Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has pledged to combat the U.S. nursing shortage by fighting for smaller caseloads and better pay.
But a six-day seminar starting today in Orlando promises to help latter-day Florence Nightingales in a more unorthodox way: by training them to become legal consultants to malpractice lawyers, hospitals and insurers. More than 260 registered nurses have signed up for the chance to become a certified legal nurse consultant, spending anywhere from $2,300 for basic tuition to $6,200 for the Vickie Milazzo Institute's VIP option ("Vickie's Incredible Pros").
Meredith Chiarelli, one of 51 bay area CLNCs, was working at a surgeon's office two years ago when she took the course. Today she heads Medical Legal Insights Inc., a one-woman consultancy in Clearwater that advises plaintiffs' and defense attorneys on whether malpractice has occurred in a given case. Physicians charge much more for similar work, she said, and often lack legal training.
"I didn't feel fulfilled" as a nurse practitioner, Chiarelli said. "This is a perfect mix for me."
Although the Milazzo Institute tantalizes disgruntled nurses with promises of earning $100 to $150 an hour, persuading lawyers to hire a CLNC isn't always easy. The certification isn't recognized by the American Bar Association. Nor is it universal; the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants offers its own certification, legal nurse consultant (LNC).
So far, Chiarelli, 41, isn't earning as much money as she did as a nurse, though she expects to surpass that level in a couple of years. And although her career switch has increased the nursing shortage by one, Chiarelli said malpractice suits can help the nursing profession by identifying problem areas in hospital care.
She won't work for just any lawyer, however. That includes those who file malpractice suits she considers meritless.
