Nurses who are interested in working in non-clinical nursing roles or who are ready for their next career challenge have several options when they consider the highest-paying legal careers for nurses.
Combining their professionalism and passion for nursing with legal knowledge or expertise can help nurses to advance their careers in creative ways.
The diverse skills that nurses have, their comprehensive knowledge, their attention to detail, and their decision-making skills are some qualities that nurses use when combining their expertise in nursing with legal skills to transition to a high-paying legal career for nurses.
List of Jobs for the Highest-Paying Legal Careers for Nurses
Nurses who want to transition into a career that uses both their nursing experience and legal knowledge can easily transition to a career that combines the two professions and offers a good salary.
Some nurses choose to continue their education to gain the legal knowledge and skills that they need to use skills from both professions to achieve their career goals.
Exploring high-paying legal careers for nurses requires that nurses learn about the careers and that they learn the educational requirements for those careers.
1. Nurse Attorney
Becoming a nurse attorney requires that nurses who are interested in this profession have a comprehensive understanding of health care systems and legal systems.
Nurse lawyers are licensed registered nurses (RNs).
They also have a law degree.
Nurse attorneys work in several settings, some of which include law firms, hospital legal teams, clinics, or government agencies.
They also work for other employers, including insurance companies, in academia, or in private practice.
Some nurse lawyers work for pharmaceutical companies or at consulting firms.
The responsibilities of nurse attorneys may vary, depending on where they work.
Nurse lawyers perform duties that include representing healthcare providers in malpractice cases and working with healthcare institutions to create strategies for risk prevention and risk management.
Some other duties that are performed by nurse attorneys include reviewing medical records, analyzing legal claims, providing legal representation for patient-clients or healthcare professionals, and serving as expert witnesses in courtroom trials.
They may have duties that include educating hospital staff or other healthcare providers about malpractice law, and best practices for treating patients that may help them to avoid malpractice lawsuits.
Some nurse attorneys specialize in certain areas, such as policy development, regulatory compliance, or working as a writer or editor for professional nursing or legal publications.
How to Become a Nurse Attorney
Nurses who want to become nurse attorneys need to pass the NCLEX-RN after completing their Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to obtain their licensure to work as a registered nurse (RN).
They need to take and pass the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and enroll in a Juris Doctor (JD) program that is accredited by the American Bar Association.
Take the Bar Exam for the state where you want to practice as a nurse-lawyer.
Pass the state bar exam to begin practicing in that state.
Salary for Nurse Attorneys
Sources that provide information about the salary that nurse attorneys earn vary in what they indicate as the average salary for nurse lawyers.
The average salary, when considering multiple sources, ranges between $83,000 and $428,000.
2. Legal Nurse Consultant
The legal nurse consultant career is sometimes confused with the nurse attorney career.
They are not the same in job title, nor the education or training requirements.
Some duties and requirements may be the same or similar, but people who work in these positions often work in different settings.
Legal nurse consultants are registered nurses who have nursing expertise that is combined with legal knowledge.
They use their expertise and training to analyze medical data, review medical records, and assist with determining the validity of claims against healthcare professionals or entities.
The duties of legal nurse consultants also include preparing medical evidence for court hearings or trials and testifying as expert witnesses.
Nurses who choose to become legal nurse consultants may work for hospitals or other healthcare settings, for insurance companies, for law firms, or in private practice.
They are not attorneys.
How to Become a Legal Nurse Consultant
Registered nurses need to complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.
They must pass the NCLEX exam to get their license to work as a registered nurse.
Many nurses complete courses or programs that lead to becoming a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant.
Nurses must understand the program that they want to enroll in before completing the enrollment process.
Some schools that offer legal nurse consultant programs provide students with a certificate of completion.
A certificate of completion indicates that students have completed the course.
It does not lead to certification.
Some programs offer continuing education credits.
Sinclair College in Dayton, OH, has a Legal Nurse Consultant program.
It is a one-year technical certificate program.
Students complete coursework and perform practice assignments in a simulated law office setting.
The Post-Bachelor’s Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate program at Wilmington University in New Castle, DE, is a 15-credit program that is delivered in an online or traditional format.
Several other programs provide registered nurses with the knowledge and education that they need to become legal nurse consultants.
Students need to check their state to learn the educational requirements.
Completing the Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC) process may help nurses have an edge when transitioning to their new career.
Salary for Legal Nurse Consultants
The salary range for legal nurse consultants varies, based on things like education and the area where nurses work as legal nurse consultants.
The salary ranges from $89,196 to $104,543.
3. Nurse Paralegal
Nurse paralegals have both nursing and legal skills and education.
They are often in high demand because of their expertise.
Nurse paralegals work in various settings and have a variety of duties.
Some of their duties depend on whether they work in a hospital, at a law firm, at an agency, or for an insurance company.
The duties of nurse paralegals usually include reviewing medical records, researching and studying legal issues, assisting with interpreting contracts, and interviewing witnesses and clients.
They also have other duties, such as preparing exhibits, reviewing trial transcripts, and investigating disputes.
Some types of cases where the expertise of nurse paralegals is vital include personal injury lawsuits, medical malpractice cases, workers’ compensation claims, social security, and risk management.
How to Become a Nurse Paralegal
Becoming a nurse paralegal requires that nurses complete both a nursing program and a paralegal program.
They must also have a nursing license to work as a registered nurse (RN).
Once they have experience working as a registered nurse, they may want to transition into a nurse paralegal career.
Nurses must complete a nurse paralegal program that is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
Several schools offer nurse paralegal programs.
One is the University of Toledo.
The school’s Nurse Paralegal Certificate in Paralegal Studies program is a 21-credit program.
Students must have completed a minimum of an associate’s degree in nursing and hold a current RN license.
They also need to have at least 2,000 hours of nursing experience.
The Post-Baccalaureate Nurse Paralegal Certificate program at Madonna University is a 31-semester program.
The school requires students to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
They must also have clinical nursing experience.
Salary for Nurse Paralegals
The average salary for nurse paralegals depends on things like their experience, the type of setting where they work, and the location where they work.
The average salary range for nurse paralegals is $61,327 to $82,687.
Salary.com indicates that the average salary for nurse paralegals in New York is $65,228.
The average salary for nurse paralegals who work in Alaska is $66,419, while it is $58,338 in Louisiana.
4. Forensic Nurse
Forensic nurses are licensed registered nurses (RNs) or Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs).
They work in settings where the healthcare and legal industries intersect.
Forensic nurses provide specialized care to people who are the victims of domestic violence, neglect, injuries, trauma, or other acts of victimization.
They are a liaison between victims, their families, and law enforcement.
They also provide expert testimony and may serve as consultants for legal proceedings.
Some settings where forensic nurses work include hospitals, domestic violence centers, or other anti-violence centers or agencies.
They may work at medical examiners’ offices, correctional facilities, or psychiatric institutions.
Government agencies or community leaders may call upon them to provide services after a natural disaster or a crisis.
How to Become a Forensic Nurse
Nurses who want to become forensic nurses need to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and pass the NCLEX exam to become registered nurses.
Nurses who are already licensed as a registered nurse (RN) or as an Advanced Practice Nurse need to continue their education and training by completing a forensic nursing program.
Texas A&M University offers a Master of Science in Nursing – Forensic Nursing program.
The 36-semester-hour MSN – Forensic Nursing program is offered mostly online.
Students attend some class activities on campus.
They also complete 45 clinical hours.
Forensic nurses have several certification options, including the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE), and the Forensic Nurse Examiner (FNE).
Salary for Forensic Nurses
Forensic nurses earn an average salary of $64,298 in the U.S.
Some things that affect the salary of forensic nurses include their education, their experience, and the location where they work.
The average salary for forensic nurses in San Jose, California is $81,099.
It is $73,454 in Clifton, New Jersey.
5 Tips for Nurses Looking for a Job in the Highest Paying Legal Careers for Nurses
Know the Educational Requirements
Knowing the educational requirements to transition into a non-clinical nursing role that combines nursing and legal knowledge is important.
Some careers require that nurses complete a certificate program, while others require earning another degree.
Know the Certification Requirements
Working in some careers that combine nursing with legal roles requires that nurses earn a certification.
The certification may be required for the career or by the state where the nurse works.
Gain Experience
Gaining experience as a nurse is important for nurses to transition into a legal role.
It can help nurses gain the knowledge and skills that are needed to work in their chosen career.
It can also help when they look for a job.
Join a Professional Organization or Association
Consider becoming a member of an organization or association that is related to the nursing legal role.
Nurses can find resources and gain support from professional organizations.
Know the Salary
The salary for nurses who want to work in a high-paying legal career varies, according to the career.
It also varies because of education, location, and settings where nurses work in legal roles.
Great tips for registered nurses like me. I want to upskill my career and hopefully, I can pass as a paralegal nurse or anything that has law. Thanks for these!
All are great options but there are limited schools that offer this in my area. I really like to see more of this in the future!
I want to become a nurse attorney and now I think it is a bit complex, and the exams are really hard. It’s giving me a second thought but I’m sure I’ll pursue it anyway.
Awesome! Now, I’m deciding if I’m going to pursue forensics since I want to become involved with the crime unit and hospital at the same time.