Central Methodist University
Historical Trends in Nursing
NU25
July 07, 2013
Nursing Specialty: Legal Nursing
The world of healthcare is one of frequent changes. Those who have dedicated themselves to the nursing profession understand that healthcare is continuously evolving, as it is our responsibility to provide only the highest standard of care to our patients. Each nurse that is certified within a nursing specialty strengthens the entire healthcare team. Those that obtain specialty certifications are seen as the leaders in the field and are strong resources for the team members lacking the specialized education. Among the multiple nursing specialty certifications obtainable, legal nursing …show more content…
Only due to a clear vision and the undying determination of several registered nurses, the not for profit national organization tilted the “American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) was founded in July of 1989” ("American Association," n.d, para. 1). According to Huff, Costantini, and Mihalich, the driving force behind the birth of this national association was a group of registered nurses that had already been acting as legal consultants and were determined to educate the legal profession about the effectiveness of the nurse consultant as liaison between the legal and medical communities, and to provide a network for members to share expertise. The early pioneers recognized for initiating what now is a powerful specialty within the nursing field are Rosanna Janes, RN, Karen Wetther, RN, Joanne Behymer, RN, Paula Schenck, RN and Kathleen Loeffler, …show more content…
These are designed to assist nurses at all levels of expertise in legal nurse consulting practice. (Huff, Costantini, & Mihalich, n.d., p. 30)
An additional major contribution the AALNC has provided the nursing profession is “recognizing the importance of nursing certification that incorporates experiential and educational requirements, AALNC established the American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board (ALNCCB) in 1997. ALNCCB developed the Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC) certification program and credential” (Huff et al., n.d., p.