[GoLytely]

Since it seems like almost everyone in home health (my current field)is sue happy, I wonder how many nurses have been personally sued and what the outcome was?
I have some patients/family members I clearly do not trust, but then again they don't always wear a sign that says, I'm going to find a reason to sue you!

[bargainhound]

It will drive you crazy if you worry too much about this.

Just practice good nursing and document to protect yourself.

Always do incident reports for management if any statments are made
from families or patients that they may sue.

Also, carry malpractice insurance yourself.

[multicollinearity]

I've been sued. But not as a nurse. I was sued by a client when I was an insurance broker. There are some similarities. The state insurance board was monitoring the suit...depositions...a client screaming bloody murder. Me fearing that my license might be taken away and that I'll lose everything and live in a shopping cart...blah blah.

In the end, if you've done nothing wrong, and it's documented, you are usually ok. Few lawsuits stick.

[GoLytely]

Originally Posted by multicollinarity

I've been sued. But not as a nurse. I was sued by a client when I was an insurance broker. There are some similarities. The state insurance board was monitoring the suit...depositions...a client screaming bloody murder. Me fearing that my license might be taken away and that I'll lose everything and live in a shopping cart...blah blah.

In the end, if you've done nothing wrong, and it's documented, you are usually ok. Few lawsuits stick.

Not worrying I did something wrong, maybe there would be something I didn't do. I don't know, all of a sudden I was sitting at the computer and panicked, wondered who might try to sue me for being a day late with a vB12 injection or something.

A former client of ours would sue just abot anyone she came in contact with and for any reason, and what was obscene is that she most always won!

I know that only about 3% of lawsuits make it to a courtroom, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are legitimate lawsuits, either.

[cardiacRN2006]

I've been sued. Not as a nurse. When I was an EMT. I was traveling Code 3 when someone ran a red light and slammed into my Ambulance. She sued, it went to deposition and it was settled out of court with her getting money and me getting a stress ulcer and a painful lesson about the unfairness of life.

Being sued is truely the most painful, painful thing to experience. I was only 19, but I must have burst into tears 10 times during the depo. Let me tell you, even in a nice boardroom with your lawyer at your side, the other lawyer will still rip you to shreads and make you feel like a complete idiot. They actually asked me the dimentions of an intersection!

I can only pray that it never happens again...