LNC Certification

In order to become a legal nurse consultant, you will first need to be licensed as a registered nurse in one or more municipalities. (If your primary residence is in one of the 24 Nurse Compact states, you are able to practice in any of them.) Licensure requires graduating from an board of nursing approved program and passing the NCLEX-RN exam. When you have completed course requirements, you will receive an Authorization To Test.

After you have been practicing a couple years, you can begin earning professional certifications. Certification is not a legal requirement in the sense that licensing is. However; this is a testament to your professional skill and can help you move up the career ladder, earning promotions and taking on more advanced roles. Many nurses pursue specialty certifications like legal nurse consulting after having worked in medical-surgical nursing. You can earn certification in just about any area you find yourself working in — it takes a couple years of practice to earn most specialty certifications.

Certification as a legal nurse consultant is available through the American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board. It’s not necessary to have the certification in hand to begin work as a legal nurse consultant; in fact, you need 2,000 hours of experience to receive the certification. It may, however, help you along your career path.

60 contact hours of credit should be earned each renewal period. You may earn contact hours through continuing education or college classes or by professional activities.