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"Law & Order" Meets "Grey's Anatomy": Nurse Paralegals

By Kate McIntyre
Learning & Life Columnist
May 21, 2007

When lawyers need to understand complicated medical terms, conditions, or procedures in order to present their cases, they turn to nurse paralegals. Nurse paralegals have skills in both medicine and law, so they can assist their employers in a variety of ways. In a typical day, they might decipher codes on medical charts, conduct legal research, and draft legal documents.

Increasing Demand for Nurse Paralegals

Most people who work as nurse paralegals start their careers as nurses. They might have spent several years in nursing and decided that it was not for them, or they might no longer be able to handle the physical demands of nursing. Some nurse paralegals seek out the challenge of integrating their knowledge of medicine with another area, and others are just eager for a change of pace. No matter their reason for becoming a paralegal, they enter an occupation that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts should grow much faster than average.

Training for Nurse Paralegals

Future nurse paralegals should plan on completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing or an RN-to-BSN degree. Once you have completed your bachelor's degree in nursing, you are ready for a paralegal program. Most people with bachelor's degrees, especially those who choose to enter a specialized field as a paralegal, complete a certificate program in paralegal studies. These programs usually last less than a year. According to NurseWeek Magazine, nurse paralegals tend to earn the same salary as regular nurses. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that registered nurses earn $52,330 per year on average.

A job as a nurse paralegal is a great choice for someone who wants to use both their medical knowledge and knowledge of the legal system on a daily basis. If you love variety in your working life, a career as a nurse paralegal can be a smart choice.

Sources:

• NurseWeek Magazine, "Legal Eagles"
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Paralegals and Legal Assistants"
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Registered Nurses"

About the Author
Kate McIntyre, a fiction writer in Portland, Oregon, holds an M.F.A. in fiction writing from Oregon State University.

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