LNC? CLNC? LNCC?
WHAT DO ALL THOSE LETTERS MEAN?
Great question. A doctor Ms. Rojas used to work with once referred to her as “Nurse Alphabet Soup!” As
confusing as they may seem, all those letters represent significant aspects of the training, experience, and
qualifications of a legal nurse consultant. Specifically…
LNC (LEGAL NURSE CONSULTANT): Anyone who is — or has been — a nurse can use this “title”. No special training or certification is required.
CLNC (CERTIFIED LEGAL NURSE CONSULTANT): A title obtained after completing an on-line course (currently, 45 contact hours) and a subsequent written exam.
LNCC (LEGAL NURSE CONSULTANT, CERTIFIED): The only credential recognized by the
Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC), the lone accrediting body specifically for nursing certification. In order to take the qualifying exam, the applicant must have been employed for at least five years as a registered nurse, and also at least 2,000 hours of experience functioning as a legal nurse consultant within the past three years.
Fundamentally, the difference between a CLNC and LNCC is the difference between a certificate and certification. To quote from the AALNC website, “A certification is an earned credential that demonstrates the holder’s specialized knowledge, skills, and experience, while a certificate is typically an educational offering that confers a document at the program’s conclusion.” For more about this distinction, click here.
But wait, there’s more — yes, even more designations…
LNC-CSP, FACLNC, ALNC, PLNC… the list goes on. One actually heads their website with the following:
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“Be a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) in just 2 days!”
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Enough said. The take home point is that only a Legal Nurse Consultant, Certified (LNCC) requires a significant amount of work experience (2,000 hours!) prior to certification. It’s the only designation recognized by the ABSNC, and the only one comparable to those available in clinical specialties.
Our founder and chief executive, Sharlene Rojas, is an LNCC.