Nurse Attorney
A nurse attorney is a professional who holds both a nursing degree and a law degree, combining their knowledge of both fields. Becoming a nurse in any specialty requires becoming a registered nurse (RN). To become an RN, students must earn a degree from a state-approved school of nursing. This can be an associate’s degree from a community college, or a bachelor’s of science in nursing from a four-year college or university. For specializations such as this, a BSN or even an MSN is ideal. To become an attorney, you need to earn a Juris Doctorate, or JD. Becoming a JD requires taking the LSAT to gain acceptance to a law school and earning a law degree, which requires three years.
Nurse Attorney Job Description
A nurse attorney has many career possibilities to pursue. They might practice law on their own, specializing in health law, malpractice, or personal injury. They could work in a law firm, offering medical expertise for any relevant cases. They can also work in hospital administrations, insurance companies, or companies in the health care field. Working in the government at local, state and federal levels, they can help form healthcare policy, educating lawmakers and pushing for better policies for patients and medical workers.
Job Outlook and Salaries for Nurse Attorneys
The combination of these specialties is becoming increasingly important as our society becomes more litigious and there are an increasing number of laws regulating the medical professions and insurance coverage. A nurse attorney has the medical background and necessary knowledge to effectively handle these intertwined topics of health and law, and brings that to the legal community. The average salary can very greatly depending on the avenue of work you pursue.
The American Association of Nurse Attorneys is a professional organization with chapters throughout the country. This can be a great resource for career information, job seeking, networking, and continuing education opportunities. Whether you are an attorney interested in pursuing your nursing degree or a registered nurse with an interest in law, this career path can be a rewarding one with many options once you complete your degrees. Like many specializations though, it requires advanced training and education. Get started now and this specialized career path with many options can be in your future.
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(Sources: ww.bls.gov, American Association of Nurse Attorneys)