lawsuits

Published

How common are lawsuits against nurses and student nurses. I am in my first year of nursing school and we are studying the law as it relates to nurses. By the way, my school does not require students to purchase insurance. I am very concerned about this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
How common are lawsuits against nurses and student nurses. I am in my first year of nursing school and we are studying the law as it relates to nurses. By the way, my school does not require students to purchase insurance. I am very concerned about this.

Hello, Maisie,

First let me say I am a strong advocate for malpractice/liability insurance for ALL nurses including the student.

NSO has a most inexpensive yearly rate. Check it out online:

http://www.nso.com

You can go online and get a rate quote right now.

I am a medical legal consultant. I have MANY cases for review now regarding lawsuits involving nurses. I have no statistics for the number of litigation issues for nurses. I have had zero cases involving the student, but, it can still happen.

You need to have your own , IMHO.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatric, Behavioral Health.

Ditto, Siri.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Ditto, ditto. Always have your own. Your employer will tell you that they will cover you with their . However, in reality you must have someone looking out for your interests and your own malpractice carrier is the one that will do this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hello, Maisie,

First let me say I am a strong advocate for malpractice/liability insurance for ALL nurses including the student.

NSO has a most inexpensive yearly rate. Check it out online:

www.nso.com

You can go online and get a rate quote right now.

I am a medical legal consultant. I have MANY cases for review now regarding lawsuits involving nurses. I have no statistics for the number of litigation issues for nurses. I have had zero cases involving the student, but, it can still happen.

You need to have your own liability insurance, IMHO.

Thanks Siri! I applied online just now, I was impressed at how affordable the rates are.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hello, Maisie,

First let me say I am a strong advocate for malpractice/liability insurance for ALL nurses including the student.

NSO has a most inexpensive yearly rate. Check it out online:

http://www.nso.com

You can go online and get a rate quote right now.

I am a medical legal consultant. I have MANY cases for review now regarding lawsuits involving nurses. I have no statistics for the number of litigation issues for nurses. I have had zero cases involving the student, but, it can still happen.

You need to have your own liability insurance, IMHO.

hello, is it fact or myth that a professional w/ tends to attract more attention in a malpractice lawsuits? perhaps it also depends on how guilty/liable the person is... any info would be great, thx for your time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in pediatrics.
How common are lawsuits against nurses and student nurses. I am in my first year of nursing school and we are studying the law as it relates to nurses. By the way, my school does not require students to purchase insurance. I am very concerned about this.

Statistically, I can't tell you how often nurses are named in a lawsuit (been named myself once), however; when a suit is filed, the lawyer typically names everyone with direct involvement and then narrows as more information becomes available, thus you will be named regardless of whether you have insurance or not. The question I am interested is how likely is whether a lawyer is more likely to continue to pursue a flimsy case when the nurse has personal coverage? I don't know. I do advocate for personal coverage because you are more likely to be reported to the Board of Nursing by a family or employer or another nurse. Most nurses do not consider that the liklihood of being reported to the Board of Nursing is much higher than being named in a lawsuit. Most boards are obligated to investigate every complaint made against a nurse and they can be for minor errors or major issues. And, unfortunately, being new to nursing or a new hire in general will put you at more risk as being reported by an employer or other nursing staff. You should always have legal counsel with you when dealing with any Board complaint to protect your rights and your license and there are some carriers who will cover you for counsel if you are ever reported to the Board.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

NSO is great for ! I've always been told not to mention at your job that you have outside malpractice insurance. If a case was to go to court, they would call in anyone who's name appeared anywhere on that chart or anywhere in documentation for computerized charting.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in pediatrics.
NSO is great for malpractice insurance! I've always been told not to mention at your job that you have outside malpractice insurance. If a case was to go to court, they would call in anyone who's name appeared anywhere on that chart or anywhere in documentation for computerized charting.

Having or not having insurance has absolutely no bearing on whether you are named, it may play a part as to whether you will be dropped from the suit when the extent of your involvment or lack thereof becomes apparent. If you are named, you will have to devulge to the hospital whether or not you have private coverage so it doesn't matter whether anyone at the facility knows or not. Most cases do not go to court and only those indiviuals who have some direct involvement will be asked to speak with the hospital attorney, the hospital attorney will question you and the plantiff's attorney will be allowed to examine records, these records will indicate whether or not you are merely a name in the chart -- i.e. the case manager and the dietician are not going to need to come in to speak to the lawyer. Remember in order to relistically prosecute a nurse, the plaintiff must show that your actions were a direct cause to the negative outcome. That's hard to do, most injuries are not that cut and dry. The liklhood of being reported to the Board of Nursing is far higher than having to appear before a court or give a deposition after being named in a suit.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Ditto, ditto. Always have your own. Your employer will tell you that they will cover you with their malpractice insurance. However, in reality you must have someone looking out for your interests and your own malpractice carrier is the one that will do this.

Just graduated so I'm new at this. Do you mean to say that in adittion to paying for the facility's you recommend nurses purchase their own insurance independantly?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Just graduated so I'm new at this. Do you mean to say that in adittion to paying for the facility's malpractice insurance you recommend nurses purchase their own insurance independantly?

Hello, NYNewGrad,

I suggest you have your own personal . You will find that you will be covered with issues outside your place of employment with your own coverage, wereas the insurance within your facility, will not.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Thanks Siri! I applied online just now, I was impressed at how affordable the rates are.

A very wise decision and choice on your part, NurseforPreggers!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion