[1studentnurse]

I have been reading a lot of articles that say a nurse should have her own malpractice; however, one of our instructors (who's also involved with the state board) told us recently that it is not necessary to carry our own malpractice.

She also mentioned the 67% of nurses being sued are floor nurses and 24% are CRNAs (usually due to addiction related issues).

Anyone have any stories they'd like to share? I'd love to know what people do...use their employers and skip their own or what they do.

Your responses are appreciated.

[sirI]

Hello, 1studentnurse,

I respectfully disagree with your instructor.

Check out these threads:

Carrying My Own Malpractice Insurance?

Liability/malpractice insurance?

Malpractice Insurance?

Where Do I Get LVN/LPN Malpractice Insurance?


Reasons why to carry malpractice insurance:

Overdose of Magnesium Sulfate kills 18 Mom in Labor

If your license is disciplined

reinstated license after suspension

Falsely Accused of a HIPAA Violation


I am a staunch advocate for the student and licensed nurse carrying an individual liability policy.

[BeccaznRN]

Let me tell you - I already have my application for malpractice insurance ready to send off as soon as I get my RN license. We were advised all through school by ALL our instructors to carry our own malpractice insurance. As my fundamentals instructor said, the insurance is fairly inexpensive and worth every penny so that you can sleep at night. I couldn't agree more!

[ERERER]

always, always, have your own policy. your employer will tell you that "you are covered" by theirs. smile and say thanks. then get your own. more than once, when a hospital has been sued they have turned around and blamed the nurse, then sued her to recover $$$. they do not have your best interest in mind. they have the corporation's best interest in mind. malpractice ins. is not expensive: i have a big policy for $116 per year. access to a lawyer, even if just to run something by. coverage if i give advice to a neighbor or stop to help on a highway. your hospital employer does not want suing parties to know that there are "deep pockets": more than one insurance carrier to go after, therefore a more agressive case. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR HOUSE WITHOUT MALPRACTICE INSURANCE!!!!

[eddy]

Always carry your own policy. It's cheap anyway.

Facility policies are different everywhere. Some offer good coverage for nurses. Many don't. The lawyers will work to protect the facility and the insurance company, not you. Protect yourself, your family, your house, your money.

[TheCommuter]

I carry my own malpractice insurance. It is a small price to pay for the peace of mind.

The yearly premium for malpractice insurance is much cheaper than the first hour spent consulting with a lawyer after a person learns that (s)he is being sued for something that occurred several years ago. It is better to be safe than sorry.

[elkpark]

Another issue to consider -- most nursing liability policies also cover you (provide legal representation) if you're called as a witness (or deposed) in a lawsuit against someone else, or if you have to go before the BON for any kind of disciplinary action related to your license. The chances that one of those two things will happen during your career are much greater than the chances that you'll be named as a defendant in a lawsuit.

Again, as TheCommuter notes, if either of those things does happen to you , the first hour you spend consulting with a lawyer will cost you more (out of your own pocket) than the annual premium for the liability coverage. And, once an incident has happened, you can't go out and buy insurance to cover it after the fact. There's no insurance company on earth that will sell you coverage for an event that's already happened.

I've been an RN for >20 years -- I've never worked a day without my own coverage, and I would never dream of doing so. It's the best ~$100 I spend every year ...

[mknight]

I am getting ready to grad. in May and I won't step foot into a hospital without my own insurance. Our instructor definatly recommends it highly.

[traumaRUs]

I too have my own malpractice insurance.

[RJ---RN]

iN THIS DAY AND AGE...............better get your own insurance. I worked ICU and ER for many years, and let me tell you people are just looking to sue you. I disagree with your instructor.
I have carried malpractice insurance since God made dirt. Thankfully I have never been sued, but ya never know!
Good luck