Insurance

ckpaden · Mar 13, 2011

I think it's worth the piece of mind.

Do you know the limitation of your hospitals insurance? what limits does it have? if more then one nurse is targeted, is the coverage per nurse or for the group? If the amount is exceeded who pays?

I think what I'm trying to say you can never have to much protection for you or your family. I have insurance and $1,000,000.00 property insurance in top of that. I have also been called into a law office for a deposition. I can tell you it was a very nerves time, until I realized the initials were not mine on the record in question but someone else with the same. The patients family was suing due to a 5 out of 10 pain score after pain meds were given. I never followed up to see how the suit turned out for my coworker or the hospital, but can tell you I think the added insurance is certainly worth the piece of mind, and it's very affordable.

Flo., BSN, RN · Mar 13, 2011

Yes, It is worth it. For first year nurses NSO offers insurance at half its normal rate. So it will end up costing you about $50.

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Mar 13, 2011

As a graduate nurse, what are feelings on getting personal insurance or using the insurance of the facility that you work for? Is it worth the extra cost when your at a point where there isn't hardly extra money to spare?

I get $2 Million in coverage of my OWN, for less than $200 a year.

You know why it is so cheap? Because nurses are rarely sued.

Your facility ONLY covers you if you follow procedures 100% in accordance with hospital policy.

What it does not cover is:

1. Honest mistakes...anyone, regardless of experience could make them.

2. False accusation...if you get falsely accused of something and the facility or patient complaints to the BON or sue you in court, you will need legal representation.

No way would I work without it.

It is a MYTH..and one of the biggest ones in nursing, that you are more likely to get sued if you have malpractice insurance...there is not a single statistic out there to back that up, not to mention there is no magical database where an attorney can find that information.

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 13, 2011

I have had my own insurance for my entire career, which began in the 1970's. It's relatively inexpensive and it allows me to sleep at night. You never know what wierd situation might arise in your personal life or at work for which your employer's insurance wouldn't cover you.

As a previous poster said, your employer's insurance will only cover you at work while doing your assigned duties, and their may be some problems if you were not following their policies or working at the fringes of your job description. Also, remember that THEIR lawyer and THEIR insurance representative will be protecting THEIR interests -- NOT YOURS. If something ever happens that involves me in a legal situation, lawsuit, etc., I want a lawyer and an insurance representing ME and MY interest at my side, not my employer.

I'd sacrifice my food budget before I would give up my professional Liability Insurance.

dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I · Mar 13, 2011

Your hospitals insurance covers your hospital first. Get your own! It's cheaper to get your own than to talk to a lawyer for 1 hour. Anybody can sue anybody for anything, even if you weren't in the facility when some event happened. Every hospital I've worked at has the same procedure when they get sued, fire a nurse. There are many many other reasons for having your own insurance, just trust me, you'll be better off having your own.

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Mar 14, 2011

I've had my own malpractice insurance since the day before I started my first job. I get piece of mind for about $99 a year. Your employer's insurer will look out for your employer, not you.

Shortly after I graduated (May 2008), my local paper had a story about a nursing home south of Boston. A family felt that their grandmother, a resident there, was being neglected. The story didn't detail the accusations. Anyway, the family signed an arbitration agreement when Grandma was admitted to the nursing home. Since they couldn't sue the nursing home, they sued all 8 of the nurses.

3dayRN · Mar 14, 2011

It is a MYTH..and one of the biggest ones in nursing, that you are more likely to get sued if you have malpractice insurance...there is not a single statistic out there to back that up, not to mention there is no magical database where an attorney can find that information.

I always believed this about getting sued if you have malpractice insurance:rolleyes: I am going to seriously think about getting insurance now if this is not true. Now for a second question then......who offers this insurance? I haven't had this type of insurance since nursing school and don't remember how I went about getting it? :confused:

NaKcl, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2011

This is a very good informative discussion.

I never thought about getting my own insurance. I trusted my employer will protect me. It all makes sense that hospitals will look out for themselves first rather than protecting one nurse they can easily replace...

Can you guys tell me where/ how to buy this insurance?

Thank you for your posting. :nurse:

TankerBug · Mar 14, 2011

I am a New Grad RN, and already purchased my own Liability Insurance. I went through NSO as well! It cost me $50.00 for the whole year.

Just google NSO or RN liability insurance and you will find the website.

Alot of the RNs I work with now have their liability insurance through NSO as well.

It's totally worth it!

Perpetual Student · Mar 14, 2011

The only way having insurance would increase your chance of getting sued is if you blab about it in front of a patient who wants to win the lawsuit lottery. Given the litigious, self-entitled attitude of many in this country it is foolish to not have personal malpractice insurance.

You can do absolutely nothing wrong and still be sued. Sure, you might ultimately win against a bogus claim (see the one above re: the 5/10 pain score), but do you have the money for a lawyer?

elkpark · Mar 14, 2011

I am another nurse who would never consider working a single day without my own coverage.

Back when I was in nursing school, my father (a physician) advised me to always carry my own insurance and never count on an employer to look out for my best interests -- and everything I've seen in the >25 years of my career since then has just reinforced to me what excellent advice that was.