Legal
Nurse Consultant Certificate
Curriculum
All eight
modules must be completed for the certificate.
The Role of the Legal Nurse Consultant
The focus
of this module is to understand the function of law in society
and how nursing knowledge, practice, and skill are applied
to the context of legal issues. The transition of the nurse
to the role of a consultant is explored. The student is introduced
to a variety of roles that nurses perform within the scope
and practice of a legal nurse consultant.
Basic Law for Nurses
Participants
gain a basic understanding of legal principles and the litigation
process, from the filing of an initial complaint through discovery
and disclosure, to resolution through settlement, mediation,
arbitration, or trial. Topics
include:
- Civil
and criminal cases
- Sources
of law and authority
- Types
of cases and their elements
- Case
analysis and evaluation
- Subpoenas
and witnesses
- Use
of experts
- Depositions
- Motion
practice
- Trial
practice
Outlines
the role of the legal nurse consultant as a certified nursing
specialty, and explores the environments in which LNCs may
practice, including risk management, the insurance industry,
law firms, medical bill and statement auditing and solo and
group practice.
Courtroom Preparation and Technology
Participants
learn about the presentation of evidence using document cameras,
presentation software, projector devices, and smart boards.
Includes discussion on the impact of these presentation methods
on a jury.
Health Care Law
Exploration
of legal issues in health care. Discussion of governmental
regulation, managed care organizations, hospital risk management,
insurance, the right to refuse medical treatment, and assisted
suicide.
Legal Research and Writing for RNs
Taught
by a practicing attorney, this module gives students the fundamentals
of basic legal research and writing. Participants learn to
use accepted legal writing style and format for medical evidence
and issues. Emphasis is on documents and reports used in the
insurance, health-care, and medical malpractice arenas.
Medical Record Review and Chronology
The module
teaches how to review medical records, extracting medical
evidence for malpractice purposes. Participants learn where
and how to acquire or locate evidence and to understand the
contexts in which attorneys or insurance companies will use
this information.
Demonstrative Evidence
Learn
how to visually present factual information to help people
understand the medical aspects of a case. Conduct research
on the Internet to find exhibit materials. Prepare a deposition
or trial exhibit and present it to a jury.
Putting All the Pieces Together for Legal
Nurse Consulting Practice
Based
upon the information and skills gained from this program,
the legal nurse consultant will learn how to start a consulting
business: start-up principles, entry into business, entrepreneurship,
and establishing the day-to-day management for success in
private practice. Life care planning also will be covered.
This is an important and dynamic process that has significant
legal and clinical value and has recently emerged as a new
specialty in health care. The combination of legal nurse consulting
and life care planning knowledge enhances the potential for
success as a nurse entrepreneur. Knowledge of the ethical
and legal issues of life care planning will be reviewed as
a legal instrument in the courts and other legal settings.
Steps in developing the life care plan will include the present
and future lifetime needs and associated cost for the life
expectancy of individuals with catastrophic injury or long-term
chronic health needs. The final class will be a mock trial,
which will take place in an e-courtroom setting where students,
faculty, and legal experts will argue a nursing malpractice
case to allow students to prepare for future practice.
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