Question for any LAWYERS?

I am interested in Legal Nurse Consulting specializing in Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, and Nursery (I am an RN, working to get certified as a midwife). Do you as attorneys use LNC's often? What do you look for in an LNC? Do you hire them to work for your office (do you advertise this position), or do you think it is better for an LNC to freelance? Please any information you have regarding this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[houseelf]

I can offer very little help on this one--the main thrust of my work is family, criminal, small claims, and a tad bit of civil (only if I can't get out of it). However, I am working on a major medical malpractice claim involving an alleged failure to diagnose a pulmonary embolism. I am able to offer just a little insight on the fusion of medicine and law in the courtroom context. In Minnesota and many other states, a nurse can qualify as an expert witnesses BUT an expert witness may only offer an opinion for a field in which they are qualified. In practical terms this means that a nurse may only offer an opinion on the applicable standard of nursing care. This distinction is more important than you may realize at first blush because the central issue in many med mal cases entails a physician rendering an opinion with a reasonable degree of medical certainty about the cause of death or injury. Thus, if you are interested in serving as an expert witness, I don't know how helpful these extra credentials would be.

Perhaps you plan on using these credentials in a more preventitive/advisory role. If that is the case, I would search the job market to ensure a realistic chance of employment and go for it.

Good luck.

Kelly

Thank You

for your information and input. At this point I am looking at more of reviewing cases, determining whether the standard of care was met, etc... specifically obstetrical malpractice. Thank you again. I appreciate your time in answering my questions.