Advice Please: New Grad OR RN Curious About Liability Insurance

[thatnurseRN, BSN, RN]

Hello! I am a new grad nurse in the operating room and I’ve heard some very differing opinions on getting your own malpractice or Liability Insurance. I’ve heard having it can make you a bigger target but I’ve heard not having it could screw you if your employer decides to not cover you. I know that I have coverage through my hospital but I am worried I’ll unknowingly make a mistake or not know something & then if the hospital doesn’t cover me I’ll be SOL. I’ve also heard lawyers won’t know you have your own insurance until you are named in a suit so how would that make someone a bigger target?? IDK im very confused and looking for any advice/input anyone has on this! 

[Nurse Pompom]

Little story, I made a med error about 2 years ago. Guess what.. I didn't have malpractice insurance.. nothing happened to the patient or to me.. but I now carry malpractice insurance and always will. 

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I would recommend searching the site at large. There are several threads about malpractice insurance and if you should carry it or not. Here is one of them: 

 

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

You wouldn't drive your car without insurance? You wouldn't own a house and not have insurance? Your career is worth insurance

[RickyRescueRN, BSN, RN]

On 7/31/2022 at 6:48 PM, thatnurseRN said:

Hello! I am a new grad nurse in the operating room and I’ve heard some very differing opinions on getting your own malpractice or liability insurance. I’ve heard having it can make you a bigger target but I’ve heard not having it could screw you if your employer decides to not cover you. I know that I have coverage through my hospital but I am worried I’ll unknowingly make a mistake or not know something & then if the hospital doesn’t cover me I’ll be SOL. I’ve also heard lawyers won’t know you have your own insurance until you are named in a suit so how would that make someone a bigger target?? IDK im very confused and looking for any advice/input anyone has on this! 

As a 27 year nurse veteran, as well as being a legal nurse consultant I do not recommend regular bedside nurses get their own Liability Insurance. The reason is that the hospital assumes vicarious liability for the actions and omissions of ALL the staff that it employs. Hospitals carry malpractice insurance to the tune of millions of dollars. You as a RN, have very little in comparison as regards financial reserves (unless you are a Lotto winner) . Attorneys go for the parties with the biggest and deepest pockets (hospitals) and sometime physicians /surgeons. What I am very aware of though , is that nurses who carry their own "malpractice insurance" immediately become a target of the plaintiff counsel as the fact that you carry your own , individual insurance is not a secret ( it is easily discoverable) . If that becomes known, you will most likely be sued in your own personal professional capacity in addition to being sued as part of the collective (defendant party).

I have worked as an ICU RN, Trauma Resus RN, Flight Nurse on a helicopter and now as an OR RN, and have never had the need for additional malpractice insurance and nor do I recommend it for the above-mentioned reasons. 

I DO recommend it, if you are working as a APRN/ NP, CRNA or Advanced Practice Midwife though as your practice is VERY different then from a regularly employed (bedside/ staff) RN.