The Role of the Legal Nurse Consultant
A legal nurse consultant is a registered nurse who has acquired knowledge surrounding principles and practice areas not typically covered in nursing school or held by general practicing attorneys. As a legal nurse consultant, you will bridge the gap between the legal and health care systems and facilitate the resolution of medical-related cases. You will assist attorneys in analyzing medical records, understand medical terminology and translate this medical speak for judges, juries and other legal professionals.
Other duties of the legal nurse consultant include reviewing and standardizing medical records, creating chronologies, summarizing the medical aspects of a case, querying and interviewing parties to the case as well as developing medical illustrations and trial exhibits . You will also educate attorneys and their clients on medical terminology and identifying deviations from standards of care.
Current healthcare regulations and requirements are made quite complex by the overload of information available to end users. Oftentimes, lawyers are overwhelmed by the facts and heavy regulation-related language, especially in the field of health care. You will help these attorneys quickly break down this information so that it is easily understandable.
If you are considering the legal nurse consultant certification exam, we recommend you first consider your familiarity with the legal system. If you practice in a broader capacity and have a general understanding of the legal industry, you are already ahead of the game. During the certification exam, you will be tasked with demonstrating an awareness of standard care practices, deviations and professional responsibility.
Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Exam Applicants
Eligibility to sit for the legal nurse consultant certification examination is limited to those who have practice experience and/or education as follows: Practice Experience: A licensed or licensed-eligible registered nurse may sit for the certification examination after acquiring a minimum of two years of practice experience as a legal nurse consultant. OR Education: A graduate of an accredited school of nursing or a post-baccalaureate degree in any field (undergraduate or graduate), who has acquired a minimum of 60 hours of education and/or training in the area of legal nurse consulting. This education and experience must have been completed within 5 years preceding application.
Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Exam Format
The legal nurse consultant certification exam is a computer-based assessment that is divided into five main sections. The exam begins with a series of pre-test questions that are not scored but used by the test publishers to ensure fairness and objectivity. This is followed by 175 scored questions.
The examinee will be asked to answer 40 questions related to the body of knowledge for legal nurse consultants, which includes the practice and the environmental responsibilities of LNCs. These questions may include areas such as:
- nursing roles in the legal system
- health care / medical device litigation
- client management
- case management
- expert testimony
- forensic interviewing and investigation
- medical malpractice (case management)
- nurse practice issues
- legal issues in nursing
- administrative / home health
- infectious disease
- long term care
- psychological / mental health
- pediatrics
- health law and legislation
- history and scope of legal nurse consulting
- legal research
- the litigation process
A series of 135 questions focuses on the competencies areas. The main categories are:
- scope of practice
- general competency
- administrative
- evaluation of clinical evidence
- investigation and research
- personal safety and the safety of others
- case management
- litigation support
- medication
- forensics
- professional networking and marketing
- communication
Of the 175 questions being asked, examinees will find a number of true / false, multiple choice questions, case studies, and matching questions.
Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Exam Preparation
To be successful on the certification exam, it is important to start your exam preparation as early as possible. Several months in advance of your exam, familiarize yourself with the content outline on the CLNC website. This will provide the basic format and outline for the certification exam. If you have gone through the LNC certification process and made sure you have addressed the high and medium priority items in the outline, you should be in good shape for the exam. The outline on the CLNC website also provides questions that are available in the AALNC Core Curriculum Review Manual.
In addition to the AALNC Core Curriculum Review Manual, various other resources are available: The AALNC Core Curriculum Review Manual has 64 sample questions, and the CLNC review board has made available the following additional resources: Master the content outline, practice with sample questions, and familiarize yourself with the test day procedures to make the exam process less daunting. Approaching the certification exam with the knowledge that you have sufficient experience, and that these resources are available to help you review, will go a long way in helping you stay calm and collected during the exam.
Common Problems on the Certified Legal Nurse Consultant Exam
The decision to pursue your LNC certification can be a tough one, but even more challenging can be the study and preparation. The Certification Exam tests your knowledge of your LNC duties and the performance standards. Some test-takers are surprised to find out that the exam is not limited to discrete topics. Rather, each question requires the candidate to draw on his or her knowledge and practical experience and to apply that information to the question.
A common challenge for candidates is honing in on the precise information that is needed to answer a question correctly. Too often, candidates will make assumptions about the best answer or feel that they are being forced to choose one best answer when several answers are technically correct. Take the time to read each answer choice carefully and consider what makes it correct or incorrect in context to the question. Then eliminate all but the most obvious wrong answers before selecting your final choice. This approach will help you avoid wasting time to validate correct answers while quietly frustrating you .
Sometimes, candidates will memorize facts during their studies, but have a difficult time applying what they have learned to hypothetical scenarios that are presented in the exam. You will need factual knowledge to answer questions correctly, but you must also be able to apply what you know to any given test question. For example, make sure you are familiar with common medical abbreviations and terms. This will set you up to apply that knowledge to the questions. Consider making flash cards or using another method for memorizing factual information so that you can concentrate on answering the questions. However, do not overdo it; do not pin this information to the walls of your home where you will see it over and over again. Learn the information but do not attempt to retain it all permanently.
One of the most difficult challenges for test-takers is the time constraint. There are 150 questions across three topic areas, and you may have just three hours to answer all of them. A good practice test simulation, administered under exam conditions, will help you determine if you need to work on your time management.
Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Advantages
Benefits of Certification for the Legal Nurse Consultant
For legal nurse consultants, certification is the apotheosis of a process of professional development. It is the culmination of years spent immersing one’s self in medical issues and the nuances of the law. It is setting yourself apart from the pack; separating yourself from the average legal nurse consultant. Certification is more than a badge hung on your office wall to reassure others. It is a way of translating the professional, personal and educational investment of time and sleepless nights to a living, breathing form. It gives others a tangible means of judging your professionalism and an indication of your dedication to your profession.
Certified legal nurse consultants have taken the next step beyond having their nursing license. They are differentiated in their profession from other nurses and legal nurse consultants who have not taken the extra step of receiving certification. In essence, CLNCs may advertise themselves as being the experts among legal nurse consultants when they have certification.
A certified legal nurse consultant can have significant advantages in the competitive business world. Oftentimes, it is an advantage that sets you apart from competitors in the marketplace. It provides a layer of comfort that others may seek from those who are certified in a field. A case in point is in the difference between doctors and nurses in the field of their respective professions. While the licensing and education of nurses and doctors may be closely comparable, it is the board certification via specialized groups that differentiates the two professions. While nurses are approximately at the same level of education as doctors or dentists, certification distinguishes them.
Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Maintenance
Upon passing the Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Exam, the legal nurse consultant can call herself a Board Certified Legal Nurse Consultant (CLNC). CLNCs must complete 16 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain their certification. The certification period runs from January 1 of the year following a candidate’s successful completion of the CLNC exam through December 31 of the year following.
The LNC Certification program will accept any learning opportunity germane to the practice of legal nurse consulting that promotes and furthers the legal nurse consulting field of study and methods of practice. Practicums, distance learning through audio, video or streaming media and webinars are all acceptable types of CEUs .
A standing committee, the Continuing Education Committee, conducts an annual audit of a random sample of certified legal nurse consultants for compliance with the CEU requirement. However, CLNCs are required to maintain documentation of activities used for CEU credits for at least three years from the end of the applicable two-year certification cycle.
State bar associations and other professional organizations offer credit or even free hours for LNCs who attend pertinent sessions. LNCs can also take free online courses, webinars or audiocasts to earn credits. Professional and trade publications (industry associations, journals and web sites) often list the most up-to-date LNC information on how to receive credits.
