthcare organizations, and law firms in the area of medical care. Students in this program learn legal terminology, testimony skills, and more.
Washington Online Learning Institute allows students to choose from a standard four-month-long Legal Nurse Consultant program and a seven-month-long Senior Legal Nurse Consultant program. As a university that functions completely online, Washington Online Learning Institute is constantly working to develop the best methods for teaching students online.
Program: Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate
Format: Online
Why Should I Get a Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate?
If you are wondering about the potential benefits of getting a legal nurse consultant certificate, they are as follows:
- Be your Own Boss: One of the top benefits of getting a legal nurse consultant certificate is that it allows you to be your own boss. By simply obtaining this certificate, you can work as little or as much as you want. Additionally, you are in control of the types of cases you choose to take on and how things are done in terms of daily operations. You can decide if you want to work days, nights, weekends, holidays, etc., it is all up to you.
- Financial Security: While you can arguably achieve some degree of financial security as a nurse in general, getting a legal nurse consultant certificate will help you take your income to the next level. Given that experts assert that up to 40% of nurses feel they are not being fairly compensated, it only makes sense that you should be doing more to secure your financial future. A legal nurse consultant certificate will allow you to have much more control over how much you are earning.
- Less Stress: Although stress is considered to be a major part of working in the medical field, those who acquire legal nurse consultant certificates seem to be less stressed out in general. This is not only because they are able to set their own schedules and control how much money they are making, but also because they are not being demeaned, as they are able to choose who they work with and how, and also because they are not forced into taking on more patients than they feel they can handle.
- More Challenges: Although many people fear challenges, a nurse is often one who enjoys being challenged on a regular basis. However, when they are working as RN’s in the typical hospital setting, they may begin to feel like they are being stifled and that their daily duties have become mundane. By acquiring a legal nurse certificate, you can avoid this issue and make your workday as exciting as you would like for it to be.
How Much Can I Make as an LNC or Nurse Paralegal?
If you are considering whether you should become an LNC or a nurse paralegal, the salary will likely play a major role in your decision-making process. The following is an overview of the potential salaries for each of these positions:
- Nurse Attorney Salary: If you are considering becoming a nurse attorney, the average nurse attorney salary varies depending on the type of clients you have and how often you choose to work. However, a nurse attorney’s salary can range from $55,092 to $211,399.
- Legal Nurse Consultant Salary: On the other hand, a legal nurse salary can range from $55,092 to $211,399, depending on experience. The amount you make depends on where you work, what organization you are affiliated with, and whether you choose to be self-employed or work for others.
- Nurse Paralegal Salary: The salary of a nurse paralegal depends on a variety of factors. In general, the average nurse paralegal salary is between $75 to $100 per hour. While experts can make up to $150 per hour. Many nurse paralegals earn between $60,000 and $80,000 per year.
Are There Lots of Jobs for LNCs and Nurse Paralegals?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing positions of all kinds will grow by 16% by the year 2024. This is much faster than the average profession and will make it easy for both LNCs and nurse paralegals to find gainful employment. Therefore, while there are no particular stats for legal nurse consultant jobs, this is still a promising career track for those interested in this field.
On the other hand, while there are also not very many particulars on the job outlook for nurse paralegals, in particular, the BLS asserts that paralegal jobs will grow by 12% between the years of 2018 and 2028. Moreover, there are even remote nurse paralegal jobs, which is making even more opportunities for those interested in working in the field. Therefore, if you are looking for a nurse paralegal job, you have a great chance of securing one.
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