Frequently Asked Questions

The legal nurse consultant is a licensed, registered nurse who performs a critical analysis of clinical and administrative nursing practice, healthcare facts and issues and their outcomes for the legal profession, healthcare professions, consumers of healthcare and legal services, and others as appropriate.  With a strong educational and experiential foundation, the legal nurse consultant is qualified to assess adherence to standards and guidelines of healthcare practice as it applies to the nursing and healthcare profession.

Some of the activities legal nurse consultants may perform include:  identify standards of care, causation and damage issues; conduct client interviews; research  and summarize medical literature; prepare chronologies of medical events and compare and correlate them to the allegations; educate attorneys regarding medical facts and issues relevant to the case; locate, retain, and confer with expert witnesses; initial case screening for merit; organize medical records; assist with depositions and trials; identify regulatory requirements; and act as a liaison between attorneys, physicians, and clients.

Legal nurse consultants provide support in medically-related litigation and other medical-legal matters in the following areas:  medical negligence or malpractice; personal injury; product liability; toxic torts; worker’s compensation; risk management; medical licensure investigation; fraud; abuse and compliance issues; criminal law; elder law; and other applicable cases

Access the website of our national organization, the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) at:  www.aalnc.org.

Please click on the “Membership” button at the top of the screen regarding membership in the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of AALNC. Membership in the national organization is required for members joining at the local chapter level. 

Professional certification is available to legal nurse consultants through the Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC) program.  LNCC certification is similar to clinical certification, and the program is accredited by the American Board of Nursing Specialties.  The LNC who achieves this credential has met experience and education requirements, passed the certification exam, and is committed to this nursing specialty.  For more information about the LNCC certification, access the website for our national organization at www.aalnc.org and click on the link for certification.

For membership questions contact Nancy Barham, President at:nbarham@smithlaw.com.