The questions that sound important are not always the questions that lead to the best results.
The Common Mistake
Many nurses start by looking for certifications, accreditations, the cheapest course, a college course, or the most popular course. Those may seem like the best route, but they do not automatically help you get cases and earn income as a Legal Nurse Consultant. Many don't focus on ensuring you have all the training, tools, and resources you will need to be fully prepared.
The Better Approach
Instead of just looking for a certificate or certification, look for the program that is specifically focused on preparing you to earn income as a Legal Nurse. The results and outcome is what will matter most in your Legal Nurse career.
The Wrong Questions Aspiring Legal Nurses Often Ask
These questions are understandable, but they can lead you to compare the wrong things when choosing Legal Nurse Consultant training, which can make it much more difficult to get cases and earn income.
Which certification is accredited?
A certification is good to have, but they are not required in this field. Attorneys are mainly interested your medical expertise. Based on our experience and the feedback of our manay graduates over the years, attorneys are rarely concerned with the Legal Nurse credential you choose, or what organization they received an accreditation through.
Which course is the cheapest?
Cheap courses tend to cost more in the long run because they are missing key components, which makes it more difficult to get your first case. If you can't get a case, you can't recover your initial expense, so the money you spend is a loss.
Which program is the most popular?
Name recognition does not automatically mean better training, better support, or better outcomes for Nurses who want to become working LNCs. It typically just means that they have a large budget for marketing their program.
Which program has the most graduates?
The number of graduates still doesn't tell you how well the graduates are doing when it comes time to get cases and earn income.
The Questions That Lead To Better Results
To get the most positive outcome for your Legal Nurse career, ask these questions instead.
What is the track record of the program?
Find out how long they have been involved in the Legal Nurse field, determine if their values are in the best interests of their graduates, and find out if their graduates have been involved in any landmark cases.
Is the program focused on results, or is it just selling a certification?
You can easily determine the motivations of a program just buy reading through their website. Are they promoting results for their graduates, or are they promoting the prestige of their brand?
How comprehensive is the curriculum?
You need to ensure that you are fully prepared and know exactly what to do to make the transition. That is achieved using comprehensive training. The easiest way to determine the comprehensiveness of a program is to compare the number of contact hours included. Some only offer 40 hours while others offer as much as 120 hours.
Is the instructor a practicing Legal Nurse?
The best instructors have been in your shoes, and practice what they preach. Courses taught by attorneys often lack the nursing perspective and focus too much on law. You are not trying to become an attorney. You simply need to learn how to apply your medical expertise to the legal field.
What is the success rate of the graduates?
Find out what percentage of a program's graduates get cases. If they can't provide or publish that information, you can assume their success rate is low.
Will this program include practice on real cases?
Report writing is one of the key skills that will make attorneys appreciate your expertise, and give you more cases. Look for programs that teach you how to write an impressive paperless report using real practice on your computer.
Is Mentoring Included and Unlimited?
Since you will be trying something new, you will come across questions and problems. Mentoring is the key for getting the help you need to work through those problems and continue your progress. You will need mentoring most after you complete your training while you are trying to get or work cases. Find a program that includes mentoring without limitations or extra fees. Without this, your Legal Nurse career may stall if you have a problem and can't get support.
Does it include effective systems for finding cases?
This is the area where most Nurses are unfamiliar, and it is also that area where most programs fall short. It is vital for earning money as a Legal Nurse. Find a program that includes a researched and proven system that shows you how to utilize many forms of marketing to find cases.
Are prices hidden or is there full transparency?
If the price of a program is not listed in their website, they are probably hiding your final cost. That lack of transparency can be considered a red flag.
Do they make marketing tools for you?
Nurses are not marketing experts, so it is important to use marketing experts who understand this field to make your marketing tools. Find a program that will make your marketing tools for you and ensure that they are designed specifically for marketing to attorneys.
Can they make customizable marketing tools for you?
The most effective marketing for Legal Nurse Consultants includes your own custom business identity. Your practice will look much more professional and eye-catching to attorneys if you have a unique identity that represents your practice.
Do they offer everything I need in one package?
Some organizations only offer individual components, such as mentorships, but you still may not walk away with everything you'll need to begin practicing. All-in-one packages are the way to go because it keeps your startup cost predictable. It can be more expensive overall if you purchase items individually down the road.
Why Results Should Be Your Main Focus
Most Nurses do not look into Legal Nurse Consulting because they simply want another credential. They want a new professional path, more flexibility, another source of income, and a new way to utilize their medical expertise. Legal Nurse certification is not required and does not automatically lead to income.
That is why the best Legal Nurse Consultant training should focus on practical outcomes. It should help you build case skills, understand attorney needs, learn how to find cases, and feel prepared to pursue paid opportunities.
LNC STAT is specifically designed to show you the easiest path to earning real income as a Legal Nurse.
- Unmatched success rate track record
- Up to 95% of graduates earn income
- Comprehensive step-by-step training
- Clear roadmap to earning income
- Real case practice
- Researched and proven marketing systems
- Marketing tools made for you
- Unlimited Mentoring
- All-In-One packages with transparent pricing
About the information on this page
The statistics and observations on this page are based on LNC STAT's proprietary graduate data and the authors' direct experience training legal nurses and working with attorneys.