malpractice insurance

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2004

I dont believe in it atall.

veteranRN · Aug 3, 2004

I have worked in many areas of nursing including: med/surg, ICU, ER, physician office, home health, and LTC. I have never needed it and I am going to take the gamble that I will continue to not need it. I personally have never known anyone to take advantage of the insurance they have, I know that is a good thing but I see it as wasted money.

profjanmc · Aug 3, 2004

I only have it to cover when I teach nursing students. If you practice under the policy and procedure of your agency, they should cover you, BUT find out from your risk managment department what they suggest. Every agency has a risk management/QA person, good to know about your agencies feelings.

skap · Aug 3, 2004

The hospital that I work at covers us. If we were to get our own malpractice insurance, and something happened, the hospital would not cover us, or help us out in anyway.

Blackcat99 · Aug 3, 2004

I have malpractice insurance. I think it is very important to have malpractice insurance "just in case." I have never been sued. However, I have heard of nurses being "sued" so better safe than sorry. :uhoh21:

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Aug 3, 2004

Have had malpractice insurance since student nurse days---25+ yrs now. Worth the peace of mind for ~100.00/yr cost.

jemb · Aug 3, 2004

Most facilities carry their employees on their malpractice policies, but the facility may not be on your side if you also are sued. (Wasn't there a recent thread from a nurse who was fired from her facility in reference to an incident and then reported to the board? You really think the facility would have an attorney for her?)

I also do a lot of casual teaching in conversations with people I know in settings other than work. (Don't we all-- even if we don't think of it as such?) As RNs, we are still liable for information we present even though we're not being paid.

I am involved in some active sports, too. Sometimes people get injured in these activities, and I frequently am able to help them before the paramedics arrive. I have a license. I am liable, and because I play there too, I am not anonymous even if I don't personally know the accident victim. I could always be tracked down and sued even if all I did was tell bystanders not to move the person.

Im not planning to do anything that would warrant my needing to use my insurance, but the small annual premium is nothing compared to the anguish I would go through if I made a mistake and needed an attorney's help to get through any legal ramifications that could follow.

I've never been sued, and hope I never will. But with the knowledge that facilities operate on politics as often as on reason, and that there are many unreasonable and 'sue-happy' folks who think that just because someone owns a home, that person has assets worth pursuing. If that happened, I'd probably have to hock my house to pay an attorney. No, thanks. I'll go for the $100 per year for the insurance.

Nurse Ratched, RN · Aug 3, 2004

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72612

Here are the pros and cons :).