Personal malpractice insurance....yes or no?

Can someone plz tell me what malpractice insurance is?

[quote=James Huffman]Sigh.



If nurses "feel better" having malpractice insurance, buy it. But realize it's simply a form of therapy.


I'm with you. I talked to a malpractice attorney years ago,and was told that having malpractice insurance is like having a big neon sign lit up with the words "Sue Me".

This attorney told me pretty much the same thing that you said. By the time assets, property was seized etc., and everyone was paid off, there would be nothing left over the defendent. Worse case scenerio- you lose your job and your license. Even if future wages were garnished, lets say you end up working at the local Walmart. Do you really think that the defendent is going to wait years and years to get paid? I think not.

Unfortunately, with the present malpractice controversy, possibility of many more caps on damages, we will probably see many more nurses with insurance being sued than ever before.

I think this ahs been beat to death on this board since 1998. Everybody has their own beleifs, and own thoughts. They will tell you what they heard, or didnt hear?

I have NEVER been without it, you just never know?

Originally Posted by CEN35

I think this ahs been beat to death on this board since 1998. Everybody has their own beleifs, and own thoughts. They will tell you what they heard, or didnt hear?

Probably has been beat to death to many of us who have been in the business for awhile, however, I still do not like big business taking money from the hard-working nurse via false propaganda.

As far as never being without it...I would never, ever be WITH it.
False information via big business..
Must tell the young.

I have a few stupid questions (I'm just a potential nursing-school student, so please bear with me here):

1) Is malpractice insurance the same as liability insurance?


2) When you apply for this insurance, are you asked about your medical history? If so, could your cost for this insurance increase significantly as a result?

3) What are BON complaints? (I'm guessing it stands for 'Board of Nursing', but I'm not sure.)

Questions are never stupid ... people who fear asking questions flounder in this huge pool of ignorance. So, please continue to ask, here, and anywhere something doesn't make sense.

1) In this context, yes, they are the same thing. Of course, "liability" can have meanings in other context, but here liability and malpractice mean insurance against lawsuits or other actions taken against nurses for negligence in the course of practicing as a professional nurse.

2) I have never seen a question regarding medical history in an application for malpractice/liability insurance. There are usually only a couple of questions, having to do with whether the nurse applying has ever been sued for malpractice, and questions about the nurse's field of practice.

3) Yes, BON = Board of Nursing. (Sometimes the name of that agency is slightly different in different states. A complaint to the board of nursing (not common, but far, far more common than a malpractice suit) is one in which someone has filed a formal complaint with the board of nursing alleging that the nurse in question has done something professionally which is either out of the scope of nursing, or was done in a substandard manner, or has done something unethical.

Jim Huffman, RN

Thanks so much for the very helpful response!

Pretty much the rates are standard depending what you do (i.e. Anything but L&D, CRNA, NP these have higher premiums).

having malpractice insurance.

What I've been wondering though.... do we have to tell anyone we have the insurance? Is it something that can be found out? I've been thinking about getting it myself but am afraid by getting it I may just be setting myself up.