Legal Nurse Consultant

College of Extended Learning
Dean: Gail Whitaker

Legal Nurse Consultant Program
SFSU Downtown Center
425 Market Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-405-7770
Fax: 415-405-3339
Program Director: Pat Medina

Program Coordinator: Richard Kay

Program

Certificate in Legal Nurse Consultant


Program Scope

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.

Faculty

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.

Career Outlook

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.

CERTIFICATE IN LEGAL NURSE CONSULTANT

Admission to the Program

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.

English Proficiency

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.

Curriculum

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