Are you buying individual malpractice insurance?

[NoblePath]

Hi, I'm a new member, but I've read this forum numerous times. I just graduated and started a new job in Oncology. I bought malpractice insurance for $54 a year but it seems a lot of my fellow grads aren't buying it. Are you?

[elkpark]

My homeowner rider is my personal liability insurance (just to clarify, because I'm one who mentioned that and I see now I didn't make myself clear). My professional insurance is separate. I don't think my homeowner rider would cover me in an RN lawsuit.

There have been other posters here in the past (of course, I don't recall any names) who have insisted that they had malpractice coverage as a rider on their homeowner's policy -- I have no idea how that would work, and haven't ever been interested in exploring it further. As I said, I prefer to deal with a company that specializes in professional Liability Insurance.

[southernbelle08]

Yep, I have had it since I got my license. The nurses at my old hospital all preached to me that I needed it. There is actually one nurse at my current job that says you are making yourself a target by having it so she never has. But she spouts a lot of crap that makes no kind of sense whatsoever, LOL.

I say it is better to cover yourself.

[fiveofpeep]

I have it. Gives me piece of mind to have someone on my side.

[ok2bme]

I don't have it. :chair: It is very rare for a nurse to get sued...especially in my line of work. Besides, I pursued nursing for tactical reasons; I do not anticipate working in the field for more than 2 years, so in the worst case scenario (license getting revoked), my life would go on.

[Ace587RN, RN]

i have insurance from the NSO. Better be covered than nothing

[Peeker19]

So how much coverage do you all have? What is your limit of liability?

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I don't have it. :chair: It is very rare for a nurse to get sued...especially in my line of work. Besides, I pursued nursing for tactical reasons; I do not anticipate working in the field for more than 2 years, so in the worst case scenario (license getting revoked), my life would go on.

The best case scenario would be just getting your license revoked, the worst case would be losing your license along with your house, life savings and any other object you have worth value, if you lose a suit brought against you.

Not sure about you, but I've worked far too long and too hard to lose what I have to a law suit against me.

[elkpark]

The best case scenario would be just getting your license revoked, the worst case would be losing your license along with your house, life savings and any other object you have worth value, if you lose a suit brought against you.

And don't forget having your wages garnished for years to make up the difference between your assets and the judgment against you ... :)

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

And don't forget having your wages garnished for years to make up the difference between your assets and the judgment against you ... :)

THAT TOO! I had orignally put that but somehow deleted garnished wages..but yes, garnished wages, loss of house, cars, any money in bank account..anything you have..anything you get in the future, they will take to get every penny!

Again, I've worked far too hard and too long to get where I am and what I have, I'm not willing to give it up because $100 per year didn't seem "worth it". :)

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

It is very rare for a nurse to get sued...especially in my line of work.

At the risk of sounding like a smart a$$, it's quite rare to just drop dead for no apparent reason but that doesn't stop me from having life insurance. It's rare for someone's home to be broken into (yes, it actually is) but it doesn't stop me from having a security system. I don't get sick that often (and I've never even had surgery!) but it never stopped me from having health insurance (which costs a whole lot more than Liability Insurance!).

Ten bucks a month......or everything I own and have worked for. Three cars. A house. Assets. Bank accounts. A savings account. My salary...my tax refunds....Hmm. Let's put that on a scale.

Ten bucks a month seems pretty cheap.

[NoblePath]

So, I thought this would be an interesting thing to add to my previous post. I am currently doing my nurse residency, taking my board exam later today, but anyway I am basically doing orientation with another nurse. We ended up getting a patient whose parent had a notebook and was writing down every single drug that was infusing, every staff member's name and asking about everything and also called in to asked about the patient and quickly pointed out to the day nurse she was violating HIPAA b/c how did she know who was really calling and threatening the doctors. I was thinking whoa, this person is really trying to get a free ride. The person followed up with asking for a free ticket for a free meal. I wish I was joking about that.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

So, I thought this would be an interesting thing to add to my previous post. I am currently doing my nurse residency, taking my board exam later today, but anyway I am basically doing orientation with another nurse. We ended up getting a patient whose parent had a notebook and was writing down every single drug that was infusing, every staff member's name and asking about everything and also called in to asked about the patient and quickly pointed out to the day nurse she was violating HIPAA b/c how did she know who was really calling and threatening the doctors. I was thinking whoa, this person is really trying to get a free ride. The person followed up with asking for a free ticket for a free meal. I wish I was joking about that.

Yeah. Get used to that. Even here in Canada where we're a much less litigious society, some parents take notes from the minute their child is admitted. (We've got the HIPAA thing covered where I work - anyone calling for information on a patient has to give us the patient's medical record number first.)