Certificate in Legal Nurse Consultant
This innovative program trains registered nurses to work in law, either as a new primary career or as a complement to an ongoing career in nursing. The program supplements the students' nursing knowledge and skills with legal expertise so that these specialized nurses can work in areas where law and medicine overlap, such as lawsuits involving medical issues, risk management, and life care planning.
The faculty members are nurse attorneys, practicing lawyers, legal nurse consultants, and paralegals who work in medical malpractice, toxic torts, pharmaceutical litigation and the like. Many are active in The American Association of Nurse Attorneys and the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants.
The legal nurse consulting field is fairly new and growing rapidly as lawyers, health care entities, and insurance companies see the benefits of the blended knowledge of LNCs. Placement assistance and counseling is available.
Students are required to have 56 semester units of college work upon admission, including at least 18 units of academic general education work. A baccalaureate degree in nursing or a health-related area is recommended. Students must also be Registered Nurses with at least two years or 4000 hours of clinical experience.
Legal Nurse Consultant work requires strong writing skills. Certificate students who do not have a baccalaureate degree must pass the JEPET before the completion of nine units in the program or pass the course ENG 414, Elements of Writing.
The curriculum consists of the following six courses, all of which are required for graduation.
| PLS 300 | Introduction to Law/Civil Procedure |
| PLS 320 | Legal Research and Writing |
| PLS 395 | Pleadings and Motions |
| PLS 305 | Investigation, Discovery and Trial Preparation |
| PLS 310 | Communication Skills and Legal Ethics |
| NURS 602 | Principles and Practice for Legal Nurse Consultants |