Demand for Legal Nurse Consultants at All-Time High
Demand for Legal Nurse Consultants at All-Time High
Nursing is one of the fastest growing professions in the country, with a projected need for 397,928 RNs by 2024. This demand has led many employers to seek out legal nurse consultants who are able to complete tasks that only RNs can do while also providing expert care as an advanced practice registered nurse. The work of these LPNs often includes managing chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or hypertension that require complex health interventions and are not often available in nursing homes or long-term care facilities.
According to an article published in the Drummer Institute's December 2011 issue of the "E-Journal," employers are eager for LPNs to help fill this job gap. With only 2 percent of the population holding a four-year nursing degree, according to Linda Adams, RN, CNE, Vice President of Human Resources at Caremark Inc., similar to Ms. Adams' own experience as a CNE working with medical assistants and business office assistants, there is a huge need for LPNs. As Ms. Adams admits, "The shortage is there, and the problem is acute. The difference between medical assistants and legal nurse consultants is that medical assistants are general support workers and are not allowed to do anything that a registered professional nurse cannot do." Adams went on to say that, at Caremark, the demand for legal nurse consultants is so high, "We have created an internship for all our help professionals in the area of chronic disease management, which includes LPN/LVNs and PTs (physical therapist assistants)."
According to a report written by the AAFA and RNweb.com in April 2011, there are currently 18 CNE programs in operation across the country. At the same time, there are approximately 10,000 LPNs registered as nurses in the U.S. The shortage is created because of a tight labor market and what the AAFA refers to as a "retirement cliff" where nurses do not leave the professional field until they reach age 70, when they may have to retire.
In 2008, Ms. Adams stated that Caremark was facing a difficult hiring situation, with her company anticipating that they would have to hire more than 1,000 new RNs by 2014 due to turnover and retirement. This is where her company found the need to hire LPNs and other healthcare assistants. Ms. Adams concluded by saying, "[LPNs] can't give someone back their life but [they] can manage their health better."
For more information on CNE programs, visit www.nationalassociationofcneprograms.com.
Nurse-driven health clinics are accessible to patients across the U.S., with some states having more than 100 locations, reported the Los Angeles Times, which cited a report on Wednesday by the Association of American Medical Colleges. The clinics, which can cost up to $300 per visit, are typically staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants and do not require insurance coverage under federal law. They are billed as healthy options for people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease who cannot afford mainstream medical care – but they can be expensive. A free clinic in Santa Monica costs $2,500 per month while UCLA's La Jolla site costs $1,500 a month.
Nurse-driven health clinics, despite the potential of costs, have begun to take off in California and elsewhere as a way to bring cheaper care to those who can't afford it. The clinics go by many different names, including "Community-Based Practice Centers," or "health centers," according to the Los Angeles Times, which cited a report on Wednesday by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Health centers may also be staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants and do not require insurance coverage under federal law. They are billed as healthy options for people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease who cannot afford mainstream medical care – but they can be expensive. A free clinic in Santa Monica costs $2,500 per month while UCLA's La Jolla site costs $1,500 a month.
In 2009, the newly announced Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires states to expand Medicaid eligibility or use their own dollars to create a health coverage system for uninsured low-income residents. In the end, many state leaders will choose to offer Medicaid rather than try to create an alternative with less funding. However, Medicaid expansion is expected to hurt community health clinics and other safety-net providers that deliver care for the poor and uninsured because it will take patients from their revenue streams. According to the Los Angeles Times, which cited a report on Wednesday by the Association of American Medical Colleges, health centers may also be staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants and do not require insurance coverage under federal law. They are billed as healthy options for people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease who cannot afford mainstream medical care – but they can be expensive. A free clinic in Santa Monica costs $2,500 per month while UCLA's La Jolla site costs $1,500 a month.
The health centers are expected to take a major hit if Congress approves President Barack Obama's health care reform plan. According to the Los Angeles Times, which cited a report on Wednesday by the Association of American Medical Colleges, health centers may also be staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants and do not require insurance coverage under federal law. They are billed as healthy options for people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease who cannot afford mainstream medical care – but they can be expensive. A free clinic in Santa Monica costs $2,500 per month while UCLA's La Jolla site costs $1,500 a month.
In the last decade alone, there has been an increase of 100 percent in patients referred to safety-net providers from local health agencies by primary care physicians. According to the Los Angeles Times, which cited a report on Wednesday by the Association of American Medical Colleges, health centers may also be staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants and do not require insurance coverage under federal law. They are billed as healthy options for people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease who cannot afford mainstream medical care – but they can be expensive. A free clinic in Santa Monica costs $2,500 per month while UCLA's La Jolla site costs $1,500 a month.
The National Association of Community Health Centers is taking steps to meet the demand in California by increasing its number of centers, with more than half of those being nurse-led, said Los Angeles Times reporter Bennett L.
Conclusion: The Affordable Care Act (ACA), if not repealed, should have a major impact on the hiring of nurses and other healthcare professionals. A recent survey by the Delta Cost Project found, among many other things, that "California nurses are likely to become even more important in a post-ACA world ... with some estimates suggesting more than 200,000 new job openings."
Nurses play an important role in providing care to individuals who cannot afford it or do not have access to a primary care physician. Due to the quality of care provided by nurses and the number of patients they see daily, it is no wonder why they are in such high demand.