How to Become a Nurse Paralegal

Doctors and healthcare facilities are often defendants in cases that involve malpractice suits where the doctor or facility did not provide adequate medical care. These suits are typically found to be false; however, it takes a professional who is well-educated in both the medical industry as well as the law to determine these facts. This is the job of a nurse paralegal. One of the key elements that keep people from becoming a nurse paralegal is that they are confused as to how to do it, when in fact, it is not a difficult certification to earn. The first step involves the same training as that of a registered nurse with a nurse paralegal certification program. The certification can be completed in an online format, giving the professional knowledge that pertains to the legal aspect of the medical profession.

Bachelor of science in nursing

The bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) is the starting point in how to become a nurse paralegal. This program typically requires about three years of coursework followed by up to a year of hands-on training in the healthcare field. This program can be completed through some online colleges which will provide the same high quality of courses found in a traditional college. Throughout this program, the aspiring registered nurse (RN) will participate in courses that relate to the healthcare industry and patient care including human anatomy and physiology. For the aspiring nurse paralegal, they should take elective courses that relate to the legal field to give them additional knowledge in the court systems and legal aspects of their future career.

Nurse paralegal certificate program

How to become a nurse paralegal consists of courses that are similar to that of the paralegal; however, the nurse paralegal certification program will also provide additional resources in the medical field specifically including medical malpractice, how to determine malpractice and how to prevent malpractice suits. This program also covers areas such as medical ethics, medical insurance laws and other healthcare laws. These courses ensure the nurse paralegal has an excellent understanding of both the medical profession and the legal system as well as how these two aspects become tied together in various types of lawsuits. This program is a one-year certificate program that is followed by a certification exam that will enable the nurse paralegal to be fully qualified to become employed in the field.

The total process of becoming a nurse paralegal only takes about five to six years to complete and with the high demand for qualified individuals, nurse paralegal jobs are available in healthcare facilities nationwide. The high demand of this job ensures that once qualified, the nurse paralegal will have constant employment with a top salary.