Legal Nurse Consulting Certificate
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There is a nonrefundable application fee of $50 to declare candidacy in this program.
Contact Information
Learn more about the Legal Nurse Consulting Certificate program.
Professional Certificate in Legal Nurse Consulting
ONLINE PROGRAM
Become a liaison between the legal and health care professions by becoming a legal nurse consultant (LNC) through the Legal Nurse Consulting Certificate. LNCs, through nursing preparation and experience, assist attorneys in many ways, such as interpretation of medical information and by offering insight into compliance with standards of care and whether alleged wrongful acts are related to claimed injuries and damages. Course topics address LNC standards of practice, fundamentals of the law, the litigation process, report writing, ethics and testimony skills. Most LNCs are principals in private practice. Other employment opportunities include law firms specializing in personal injury, medical malpractice, toxic torts, product liability and workers' compensation, insurance companies, hospitals, government agencies, and risk management organizations.
Participants in the certificate program will:
- Review, analyze and interpret medical records and related medical documents and prepare reports succinctly summarizing that information.
- Act as a consultant on health care issues to attorneys in diverse legal settings.
- Identify standard of care issues and relationship to claimed injuries and damages.
- Develop and build a practice as an independent consultant and nursing expert witness.
Who Can Benefit?
This program is designed for registered nurses who are looking to explore new career paths. All courses provide California Board of Registered Nursing continuing education credit.
Course Schedule
| Required Courses (11.5 units) | Units | Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Legal Nurse Consulting | 1.0 |  | |||
| Medical Record Review, Analysis and Standards of Practice | 1.5 | | |||
| Report Writing for the Legal Nurse Consultant | 2.0 | | |||
| Introduction to Forensic Science in Health Care Settings | 3.0 | | | ||
| Courtroom Testimony by the Health Care Specialist | 1.0 | | | ||
| Establishing and Organizing a Practice as a Legal Nurse Consultant | 1.0 | | |||
| Clinical Ethics | 2.0 | | | ||
| Elective Courses (3 units) | Units | Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer |
| Introduction to Criminal Law and Procedure * | 3.0 | | | ||
| Fundamentals of Law for the Legal Professional | 4.0 | | | | |
| Tort Law | 3.0 | | | ||
| Civil Litigation and Procedures | 4.0 | | | ||
| Contract Law | 3.0 | | |
| * | Spring course offered online. Other listed elective courses are offered in the traditional classroom format. Transfer credit from an accredited institution may be accepted. See Completion Information for details. |
Completion Information
Completion Requirements
To earn the certificate, students must successfully complete (grade C or better) 14.5 units: 11.5 core units plus a minimum of three elective units of law-related coursework.
Completion Time
Each course is offered once per year, and it generally takes about 15 months to complete the program.
Cost
The cost for the certificate program ranges from approximately $3,300 to $3,500. This does not include textbooks or materials unless otherwise noted.
Prerequisites
To participate, you must be a registered nurse with at least an associate degree. You are also required to have an e-mail address and access to the Internet.
Transfer Credit
Equivalent law-related coursework from other accredited colleges and universities completed within the last five years will be considered only for elective units up to a total of three units. Official transcripts are required.
Instructors
Instructors
- Janet S. Barber-Duval, MSN, RN, is presently a Clinical Nurse Consultant: Hill-Rom in Batesville, Indiana.
- Cynthia Brewer, J.D., Deputy District Attorney, Riverside County District Attorney's office
- Penelope Jane Brown, RN, CCM, Owner, Health-Well Enterprises, Corona
- Lisa M. Cabrera, R.N., Utilization Management Manager, North American Medical Management, Murrieta
- Dennis M. Cota, J.D., Partner, Best, Best & Krieger LLP, Ontario
- Brian P. Foxworth, M.S., Hospice Chaplain, Charter Hospice, Colton
- Barry C. Hofeld, J.D., Senior Deputy District Attorney, (Ret.)
- Eileen S. Lemmon, R.N., M.S., Esq., Attorney at Law, Reback, McAndrews & Kjar, LLP, San Bernardino
- Karen Phillips, RN, JD, Snyder, Turner, Phillips & Ober, LLC., MA.
Instructor Opportunities
Interested in becoming an instructor at UCR Extension? Find out how.
Completion Information
Textbook Information
If a textbook is required, information is provided in the course listing when scheduled, on the confirmation you receive after enrolling, or by e-mail for an online class.
Delivery Method
All courses are offered online or with other distance education technology. Some courses may be scheduled in a Webcast format where the course is taught live at UCR Extension with a simultaneous online component (similar to a webinar or video conferencing), while some courses may be offered entirely online (no live presentation). Details are provided with the course information when the course is scheduled. To learn more about online courses at UCR Extension, visit our Online Course Information page.
Professional Credit
All courses provide California Board of Registered Nursing continuing education credit. UCR Extension is an accredited provider (#11713).
Advisory Board
- Penelope Jane Brown, M.S., RN, CCM, LNC, Owner, Health-Well Enterprises, Corona
- Marilyn Hughes, RN, LNC, UCR Extension Certificate in LNC graduate, Volunteer, Redlands Police Department
- Eileen S. Lemmon, RN, M.S., JD Attorney at Law, Reback, McAndrews & Kjar, LLP, San Bernardino
- Sally Shearer, RN, LNC, Nurse Educator, Asthma Program, Riverside County Department of Health
- Ginger Varca, B.A., RN, LNC, President, American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC)
Contact Information
Jennifer Campbell
(951) 827-5804
sciences@ucx.ucr.edu
