Nurse Practitioner Expert Witnesses
The best in nursing to assist the legal community
Nurse practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) who have completed additional education and training. They can perform many of the same tasks as physicians, including taking patient histories, performing physical exams, diagnosing illnesses, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, and prescribing medications, in settings such as hospitals, clinics, and private practice.
In the United States, nurse practitioners must hold a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. National certification for nurse practitioners can be sought from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Many nurse practitioners have additional training in a specialty, such as:
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP): FNPs provide primary care to patients across the lifespan, from infants to elderly adults.
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP): AGNPs specialize in caring for adults and older adults.
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP): PNPs specialize in the care of infants, children, and adolescents.
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP): NNPs specialize in caring for premature and critically ill newborns, often in neonatal intensive care units (NICU).
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP): PMHNPs specialize in assessing, diagnosing, and treating mental health conditions.
- Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP): WHNPs specialize in the care of women throughout their lifespan, from adolescence to menopause.
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP): ACNPs care for patients with acute and complex medical conditions, usually in hospital settings and intensive care units (ICU).
- Oncology Nurse Practitioner (ONP): ONPs specialize in the care of patients with cancer, providing medical care, emotional support, and symptom management to cancer patients and their families.
The role of a nurse practitioner as an expert witness
In legal matters involving nursing malpractice, a nurse practitioner can explain the standard of care that should have been followed by the defendant nurse and offer an opinion on whether the standard of care was followed or breached. They can also provide a professional opinion on whether an injury or complication was caused by malpractice.
Nurse practitioners can be valuable expert witnesses in a wide variety of personal injury, workers’ compensation, and disability cases. They can review medical records and offer an opinion on causation as well as the extent of the injury. Moreover, nurse practitioners’ broad knowledge of direct patient care and the healthcare system can help attorneys calculate damages for clients with permanent injuries.
Find the nurse practitioner expert witness you need
The Rieback Medical-Legal Consultants network includes experienced, highly qualified nurse practitioners in most specialties. We’ve been providing the best in medicine to assist the legal community for decades, and we have worked with many of America’s preeminent medical malpractice and personal injury attorneys. Contact us today for a free case summary review.